In 2023, the human rights ombudsman’s office in Colombia reported that 181 community activists were murdered, which was described as a tragedy. The number of activist and human rights defender killings was lower than the previous year, with a record 215 murders in 2022, the ombudsman stated.
Ombudsman Carlos Camargo said, “It’s an unacceptable situation that last year, on average, a social leader or human rights defender was murdered every two days in Colombia.” These killings took place despite President Gustavo Petro’s “total peace” policy, which aims to end the country’s six decades of internal armed conflict that has resulted in at least 450,000 deaths.
“Every life lost is a tragedy for their families, for the communities and for the defense of fundamental rights in the country,” Camargo emphasized.
Violence against social leaders has been a significant challenge for Colombian governments, leading to frequent criticism from the international community and advocacy groups, which have been demanding actions to stop the killings.
The ombudsman’s office highlighted that Colombia’s most violence-ridden provinces in 2023 were Cauca, Antioquia and Narino. These areas are affected by the presence of illegal armed groups, illicit gold mining, and the cultivation of coca, the key ingredient in cocaine.
(Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta; Writing by Oliver Griffin; Editing by Chris Reese)
![[Coffee Icon] Junior Passione Stainless Steel Moka Pot / Coffee Maker / Ready Stock in Malaysia 百年老字號Stella 304摩卡壼](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
