The Institute of Development and Peace Studies (Indepaz) confirmed this afternoon the murder of William Ramírez, a social leader in the department of Cauca, raising the crimes of social leaders in Colombia to 81 so far this year.
Ramírez, a human rights defender and member of the Community Action Board, was murdered in the Santa Lucía village, a rural area of the municipality of Silvia.
The tragic incident occurred on June 13, when armed men arrived at Ramírez’s home and shot him with a firearm. Ramírez was a widely recognized peasant leader in his community. In addition to his participation in the Community Action Board, he was an active member of the Peasant Association of Santa Lucía (TORCASSA PP) and the Popular Unity Process of the Colombian Southwest (PUPSOC).
Ramírez’s death highlights the vulnerability of social leaders in Cauca, a region that has witnessed numerous acts of violence. The security situation in the rural territory of Cauca is on maximum alert, since this murder joins a series of crimes that have left deep concern in the community.
Leonardo González, coordinator of Indepaz, pointed out that an early warning was issued for Silvia due to the imposition of regulations and other forms of social control by armed groups, which represents a constant risk to the rights of the population. This act of violence highlights the urgent need to strengthen the security and protection of social leaders in the region.
The murder of William Ramírez is not an isolated event. In December 2023, another peasant leader, Carlos Quijano, was murdered in the same village, highlighting the continued threat faced by human rights defenders in the area.
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