SOS COLOMBIA 

The United Nations' human rights office has accused Colombia's security forces of using excessive force against protesters. The UN said it was particularly shocked by events in Cali on Monday, where it said police had fired on protesters. It said that fatalities had been reported but it not yet been able to verify how many.

On Monday, Colombia's ombudsman said at least 19 people had died during a week of unrest over proposed tax reforms.

Deadly clashes

The ombudsman's office had at first put the number of those killed since the protests started at 17, but later revised that number upwards to 19. But that was before the fresh clashes which happened overnight in Cali, Colombia's third largest city.
Colombians take to the streets to oppose tax reform. Marta Hurtado, a spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the UN had received reports of human rights defenders being harassed and threatened as well as protesters being injured and even killed in the city.

"What we can say clearly is that we have received reports, and we have witnesses, (of) excessive use of force by security officers, shooting, live ammunition being used, beatings of demonstrators and as well detentions," she told reporters in Geneva.
People also took to the streets on Monday in the capital, Bogotá, in Colombia's second largest city, Medellin, and in the northern city of Bucaramanga.

What kicked off the protests?

When the protests started on 28 April, they were mainly in opposition to a now shelved tax reform.

The government argued that the reform was key to mitigating Colombia's economic crisis. Its gross domestic product (GDP) dropped by 6.8% last year, the deepest crash in half a century, and the coronavirus pandemic has further driven up its unemployment rate.

The proposed reform would have lowered the threshold at which salaries are taxed, affecting anyone with a monthly income of 2.6m pesos ($684; £493) or more. It would also have eliminated many of the current exemptions enjoyed by individuals, as well as increasing taxes imposed on businesses.
It caused outrage among Colombians already battered by the pandemic and the protests were joined by many middle-class people who feared the changes could see them slip into poverty. (from BBC)
 
Why are people still on the streets?

Withdrawing the tax reform isn't enough. It was just the tipping point. However, the government and armed forces, along with right-winged political figures have fueled and encouraged the use of excessive force against the people while the exercise their right to protest. Countless of human rights violations have been documented and exposed online within the last few days- some just too graphic to share on most platforms.


OVER DECADES THE UNITED STATES HAS NOT ONLY BENEFIT FROM WHAT COLOMBIA HAS BEEN ABLE TO OFFER IN TRADE, BUSINESS, AND GOODS. IT HAS ALSO PLAYED A HUGE PART IN THE WAR AGAINST DRUGS. THIS HAS CAUSED A HUGE BOURDEN TO THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE WHO FEEL THEY ARE FIGHTING AN ENDLESS WAR.

WE ASK FOR THE UNITED NATIONS, THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND THE EUROPIAN UNION TO JOIN US IN OUR EFFORTS TO RECLAIM THE PEACE AND JUSTICE OF OUR COUNTRY COLOMBIA. TO USE THEIR INFLUENCE TO HELP A COUNTRY THAT IS STARVING FOR CHANGE. 

PLEASE JOIN US IN ASKING THE US GOVERNMENT, UNITED NATIONS AND EUROPEAN NATIONS TO HELP COLOMBIA FIND JUSTICE AND PEACE.

Media & Resources

The Hill - 19 killed in pandemic-related Colombia protests

The Guardian - Colombia braces for further unrest after police react violently to mass protests

News Week- What is Happening in Colombia? Protests Against Iván Duque Márquez Explained

AlJazeera.com - UN rights office condemns Colombia crackdown on protests