Begin forwarded message: > From: MAMARadio <[log in to unmask]> > Date: October 14, 2008 11:01:38 AM EDT > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [MAMA Radio] 10/14/2008 08:00:00 AM > > Colombian Military and Police Confronting Indigenous Protesters in > Cauca; > > Organizers call for solidarity from the international community > > The Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca, ACIN, > reports that today, on the third day of the national mobilization > dubbed “Commotion of the Peoples,” all the communities gathered in > the locality of La Maria, in the department of Cauca, are > completely surrounded by the Colombian Army. Apparently, the > security forces are preparing to carry out an armed assault against > the civilians involved in the protest, which began on Sunday, > October 12th. Organizers estimate that there are over 10,000 people > currently at La Maria and surrounding areas. > > The communities have blocked a portion of the Pan American Highway > that connects the cities of Popayán and Santander de Quilichao in > the department of Cauca, in an acto f civil disobedience. They are > demanding a face to face meeting with the President to discuss the > main points on their agenda. > > ACIN reports that in the confrontations today, there were at least > two indigenous activists severely wounded, with one possibly > fatally. Two other indigenous activists from Tierradentro were > detained. > > Simultaneously, 4 cadavers were transfered from Corinto to the > morgue in the town of Caloto. According to ACIN, up to now, local > officials have not allowed indigenous authorities in to identify > the victims and examine the corpses. > > Prior to the mobilization, which was called to protest against the > militarization of indigenous territories, the US-Colombia Free > Trade Agreement, and the government of Alvaro Uribe, indigenous > leaders warned about the potential for this kind of backlash > against the movement. That the government declared a state of > internal commotion just two days before the start of the protest > gave them more reason to be alarmed. > > In an urgent communique put out by ACIN a few moments ago, the > organization states: “Everything indicates that this criminal > government has initiated a massacre as a response to our indigenous > resistance!” > > Spokespersons for ACIN are calling on “the world not to serve as > accomplices with silence in the face of this criminal regime.” > > For more information, contact: http://www.nasaacin.org > > -- > Posted By MAMARadio to MAMA Radio at 10/14/2008 08:00:00 AM www.deepdishwavesofchange.blogspot.com