Indigenous groups deny FARC infiltration .
Indigenous groups deny FARC infiltration .
Tuesday, 17 July 2012 12:18 Olle Ohlsen Pettersson
Indigenous movements in Colombia’s southwestern Cauca department denied Tuesday being infiltrated by FARC rebels, following comments by the country's defense minister suggesting the insurgancy had influenced ongoing protests in the region.
“It is false that we are infiltrated by the guerrilla. Today we are making a pronouncement against what (they) are saying,” said Hector Fabio Vircue, a regional indigenous leader in reference to comments from both the Colombian government and Pluricultural Organization of Colombian Indigenous Peoples (OPIC).
While speaking at a security council on the island of San Andres, Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon claimed intelligence sources had revealed ties between FARC rebels and indigenous organizations in Cauca.
“It's not what we are saying, it's what the indigenous population has said (...) the FARC without doubt has influence, infiltration in the social movements and there are (indigenous) members in this organization,” said Pinzon.
More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/25116-indigenous-groups-deny-farc-infiltration.html
