Indepaz revealed that five killings of leaders and humanitarian activists occurred in Colombia on Monday. | Photo: EFE

Bogota, September 21 (RHC)-- The Institute for Development and Peace Studies (Indepaz) denounced on Monday that 124 social leaders and human rights defenders (HRDs) have been killed so far in 2021.

The NGO reported on its social networks the murder of David Aricapa Viscue, 26 years old and who was a community member of the López Adentro reservation, belonging to the Nasa people and located between the municipalities of Caloto and Corinto, in the department of Cauca, located in the southwest of the country.

"With David there are 124 leaders and defenders of HRDs murdered in 2021," and it is the 1,239th crime of an activist since the signing of the 2016 peace agreement, Indepaz lamented.

It detailed that the murder of Aricapa Viscue occurred on Monday afternoon at the entrance of the Toéz de Caloto reservation, when unknown persons attacked him with firearms until he was killed.

"It is reported that at least seven people have been killed in the area so far this year; also, in the morning hours there was fighting between the security forces and an armed structure in the municipality of Suarez," added the NGO.

It indicated that the Ombudsman's Office issued an investigative report for this municipality, in which it warns of armed actions that affect the security of the communities living in the area.

The coordinator of the Human Rights and Conflict Observatory of Indepaz, Leonardo González Perafán, denounced that this Monday five leaders and humanitarian activists were murdered in Colombia.

He pointed out that the crimes were committed against María Nancy Ramírez, in Santa Rosa de Osos, Antioquia; Jose Luis Pai, in Tumaco, Nariño; Jovanny Javier García, in Tumaco, Nariño; Dilio Bailarín, in Carmen del Darién, Chocó; and David Aricapa Viscue, in Caloto, Cauca.