Three members of an Embera indigenous family were killed in their home on 23 November, in yet another brutal attack on social activists and their close relatives. Community leader Serafín Díaz, 63 years old and a member of the CRIDEC indigenous organisation, was shot dead along with his wife María Gabriela Tapasco, 52, and their 32-year-old son César Augusto Díaz, who was a teacher in the San Lorenzo college. The attack occurred in Riosucio, department of Caldas.
Serafín and María’s daughter was also at home but survived the attack. She was under the protection of indigenous authorities, according to Higinio Obispo of the National Indigenous Organisation of Colombia (ONIC).
Obispo also criticised media reports that the killings were due to a robbery. ‘It is shameful to us that before an investigation is carried out, these kinds of announcements are made by the department authorities and the media, it is a reprehensible situation’, he said.
Recent findings released by Colombian human rights organisations the Patriotic March, the Cumbre Agraria and Indepaz found that 226 social activists were murdered between 1 January and 17 November this year.