Petro’s first moves to restructure Colombia’s government
Petro and Duque meet over transition of power...
Colombia confronts former FARC chiefs with suffering kidnapping...
Colombia hears former guerrilla chiefs over mass kidnappings
Petro’s quest for a majority in Colombia’s Congress
Colombia’s ELN guerrillas reiterate call to resume peace...
Colombia begins transition of power after elections
The peaceful revolution of Colombia’s “nobodies”
Historic victory for Gustavo Petro in Colombia’s elections
Colombia’s election observers say voters received tainted ballots
  • About
  • Support
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
Colombia News | Colombia Reports
  • News
    • General
    • Analysis
    • War and peace
    • Elections
    • Economy
    • Culture
    • Sports
    • Science and Tech
  • Travel
    • General
    • Bogota
    • Medellin
    • Cali
    • Cartagena
    • Antioquia
    • Caribbean
    • Pacific
    • Coffee region
    • Amazon
    • Southwest Colombia
    • Northeast Colombia
    • Central Colombia
  • Data
    • Economy
    • Crime and security
    • War and peace
    • Development
    • Cities
    • Regions
    • Provinces
  • Profiles
    • Organized crime
    • Politics
    • Armed conflict
    • Economy
    • Sports
  • Lite
  • Opinion
News

Bodies of indigenous leader and 2 sons found in northern Colombia

by David Spencer Seconi June 25, 2012

zenu-colombia-indigenous

The bodies of an indigenous leader and his two sons were excavated from a communal grave, approximately one year after their disappearance following a major drug cartel’s incursion into northern Colombia, reported Radio Caracol.

Drug trafficking organization “The Rastrojos” reportedly entered a region known as Bajo Cauca, just outside of the municipality of Zaragosa in Antioquia, between June 24 and June 26 2011. On June 25 the governor of the Zenu indigenous community, Jorge Mejia Estrada, and his two sons went missing.

Officials fear that they will discover the bodies of others who disappeared during the attack.

The Zenu, whose origins can be traced back to 200 B.C., were decimated following the Spanish conquest, yet pockets of the indigenous tribe remain in the country, some in government-sponsored areas located in Bajo Cauca.

Indigenous tribes have suffered a disproportionately high amount from the Colombian conflict, often as a result of weak or unheeded claims to land, higher poverty levels and weaker connections to the state, resulting in a lack of any permanent government system of protection or justice. The Zenu were particularly affected by the armed conflict in 2011, with paramilitary attacks killing 13 members of the tribe following the Rastrojo presence in June.

According to a report from the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia, between January and May of 2012 24 indigenous community members were killed.

AntioquiaBaCrimRastrojos

Trending

  • Petro’s quest for a majority in Colombia’s Congress

  • The peaceful revolution of Colombia’s “nobodies”

  • Colombia hears former guerrilla chiefs over mass kidnappings

Related articles

  • Medellin government rejects ‘illegitimate’ interim mayor

  • Colombia’s inspector general suspends mayors on election meddling charges

  • Daniel Quintero

  • RSS

@2008-2019 - Colombia Reports. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by Digitale Zaken and Parrolabs


Back To Top