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Kimy Pernia Domicó was assassinated, admits Colombian paramilitary
leader
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On June 2, 2001 Kimy Pernia Domicó, Indigenous leader of the Emberá Katio in Colombia, was kidnapped and forcibly disappeared. Since his disappearance there had been no progress in bringing the perpetrators of this crime to justice despite major international outcry, and efforts to have an investigation into the case were repeatedly stalled by the government.
Sadly, it has now been confirmed that Kimy was murdered. Paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso has admitted to participating in the disappearance and killing of Kimy.
Kimy was a highly respected leader of in Colombia and internationally. He led his people in a peaceful protest against the Urra hydroelectric dam, a project that flooded his community crops and sacred sites. He visited Canada on a number of occasions to testify about the devastation caused by this dam, which was partially financed by our tax dollars through Export Development Canada.
Immediately after Kimy’s disappearance, tens of thousands of people mobilized in Colombia to search for him. In Canada, over fifty members Parliament signed a letter of concern to the government of Colombia and thousands of people participated in vigils held across the country. In 2003, Kimy received in absentia Canada’s prestigious John Humphrey’s Award, recognizing his work in human rights.
Many within the KAIROS network remember Kimy, some of you met him when he came to Canada. Others met his daughter Marta Domicó when she came to Canada to accept the John Humphrey’s award on behalf of her father.
We are deeply saddened and angered by this news of Kimy’s
assassination by Salvatore Mancuso. In his declaration, Mancuso
told a prosecutor that he was responsible for hundreds of kidnappings,
murders and massacres. . Kimy’s murder is among these atrocities.
Kimy’s family, Indigenous leaders and human rights groups
in Colombia have expressed grief and outrage at Mancuso’s
declaration, which includes statements like – “I simply
lent the killer…. The evidence has been burnt… there
is no record of where the body is” – statements that
are clearly intended to avoid responsibility and lighten his sentence.
More details on the hearing can be found on the Guardian site:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/colombia/story/0,,1992731,00.html
Furthermore, Mancuso identified Kimy as a guerrilla, , in an effort to discredit him and justify his murder. Kimy’s family, community and Indigenous leaders have repudiated this accusation and do not see this as serious confession. They are demanding the real truth in this process.
Mancuso’s confession was made in the context of the demobilization process in Colombia, a process that has raised grave concerns among Colombian and international human rights bodies, including the United Nations and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Since December 32,000 paramilitary have been demobilized, with no guarantees that they will not re-arm and that the structures of para-militarization will not re-emerge.
Since the beginning of this process we have expressed concern that the rights of victims for truth, justice and reparations have been marginalized. The case of Kimy has confirmed our worst fears. Where are the voices of Kimy, his family and his community in this process? Where is truth and justice?
In response to the calls from Kimy’s family, community and Indigenous leaders in Colombia for international friends and partners to demand the real truth about Kimy’s disappearance, KAIROS and other organizations including Amnesty International and Rights and Democracy are working on an open letter to the Colombian president as well as a letter to the Canadian government. These letters will be posted shortly.
For more information, please contact Rachel Warden, Program Coordinator, Latin American Partnerships, 416-463-5312 ext 242 rwarden
| "Where does he get off saying my father was a guerrilla? My father was a peasant, tending to his farm. He was tortured and killed and Mancuso was responsible. ... He seemed proud of what they'd done, not remorseful." | |
| - Miryam Areiza, whose father was killed in a 1997 massacre ordered by Salvatore Mancuso, a senior leader of Colombia's right-wing paramilitaries. Mancuso recently confessed to his role - in collaboration with government forces - in the murders of hundreds of people, including peasants, union leaders, and mayors. | |
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