Indigenous leaders trek into the mountains of Caldono, Cauca, hoping to secure a deal with the FARC to leave their peoples out of the armed conflict, Europa Press reported Wednesday.
20 indigenous members started their journey on Tuesday, batons in hand, to attempt to negotiate some sort of peace agreement with the FARC.
Six indigenous council members in Caldono decided to seek dialogue with the guerrillas following a FARC attack on their community last week that left two females injured, one of whom is a 3-year-old girl.
Jesus Horacio Diaz, an indigenous leader in Caldono, told Caracol television that his people want the FARC to “respect them and respect their territory.”
The FARC has long been active in the Cauca department. Governor Guillermo Alberto Gonzalez recently announced a plan to increase security around Caldono’s indigenous community but also acknowledged the need for “intelligence to help process the FARC militia who are responsible for these attacks.”