Today, on the International Day on Women Human Rights Defenders, we wanted to highlight the story of Aida Quilcué, a tireless defender of the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Colombia. For speaking up and advocating for Indigenous Peoples, Aída has faced deadly threats against herself and against her family. Nearly a year ago, her husband was tragically killed in an attack many speculated as being meant for his wife. In the months since, she and her family have been continually harassed.
Government and corporate attempts to gain control over natural resources in Indigenous lands have meant that Indigenous Peoples in Colombia are under constant threat. They have been displaced, confined, detained and murdered in staggering numbers--and Aida continues to speak out.
Aida is a key figure behind the Social and Communitarian Minga, a group that opposes free trade agreements that contravene human rights, armed conflict, laws that deny people their land, and harmful policies advanced by Alvaro Uribe’s government. This group has been targeted by Colombian army forces for their outspoken united front against government policies.
In August of this year, in the Awa Indigenous region of Colombia, 12 people were massacred. They were killed as they slept by FARC rebels, who accused them of collaborating with the government's armed forces. As the decades-long armed conflict grinds on, Indigenous Peoples continue to be targeted.
Aida is one of many women worldwide who risk their lives to advance human rights for their families, for their communities and for all.
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