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From Gernika Gogoratuz, we condemn the killing of María Ovidia Palechor, a Yanacona community leader and human rights defender, and James Edimer, who was known for his work in support of the community and peasant farmers. They were both killed in their home on 1 September.

We wish to express our solidarity and send our heartfelt condolences to their families, their community and the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca (CRIC).

María Ovidia Palechor and James Edimer worked to defend the human rights of communities in Cauca and played a key role in organisational processes, as well as in the process of recognising La Pedregosa as a corregimiento and a territory of peace.

We particularly remember María Ovidia Palechor’s contribution to the AIPAZ report, «The Role of Human Rights Defenders in the Implementation of the Peace Agreements and the Peacebuilding Process in Colombia». The Fundación Cultura de Paz and Gernika Gogoratuz also contributed to the report.

The report was developed with the aim of documenting and raising awareness of the work carried out by human rights defenders in Colombia. To this end, it gathered testimonies of the defenders’ own experiences and work; without their voices, the report would not have been possible.