The Peasant Farmer Association of Catatumbo (ASCAMCAT) has denounced the intimidiation and harassment suffered by one of its members, José Miguel Paz Camargo, on 22 January. At around 11.30am, armed men approached José as he worked on his small farm and threatened him and family members with guns.
In a statement ASCAMCAT said ‘We refuse to continue being murdered for our political option to think differently, already 283 social leaders have been killed, without effective action by the Colombian state to investigate and try those responsible’.
It continued: ‘We call on the National Government and its institutions to guarantee the lives, integrity and security of peasant farmer leaders and human rigths defenders in Catatumbo and Colombia… we urgently demand thorough investigation, the clarification of what happened and justice for those responsible’.