Our partner in Colombia, the Inter-Church Commission for Justice and Peace, alerted us to a concerning pattern of surveillance and intimidation against Indigenous authorities of the Nasa people of Putumayo, the southwestern department that borders Ecuador and Peru. On the Indigenous Reserve Jerusalén San Luis Alto Picudito from late June to mid-July, Indigenous Governor Alicia Ipia Ramos and her security team witnessed men keeping an intent eye on her at events. On more than one occasion between July 1 and 6, men dressed in black were spotted hiding in vegetation near her house and another seen emerging from the lower level of her house, fleeing after the arrival of the security team’s vehicle.
On July 18 at 9:30pm, two men arrived at her home on motorcycles. Calling for Alicia from outside, her daughter replied that she was not home. As they left, the men warned, "We'll return later and pay her a proper visit." The daughter fled and hid in the woods. Members of the Indigenous Guard found her and took her to a safe place.
We are urging that authorities in Colombia (1) consult with authorities of Jerusalén San Luis Alto Picudito to create and implement a protection scheme for their leaders, including Alicia Ipia Ramos and her family, and (2) conduct a thorough investigation to find and hold accountable the men who sought out the governor at her home on July 18.
