The Colombian government announced today that it will challenge a court decision that forced them to dismantle a military base located on land belonging to indigenous tribes in Guaviare province.
The court stated that the base in Guaviare was endangering the lives of indigenous people who were caught up in the battle between the military security forces and rebel groups.
“We respect the decisions of the court and we abide by them, but we will [ask] the court to revise the terms and issues,” said Colombian defense minister, Juan Carlos Pinzón.
The Colombian Constitutional Court said that the base “violated the fundamental rights of its peoples” and that the “The Jiw and Nukak indigenous groups [were] in grave danger of being physically and culturally exterminated due to the internal armed conflict and the failure of the authorities to give them adequate protection.”
According to the court three indigenous people have already been injured because of exploded ammunition and landmines around the base in Barrancon. The base is used to train members of the Navy and Special Forces.
Commander of the Armed Forces General Alejandro Navas is arguing that the military should not be seen as an invading force. He says that if they pulled out of the area completely it would open up a strategic corridor for Colombia’s largest rebel group, the Farc.
“We’re fulfilling our constitutional duty of ensuring the security of Colombia,” he said, according to BBC News World.
He claims that members of the Eastern Bloc of the Farc would be able to meet up with the Western Bloc and the 16th Front if they leave the area.
The ruling on Thursday morning came just weeks after security forces clashed with members of another indigenous group in south-western Colombia over demands that the army leave their land.
Pictures of soldiers being carried down the mountain by members of the indigenous tribe Nasa sparked heated debate over armed forces on indigenous land.
Pinzón however, said the situation in Guaviare and the situation in Cauca are “totally unrelated” and that the ruling would have no bearing on the forces in the Cauca province.
But Nasa indigenous leader Marcos Yule said the ruling set an important precedent and he is hopeful they can have the same results in Cauca.
The Nasa have demanded that both the army and the rebels leave their territory and take their fight elsewhere.
