On March 18, 2008, three Indigenous Elders and Spiritual Leaders from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta took part in a presentation at the Poder forum in Miami, Florida, to discuss their land reclamation and restoration efforts.

Home to some 50,000 indigenous people from four different ethnic groups – the Kogi, Wiwa, Arhuaco and Kakuamo, all descendants of the Tayronas - the Sierra Nevada is the the world’s tallest coastal mountain range and one of the world’s most unique ecosystems.

The People say it is “the heart of the world,” a …

The Nukak, one of the Amazon’s last nomadic Peoples, have once again been caught between the Colombian army and the left-wing FARC guerrillas.

According to a March 12 statement by Survival International, they were bombed “by the Colombian army in its attempt to fight the guerrillas who have violently taken control of much of the Nukak land. Many Nukak have fled their territory to a local town in recent days, and many more are expected to follow suit.”

This violence comes just months after many Nukak began returning to their territory, …

Teresa Martínez recently posted an urgent notice on her blog, explaining that on January 16, four armed men dressed in civilian clothes arrived at the farm of Armando Montañez in the small village called Monterralo. After being spotted by Armando and two neighbors, the men opened fire repeatedly.

Armando and his two companions fled as soon as the shooting started. They have not been seen since and their forced disappearance is feared.

Here is the Urgent notice in English, followed by some email address you can write to. If you’d like …

According to a recent article on Narco News, Colombia’s Anti-Narcotics Police will soon begin fumigating illicit crops inside of the country’s Indigenous Territories.

Though not publicly known until November 24, on October 8, the National Narcotics Council approved the new fumigation plan–alleging the government first engaged in a consultation process with the affected communities (which they are required to do by law).

Consultations have “supposedly been carried out in the departments (states) of Guaviare, Magdalena, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Cuaca, Caquetá, Vichada, Arauca and Guainía, and are still …

The following message is a request for action in support of the Wayuu People in the Alta Guajira region of Colombia. For more information, please visit organizacionwayuumunsurat.blogspot.com.

Thanks to Ana for posting this on her blog

URGENT SUPPORT FOR THE WAYÙU INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN COLOMBIA

The displaced community of Bahìa Portete found in the Alta Guajira once again denounces the latest incursión of the paramilitary group CONTRAINSURGENCIA WAYUU under command of the alias “ PABLO ” into their ancestral territory that has once already been bathed in blood. This …

image from colombia.indymedia.org

On October 10, 2007, thousands of indigenous People, farmers, unionists, teachers, students, and activists demonstrated throughout Colombia as part of the National Popular and Agrarian Mobilization, a day of action that was first called on by the Campesino Association of the Cimitarra Valley (ACVC), shortly after the Sept. 29 detention of four ACVC leaders.

Over a dozen actions were organized throughout Colombia, mobilizing upwards of 20,000 people– some …

Due to the grave crisis in which Colombian People find themselves in under the government of Alvaro Uribe Velez, a 3-day National Popular and Agrarian Mobilization will begin throughout Columbia tomorrow, October 10.

Organized by campesinos, workers and grassroots organizations, they will be seeking to raise awareness about the current reality of Columbia–a reality that’s nowhere near the image of prosperity and advancement we find in the mainstream media.

A central point in the crisis, as explained in a communique from the National Commission of Communications for the …

Since Tuesday, over 1000 Awá people have fled their land in the Province of Narino, Columbia, to escape a recent outbreak of violence between the Colombian army and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

As of Thursday, 1,018 Awa–more than half the group under the age of 16–has gathered in the village of Inda Sabaleta, some 25 minutes from their communities.

This recent event marks the 19th time a group of 50 people or more have been displaced in the Province this year.

From the UNHCR - The …

The Transnational Institute (TNI) has just released a report which examines the impact of coca cultivation, petroleum activity and armed conflict on Cofan, a people traditionally living in the tropical forest between Ecuador and Colombia.

Today their territory, culture and very survival are being threatened by the dynamics associated with the drugs trade, the armed conflict and large mega-projects being developed in their territory.

Here’s the Introduction to the report (links added by me) followed by TNI’s recommendations to the Government of Colombia:

Coca, Petroleum and Conflict in Cofán …

The Peoples’ Permanent Tribunal (PPT), an independent non-governmental body that examines and judges complaints regarding violations of human rights as submitted by the victims themselves (or their representatives)—recently held a hearing against the Oil Industry in Colombia.

On August 3rd and 4th, the Panel of 130 Judges gathered in Bogota, receiving testimony from nearly 400 People with regard to the actions of Repsol-YPF, Occidental and British Petroleum, and the Colombian state-owned oil company.

The Judges concluded: “The Tribunal –which is non-binding- believes that there are reasonable grounds to qualify a …