2024-09-02 06:09:30
On Thursday, August 29, siblings María Angie Gutiérrez, 15, and Maicol Gutiérrez, 8, both members of the Embera Chamí indigenous community, were seriously injured when they stepped on antipersonnel mines planted in a banana plantation in the municipality of Bolívar, Valle del Cauca.
Due to the severity of the injuries sustained in her lower extremities, María Angie was transferred to Cali to receive specialized surgical care, while her brother Maicol was treated at a local health center. The Regional Indigenous Organization of Valle del Cauca (ORIVAC) reported that these violent acts have increased tension in ancestral territories, which are the target of illegal armed groups that disrupt the peace and harmony of indigenous communities.
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The incident occurred while the minors were harvesting food in the area’s crops. Unwittingly, they stepped on anti-personnel mines placed on the side of the road. The young woman suffered significant injuries to her feet and legs, while the minor also required urgent medical attention.
ORIVAC denounced that this region has been seriously affected by criminal activities and attacks that put the lives of thousands of civilians at risk. According to local communities, the installation of antipersonnel mines has spread to areas such as the Garrapatas River Canyon and the San Quinini River Canyon, increasing the danger for the inhabitants. Finally, the organization called on the government of President Gustavo Petro and the competent entities to take urgent measures to defend the human rights of the Embera Chamí community in the Valle del Cauca. They demanded immediate action to protect and support the affected communities.
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The Ombudsman’s Office also issued a statement through its X account (formerly Twitter), strongly condemning the attack and demanding the protection of minors in the armed conflict: “We call for the lives of children and adolescents to be respected, and for them to be kept out of the armed conflict. They are people requiring special care and safe environments must be ensured.”