Human rights defenders in Colombia march peacefully to demand protection measures for social leaders

After marching for several days to reach the town of Turbaco in the department of Bolívar, more than 400 community leaders, women, elders and families of Montes de Maria met the departmental government and state authorities to denounce growing insecurity in their home area, and to call for more progress in the implementation of the Peace Agreement.

They also expressed their concerns about the negative impacts from the agribusiness and extractive industries, which are putting at risk their health and food security, hindering the process of land restitution and slowing the return of displaced families to their communities.

As a result of the public protest, the marchers were able to obtain a series of commitments from the state, the governor’s and the mayor’s offices to improve protections for community leaders, advance actions for land restitution and ensure more effective measures in support of victims of the armed conflict.

Now the world is watching and waiting to see if the authorities in Bolivar and the Colombian government fulfil their commitments.