Colombia: Indigenous Embera Katio communities fight for their rights

In Bogota, 372 indigenous persons of the Embera Katio communities from Alto Sinú, Córdoba Department, continue their protests against violations of their human right to food in the context of the construction of the hydro-electrical dam Urra I. For several weeks now, these communities have been demanding from the Government of Colombia the implementation of the Constitutional Court’s judgement which provides for their complete compensation and rehabilitation. In November negotiations between the communities and the government took place, which were then terminated by the government. The attitude of the authorities blocks a solution to this problem, worsening the situation of the indigenous communities.

International action at this moment is important to demand the protection of the Embera Katio communities’s human right to feed themselves. Please write to the President of the Republic, Dr. Álvaro Uribe Vélez, asking him to adopt the appropriate compensation measures after negotiation with the communities. Moreover their right to free assembly has to be respected. Please send a copy to the Ministry of Environment and to the National Indigenous Organisation of Colombia (ONIC).