Front Line and Human Rights First strongly condemn the murder of Mr Edwin Legarda Vazquez, husband of human rights defender, Ms Aída Quilcué, Chief Counsel of the Consejo Regional Indígena de Colombia - CRIC (The Indigenous Regional Council of Cauca), on 16 December 2008. We ask that you urge the Colombian Government to undertake a prompt, impartial investigation into the murder and to protect Ms Quilcué and her family.

Further Information

On 16 December 2008, at approximately 4.00 am, members of the Third Division of the National Army opened fire on the car owned by the CRIC on the road between Inza, Tierradentro, and Totora. We understand that the car was hit approximately 17 times, with three bullets hitting Legarda. He was taken to San José Hospital in Popoyan, the departmental capital, where he received emergency surgery but did not survive the attack.

We note the Army’s statement that the car failed to stop at an Army roadblock. However, this announcement is inconsistent with the CRIC’s account that no roadblock existed, as well as the fact that the car was hit with 17 bullets from all sides, suggestive of an ambush. A prompt and impartial investigation, followed by prosecutions, is essential if the evidence indicates the commission of a crime.

We are particularly concerned that the killing of Legarda could be related to his wife's activities defending the rights of the indigenous peoples of Colombia and that the intended target may have been Quilcué herself. We understand that most people in the region were aware that the car belonged to the CRIC. Quilcué was an active leader in the recent high profile indigenous protests which began on 11 October 2008 and culminated in a large march and rally in Bogotá on 21 November 2008. Those protests were on occasion broken up forcefully by the National Army and included a high profile debate with President Uribe. Quilcué had just returned from Geneva, Switzerland, where she participated in the Universal Periodic Review of Colombia at the UN Human Rights Council.

We appreciate President Uribe’s December 17 statement lamenting the murder and seeking an investigation by the Prosecutor General, Inspector General and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.