Bogotá, September 3 (teleSUR-RHC)-- On the third day of the massive mobilizations lead by the Agrarian, Farmers, Ethnic and Popular Summit, hundreds of farmers, along with Indigenous and Afro-Colombian people, peacefully occupied the Ministry of Agriculture’s main building in Bogotá.  Representatives of the Agrarian Summit said the occupation was peaceful, and no damage or violent actions had been reported.        
    
The “Agro-Indignados” or “Outraged Agrarians” demanded the government fulfill the promises made after the general strikes of 2013 and 2014, claiming that less than 70 percent of the over 200 agreements signed have been met so far.      
       
They demanded the government publish an extensive account of the agreements signed on May 13, 2014, which include initiatives such as the implementation of a human rights sub-commission among other demands. They say the government has been unjustifiably criminalizing their movement and imprisoning many of their leaders.        

Iragorri responded that 160 of the 200 agreements had been fulfilled so far.  He added that within the framework of dialogue set up with the Agrarian Summit since 2014, a total of 288 projects had been submitted to his ministry.     

However, he added, in many cases the protesting farmers were not entitled to government subsidies because they included demands of vans or laptops “by Apple” for rural leaders.

The farmers movement also accused the government of implementing policies that favor agribusiness instead of farmers, including free-trade deals signed with Europe and North America.        

They specifically demanded the withdrawal of two bills introduced recently.  They claimed the “Zones of Interest of Rural and Economic Development” violated the rule of “previous consultation, favored the concentration of the land use and property for capitalistic companies.”

The other bill concerning integral rural development, they argued also violated an international law compelling the government to consult the affected populations involved in development projects before they are implemented.        

According to the organizers' estimate, at least 5,000 farmers arrived in the capital in recent days to express their discontent, however, the mobilization has been carried out throughout the country, especially in the south west region.