Murdered Indigenous Leader Becomes Yet Another Statistic

Versión original en español aquí

The Regional Organization AIDESEP Ucayali ORAU and the Native Federation of Kakataibo Communities FENACOKA announce a regrettable event that outrages the Kakataibo people and the Indigenous population as a whole. It concerns the cowardly and cruel murder of a Kakataibo Indigenous brother. In light of this situation, we wish to express the following to the public:

1. The Communal Authorities of the Native Community of Mariscal Cáceres have just informed us about the cowardly and cruel murder of the Kakataibo brother, BENJAMIN FLORES RIOS, a former Municipal Agent. He had been threatened a week ago by coca growers in the area and was an environmental defender. The incident occurred at approximately ten o’clock at night while he was resting in his home in the Community of Mariscal Cáceres, in the District and Province of Padre Abad, Ucayali Region.
2. ORAU and FENACOKA express our deepest condolences to the family, the community, and the Kakataibo people for the cowardly and cruel murder and the irreplaceable loss of their Leader BENJAMIN FLORES RIOS, who was fighting for the care of the entire territory of his community to prevent invaders from entering their land. We also reject and condemn violence from any source, once again the Amazon is stained with blood to silence the voice of an environmental defender.
3. Regarding this incident, from ORAU and FENACOKA we strongly condemn and hold the Peruvian government responsible, because despite our constant demands and proposals, it has not yet implemented real protection for the lives of environmental defenders threatened in their own Indigenous territories. We are certain that now the police authorities, public ministry, and judicial authorities will again be deployed, although in every meeting they insist that there is no budget. How long, gentlemen of the state? We are tired of the government’s indifference. We will not allow the murder of our leaders anymore and will take radical measures of self-protection. We have no choice but to defend ourselves in an organized, collective manner.
4. We demand that the Peruvian government thoroughly investigate, capture, and bring to public trial the intellectual and material authors responsible for this act. We also request that necessary protections be provided to the family and authorities of the Community of Mariscal Cáceres.
5. We demand that the Peruvian government immediately provide economic and psychological assistance to the relatives and family of BENJAMIN FLORES RIOS to ensure a dignified life and prevent retaliation, as well as to safeguard their lives.
6. Once again, we demand that the national Congress and the Executive branch dedicate a budget to the proposal for the protection of environmental defenders, which is in the hands of the Multisectoral Commission, chaired by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! JUSTICE FOR BENJAMIN! THE BLOOD SPILLED BY OUR DEFENDERS CANNOT GO UNPUNISHED!

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