Human Rights Watch called out armed groups in Putumayo for terrorizing civilians, with Indigenous people getting hit the hardest. The groups are basically using peace negotiations as a cover to tighten their grip on the region near Ecuador and Peru. Locals told HRW they got forced to bury murder victims to hide how bad things really are, and people are being pressured into growing coca and joining sketchy protests to spring detained commanders.
The violence includes grabbing kids from boarding schools for recruitment, forcing curfews on Indigenous communities, and blocking cultural practices. President Gustavo Petro launched peace talks to cut down violence in exchange for judicial perks, and some progress happened with the Estado Mayor group signing deals about land access and stopping child recruitment.
But displacement in the area jumped over 1,000 percent between recent years, and UN reports documented attacks on schools plus sexual violence against Indigenous and Afro-descendant kids.
The violence includes grabbing kids from boarding schools for recruitment, forcing curfews on Indigenous communities, and blocking cultural practices. President Gustavo Petro launched peace talks to cut down violence in exchange for judicial perks, and some progress happened with the Estado Mayor group signing deals about land access and stopping child recruitment.
But displacement in the area jumped over 1,000 percent between recent years, and UN reports documented attacks on schools plus sexual violence against Indigenous and Afro-descendant kids.
