In the lush landscapes and rich cultures of Colombia, the Indigenous Peoples carry the weight of centuries. And as the nation strides towards “total peace,” their plight stands stark against a backdrop of prolonged armed conflicts and negotiations.
Francisco Calí Tzay, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, recently highlighted the urgency of addressing these historic grievances. And his insights shed light on the dire need for the Colombian state to rectify longstanding injustices to truly achieve peace and honor the invaluable contributions of its Indigenous communities.
The echoes of ancestors’ struggles reverberate through Colombia’s valleys and mountains… Indigenous communities, despite their profound connections to their land and resources, face a contemporary crisis rooted in centuries of marginalisation.
And Calí Tzay’s observations reveal a disturbing continuity of challenges, from the forced recruitment and displacement of Indigenous peoples to the alarming rates of suicide, sexual violence and systemic discrimination they face in accessing essential services like health, education and nutrition.
More than 1,200 human rights defenders and social leaders have been killed since 2016, with the government’s policies and mechanisms to protect these individuals often poorly implemented.
According to the Human Rights Ombudsperson’s Office
Historically, Colombia’s Indigenous Peoples have been sidelined in the narrative of national progress, often treated as invisible even within their ancestral lands.
This neglect is not just a failure of recognition but a significant contributor to the deterioration of their cultural and physical existence.
And Calí Tzay’s interactions with Indigenous women, who have been searching for their missing loved ones for over a decade, underscore a harrowing reality of neglect and invisibility imposed by the Colombian state and society.
The Special Rapporteur’s call for the implementation of recommendations from his predecessors, who visited Colombia in 2004 and 2009, is a testament to the cyclical nature of these challenges. His forthcoming report to the Human Rights Council aims to add further weight to the call for justice, advocating for concrete measures to address this historical marginalisation.
Indigenous knowledge and ancestral wisdom are not just cultural treasures; they are essential tools in the global fight against climate change and environmental degradation… because the stewardship of Indigenous Peoples over their lands has preserved ecosystems and biodiversity that are crucial for the planet’s health.
So acknowledging and respecting their rights to self-government, self-determination and control over their land, territories and resources is not only a matter of justice but a prerequisite for sustainable progress.
The path to “total peace” in Colombia is intertwined with the fate of its Indigenous Peoples.
Their rights, wisdom and well-being are integral to the nation’s aspirations for peace and environmental conservation. And as Calí Tzay emphasises, genuine recognition and respect for Indigenous Peoples’ rights are foundational to achieving true and lasting peace in Colombia.
The time has come for the Colombian state to confront its historical debts and forge a future that honors the rights and contributions of Indigenous communities, paving the way for a harmonious and just society.
