Thursday Mar 30, 2023 - Colombia - Nine soldiers killed in attack on military unit, Housing announcement, Indigenous tensions rising

These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Thursday March 30, 2023

Nine soldiers have been killed and nine others wounded in an attack on a military unit in Colombia. The attack took place in El Carmen, in Norte de Santander state, and the attackers used long-range weapons and improvised explosive devices. The National Liberation Army, or ELN, is suspected to be behind the attack. President Gustavo Petro condemned the attack and called for consultations with government negotiators and international partners in the peace process. The attack comes as efforts to negotiate a lasting peace with the ELN have resumed after a hiatus in November. The ELN now has around 2,000 to 4,000 troops in Colombia and neighboring Venezuela, and has been accused of running drug trafficking routes and illegal gold mines.

Colombian President Petro announced from Villavicencio that his government will prioritize housing construction and improvement, with a focus on rural areas where almost four million Colombians lack their own homes. The Special Assets Society (SAE) is recovering assets and properties from drug traffickers and giving them to hard-working people and neighborhoods, with the recovered land to be used for social housing projects. The government aims to repair 100,000 homes per year, which will provide decent housing for the majority of Colombians. Petro's government is also prioritizing social programs and pushing for radical reforms in health, labor, and pensions. Colombia is taking significant steps towards building a better future for its citizens by prioritizing their needs.

In Colombia, tensions are rising between Indigenous communities and Mennonite colonies over land ownership and deforestation. Since 2015, Mennonite colonies have arrived in Colombia and established large-scale agriculture in protected areas and Indigenous territories. Indigenous leaders have reported threats and intimidation from Mennonite colony members and other individuals, with some leaders requesting anonymity due to safety concerns. Satellite data shows ongoing tree cover loss associated with agricultural expansion in the Liviney Mennonite Colony. Indigenous communities are working towards recognition as victims of violence by Colombia’s Land Restitution Unit, while a report submitted to Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace suggests that another war is developing, this time through writing and environmental licenses. Reports of conflict between Indigenous residents and Mennonite settlers are numerous, including threats and violence against Indigenous leaders and their families. A 2021 investigation by the Corporation for the Sustainable Development of the Macarena found no illegal environmental activity by Mennonite colonies, but Indigenous communities continue to fight for their rights to their ancestral lands.

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