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Indigenous leader and journalist killed

A respected indigenous leader and journalist was shot to death on 14 October in the department of Cauca, Colombia, report the Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa (FLIP) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). Two men opened fire on Rodolfo Maya Aricape, the secretary of the López Adentro Indigenous Council and a correspondent for Radio Pa´yumat, while he was home with his wife and two daughters.

As a member of the Communications School of the Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca (ACIN), Maya covered daily events in the local indigenous community and often commented on poor conditions. He was also known to protest against the armed groups operating in indigenous territories.

"A crime against an indigenous journalist has especially serious effects on his community, given the often vulnerable status of indigenous peoples in the context of armed conflict," said IACHR in calling for policies to protect journalists and punish the perpetrators.