Call on Colombian authorities to stop the killing, stigmatization and death threats against social leaders and human rights defenders in Colombia.

CoDevelopment’s partner NOMADESC (Association for Research and Social Action), together with other human rights organizations of southwestern Colombia, are requesting support in urging the new government of President Ivan Duque Marquez to take immediate action to prevent the systematic killing of social leaders and human rights defenders in the country.According to Colombian human rights organizations, 123 social leaders were killed and 600 others received death threats between January and July 2018. One such threat was circulated August 9 in the city of Cali by the narco-paramilitary group Aguilas Negras (Black-Eagles). The leaflets declared 10 social organizations and 21 rights defenders military targets, stating: “The Aguilas Negras reiterate our position to counteract at the national level the urban structures of the insurgency, camouflaged as supposed social leaders, and direct our units to stop the advance of the so-called “Colombia Humana,” which promotes progressive “sellout” governments inclined to strengthen leftist organizations, contrary to the political project proposed by Doctor IVAN DUQUE.”Among the organizations targeted are the Valle del Cauca Teachers’ Union (SUTEV, a member of our partner, the Colombian Teachers’ Federation), and Margarita López, president of Valle del Cauca water worker’s union SINTRACUAVALLE, another CoDev partner.Please send our urgent action to Colombian President Ivan Duque:

1. To take concrete steps to stop the assassinations and threats against social leaders and human rights defenders.
2. To make public the new government’s human rights policy to designed to prevent killings and attacks against rights defenders.
3. To thoroughly investigate and identify those persons responsible for the killing, death threats and stigmatization of social leaders and human rights defenders.

[formidable id="73" title="1"]Please also send messages and photos of solidarity with Colombian social leaders and human rights defenders through social media:Facebook:Nomadesc: @AsociacionNomadescFecode: @fecodeSintracuavalle: @sintracuavalle.presenteTwitter, using the hashtags #SerLiderNoEsDelito #NoHayPazSinDefensoresNomdesc: @NomadescFecode: @fecodeSintracuavalle: @SINTRACUAVALLE