The Colombian government in its anti-drugs policy implements in rural zones forced and militarized eradication of the illicit-use crops, a policy which has contributed to the violation of human rights of the peasant communities that demand a policy of crop substitution that is consulted and progressive. This demand has not been attended, which has represented for the peasant population higher levels of inequality and in response to the manifestations and protest actions, growing levels of repression and violence done by the Colombian state, the police force, the Mobile Anti-Riot Squad –ESMAD- and military forces.

In this context, the peasant communities of Alto Mira and Frontera from the township of Llorente in the municipality of Tumaco in Nariño, mobilized in defense of the voluntary and consulted substitution of the crops, were victims of state violence with the massacre committed by the Military Forces and the National Police that resulted in at least 8 peasants lives lost and 54 gravely injured.

It is because of this that from the People’s Congress:

1. We demand that the Colombian Government give guarantees for the social and political struggle and for the free exercise of the right of protest, like the comprehensive revision and substantial change to the politics of security and the military doctrine that drives and justifies the violent, disproportionate and repressive acts of the public force in response to the social mobilization.

2. We demand the Colombian government and President Juan Manuel Santos immediately implement the terms of agreement in the bilateral ceasefire with the National Liberation Army –ELN- in relation to the humanitarian character and measures of this agreement.

3. We demand truth, justice and guarantees of no repetition and we call on the international community to accompany and verify the implementation of the agreements by the National Government, since the massacre of Tumaco already shows the failure to fulfill Point 4 of the agreements of Havana, reaffirming state terrorism and its lack of will and political coherence to advance in the search for peace.

4. We insist that the National Government carry out a mission of verification with monitoring and participation of social and human rights organizations with the goal of total and immediate clarification of the acts, with investigation and penal and disciplinary sanctions to the authors.

5. We express all of our solidarity with the families and communities that have been victims of the terrorism of the Colombian state and we highlight that the construction of peace in Colombia demands the overcoming of the incidents that occurred in Tumaco.

For all of the above, we call on the country, on the social and political organizations and sectors to overwhelmingly reject these acts of violence. We encourage people to denounce and act against every injustice that is committed by a state or para-state actor against the Colombian people and we invite you all towards unity, the struggle and to join the national mobilization of October 12 and the days of indignation.

People’s Congress October 6, 2017

BUILDING A COUNTRY FOR A DIGNIFIED LIFE