President Juan Manuel Santos and the National Conference on Human Rights will meet Thursday to discuss the protection of human rights activists, reported El Espectador.
“Signatories to the Human Rights National Conference process will engage in a dialogue with President Santos at 5PM to strengthen the human rights struggle,” explained Colombian Vice President Angelino Garzon.
The dialogue is expected to produce specific actions to be taken to combat violence against activists.
The vice president is one of the key officials engaged in the national government’s effort to curb offenses. He was sent to Nariño this week to review the human rights troubles in the southern part of the country.
Senator Camilo Romero, who accompanied Vice President Garzon on his visit to Nariño, has campaigned for further action to be taken to protect human rights defenders.
In particular, Romero names the murders of indigenous leaders as “a vital issue that must be addressed by authorities.”
The news of the human rights meeting arrives days after the governor of an indigenous community in Antioquia was shot to death.