Since last February 22, the search for the Arhuaco mamo, Fidel Izquierdo, has been tireless, however, it has not been possible to locate him despite the many searches by the authorities of the indigenous community.
For this reason, the authorities of his community, led by the governor’s council, Digneris Izquierdo, announced the reinforcement of the search with the support of personnel from the CTI and the National Army, who remain in the community of Guanalí searching the area.
Fidel Izquierdo, mamo of the Seyarukuingumu community, was last seen in the sector between Nuevo Colón (Pueblo Bello, Cesar) and the El Cincuenta sidewalk (Fundación, Magdalena) in the Ariguaní River basin.
Fidel Izquierdo is a Spiritual Authority of the Arhuaco People and is recognized for contributing his valuable traditional work to the Seyarukuingumu community and the Simunurwa Center. His community has carried out its own traditional procedures to try to find his whereabouts, but to date it has not been possible to find him.
The Seyarukuingumu community is deeply affected by this situation and is exposed to a serious and imminent collective risk of violation of their human rights to life, integrity, security, ethnic and cultural identity, and political participation, since In the area, even after the Final Peace Agreement was signed, illegal armed groups continue to be present and reposition themselves.
In accordance with the Early Warning System of the Ombudsman’s Office, alerts have been issued in relation to the municipalities and departments that comprise the ancestral territory of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The Ombudsman’s Office has reported that in the border area of the departments of Cesar and Magdalena, where the mamu Fidel Izquierdo disappeared, different illegal armed groups such as “Clan Giraldo” or “Los Pachencas”, the “Oficina del Caribe” are present. , the Conquistadores Self-Defense Forces of the Sierra Nevada (ACSN), the Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AGC), “Los Pelusos” or EPL, and the ELN.
ASK FOR ACTIONS
The Tayrona Indigenous Confederation – CIT, in coordination with the Commission for the Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples – CDDHHPI, in response to these facts and the seriousness and imminence of the risk in which the Seyarukuingumu community of the Arhuaco de la Resguardo finds itself. Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, makes various demands on the national government.
They demand the Ministry of the Interior to act immediately by issuing urgent protection alerts for the rights of the Seyarukuingumu community affected by the presence of illegal armed groups.
To the National Protection Unit – UNP, to implement urgent protection measures with the communities and authorities of the Arhuaco People; like the General Prosecutor’s Office, which must act immediately and carry out urgent investigation and investigation actions that allow those presumed responsible for the disappearance of the mamu Fidel Izquierdo and those responsible for generating anxiety among the indigenous community to be brought to justice .
To the Governors of Cesar and Magdalena, the Municipal Mayors of Pueblo Bello – Cesar and Fundación – Magdalena, and the Municipal Ombudsmen of Pueblo Bello – César and Fundación – Magdalena, which, in coordination with the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defense (National Army and National Police), adopt immediate measures to address the situation denounced here, with a differential indigenous approach in order to guarantee the human and fundamental rights of this population.
To the Ombudsman’s Office and the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation. Carry out monitoring and surveillance of the actions carried out by territorial and national organizations, carry out permanent monitoring of the Human Rights situation that is being violated in this area of the country.