Armed Conflict Threatens Five Indigenous Groups in Colombia

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Armed Conflict Threatens Five Indigenous Groups in Colombia \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The United Nations has warned that five Indigenous communities in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta face “physical and cultural extinction” due to violence by armed groups and lack of government protection. These groups—Kogui, Wiwa, Kankuamo, Arhuaco, and Ette Naka—are increasingly displaced and attacked. The UN calls for urgent action from Colombia’s government.

Quick Looks

UN warns of extinction threat to five Indigenous groups
Communities include Kogui, Wiwa, Kankuamo, Arhuaco, Ette Naka
Armed groups enforcing curfews and displacing tribes
UN calls threat “ongoing tragedy we must prevent”
Over 54,000 Indigenous people live in Sierra Nevada
UN urges non-military protections: healthcare, education, jobs
UNESCO recognized their cultural heritage in 2022
Territory is contested by rebels and drug traffickers
Recent violence includes murder and disappearances of leaders
Government peace talks with rebel groups largely stalled
Sierra Nevada peaks rise nearly 6,000 meters above sea

Deep Look

A chilling warning from the United Nations has cast international attention on the Indigenous communities of Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, where centuries-old cultures are now at risk of vanishing. In a statement issued Tuesday, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) called for immediate action to prevent the “physical and cultural extinction” of five Indigenous groups in the region—the Kogui, Wiwa, Kankuamo, Arhuaco, and Ette Naka.

The dire assessment follows a recent visit to the mountainous region by UN representatives, who met with local leaders and community members. The findings from the visit painted a harrowing picture of increasing violence, displacement, and governmental neglect—all contributing to the erosion of Indigenous life in one of Colombia’s most sacred and ecologically vital regions.

A Sacred Landscape Under Siege

The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, a snow-capped mountain range rising dramatically from Colombia’s Caribbean coast, is not just a geographic marvel—it’s a spiritual homeland for the Indigenous tribes who call it the “Heart of the World.” This symbolic moniker reflects the belief that the Sierra is a source of global spiritual balance, a belief deeply embedded in the traditions, rituals, and knowledge systems of its native inhabitants.

But today, that balance is under assault.

According to Scott Campbell, the UN’s human rights chief in Colombia, armed non-state actors—including dissident rebel factions and organized crime groups—have infiltrated the region, imposing curfews, disrupting spiritual and political assemblies, and forcibly displacing hundreds. “These groups are under various forms of cruel attack,” Campbell said. “Their lives, territory, spirituality, and self-governance are being devastated.”

The murder of an Arhuaco community leader and the disappearance of a Kogui man in 2023 are just two examples of the violence Indigenous communities have endured. The attacks are systematic and strategic—meant to fracture Indigenous society and drive people from their ancestral lands, which are increasingly coveted for their strategic and economic value.

UNESCO Recognition vs. On-the-Ground Reality

In 2022, UNESCO recognized the ancestral knowledge and practices of these communities by adding them to its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. The designation was meant to highlight the indispensable role these groups play in environmental stewardship and cultural preservation.

Yet, as Campbell emphasized, international recognition has not translated into protection.

“These communities possess invaluable wisdom in preserving nature and culture,” he said. “Losing them would be a loss for all humanity.”

UNESCO’s listing was meant to safeguard this knowledge. But as rebel groups continue to encroach on Indigenous lands and the Colombian state fails to enforce meaningful protections, there is a growing gap between what is celebrated on paper and what is protected in practice.

Petro’s Peace Plan Under Pressure

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro came to power with a promise to bring peace to regions long wracked by conflict. His administration has launched dialogue with multiple remaining insurgent groups in a bid to dismantle what remains of the country’s guerrilla networks.

But peace talks have stalled, and many parts of rural Colombia—particularly those once controlled by the now-demobilized Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)—have been overtaken by criminal enterprises, often fueled by drug trafficking, illegal mining, and extortion.

The Sierra Nevada, once a relatively stable region due to community-driven stewardship, is now in the crosshairs.

Campbell urged the Colombian government to act beyond military deployments. “Force alone won’t stop the cultural and humanitarian collapse,” he stated. “There must be sustained investments in healthcare, education, infrastructure, and employment to empower Indigenous resilience.”

Land, Legacy, and Survival

The Indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada have long lived in harmony with nature, maintaining sustainable agricultural practices, holistic medicine, and sophisticated systems of territorial management. Their philosophies are centered around balance, reciprocity, and reverence for nature, offering critical insights for a world facing climate and ecological crises.

These values are now threatened by the imposition of an external order driven by profit and power.

Drug trafficking routes, illegal resource extraction, and territorial control are reshaping the Sierra Nevada’s social and physical landscape. As armed groups compete for dominance, Indigenous communities are caught in the crossfire—often accused of being collaborators or obstacles.

Their territories are increasingly treated as commodities, not cultural sanctuaries. Displacement strips them not just of land, but of the spiritual and historical connections that are central to their identity.

Why This Matters Globally

The potential extinction of these communities would not be a localized tragedy—it would be a global failure. The Kogui, Wiwa, Arhuaco, Kankuamo, and Ette Naka are living repositories of ancient ecological knowledge, custodians of a mountain ecosystem that influences water systems and climate patterns across northern Colombia.

Their disappearance would weaken both cultural diversity and global environmental defense. Moreover, it would set a dangerous precedent that even international protections and declarations are powerless in the face of impunity.

Urgent Recommendations

The UN’s recommendations are clear:

Immediate protection measures for at-risk communities, including safe zones and legal recognition of territorial rights
Non-military support programs focused on healthcare, education, and sustainable economic development
Accountability mechanisms to investigate and prosecute crimes against Indigenous leaders
Strengthened international oversight and pressure on the Colombian government to uphold its constitutional and human rights obligations

Campbell concluded, “We still have time to prevent the irreversible. But we must act—together, decisively, and now.”