Three dead and 44 injured in clashes between Indigenous communities in Colombia

Bogotá — At least three people were killed and 44 injured on Thursday (21 May) in clashes between the Misak and Nasa Indigenous communities in the Cauca department in southwestern Colombia, according to Governor Octavio Guzman. Guzman urged leaders from both communities to halt further attacks immediately, saying the situation must not be allowed to escalate. ‘We cannot allow the situation to continue to worsen,’ Guzman said. He added that no dispute could justify loss of life, injuries, or risk to civilians. Misak Indigenous leader Liliana Pechene said in a video that one of the dead was a leader from her community. She accused Nasa members of illegally occupying Misak territory and urged the government to intervene to rescue people allegedly detained in the town of Silvia. The Colombian Ministry of the Interior said it has begun talks with representatives from both communities to seek a peaceful settlement and end the violence.