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size="-2"><a class="domain reader-domain"
href="https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Colombia-Revered-Social-Leader-and-Activist-Killed-in-Colombia-20190704-0023.html">https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Colombia-Revered-Social-Leader-and-Activist-Killed-in-Colombia-20190704-0023.html</a></font>
<h1 class="reader-title">Colombia: Revered Social Leader and
Activist Killed in Colombia</h1>
Published 4 July 2019 </div>
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<h3 class="op-kicker">Tatiana Posso joins the other 727
activists killed in Colombia since the country's peace
agreement was signed in 2016.</h3>
<p>Social leader Tatiana Paola Posso Espitia, 35, was shot
twice in the head Wednesday morning in front of her
house in El Copey located in the Department of Cesar
when two men on motorcycles fired at the activist and
fled the scene. </p>
<p>The assassination occurred just as Espitia's taxi
driver, Wilson Ortega Palomino, arrived at her home to
take the social leader to work, according to local media
reports. The bad timing resulted in Ortega also being
shot four times by the hitmen. He is in critical
condition at a nearby hospital.</p>
<p>The National Network for Democracy and Peace in
Colombia published a communique on its Twitter account
firmly condemning the murder.</p>
<p>"Posso Espitia was a social activist committed to
humanitarian aid, helping vulnerable people and victims
of the armed conflict that continue to affect Colombia,"
said the report.</p>
<p>The organization added that the social activist, who
was a candidate for the community council, was a beloved
member of her community.</p>
<p>The document also explained how the city El Copey has
had a long history marked by threats against social
leaders, deaths and massive displacement of the
population.</p>
<p>The tragic event comes as the Institute of Studies for
Development and Peace (Indepaz) showed that since the
signing of the peace agreement between the disarmed <a
href="https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Colombia-FARC-Weighs-Legal-Action-to-Combat-Murders-Preserve-Peace-20190622-0010.html"
target="_blank">Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia</a>
(FARC) and the government of former president, Juan
Manuel Santos in November 2016, 727 social leaders or
human rights advocates have been killed in Colombia. </p>
<p>The assassinations have so far mainly targeted <a
href="https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Colombian-Cartel-Kills-Woman-Community-Leader-Son-Witnesses-20190622-0004.html"
target="_blank">Afro-Colombian and Indigenous rights
activists</a>, in addition to<a
href="https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Colombia-Another-Farmer-Leader-Killed-After-Being-Tortured-20190627-0011.html"
target="_blank"> rural farmers</a> advocating for land
and political rights in their respective regions. </p>
<p><a
href="https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Nearly-1000-Social-Leaders-Threatened-in-Colombia-20190703-0023.html"
target="_blank">Colombia's Ombudsman</a> announced
Wednesday that at least 983 social leaders have been
threatened with death in Colombia, 50 percent of them
are women.</p>
<p>Last week, the 'We Defend Peace in Colombia' human
rights organization called for major peaceful protests
in the country and abroad meant to pressure the
President Ivan Duque administration into
fully addressing the rampant murders.</p>
<p>The global march is set to take place July 26 and is
meant to "pay tribute to the (assassinated) social
leaders and to demand action to end these crimes,"
said organizers.</p>
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Freedom Archives
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San Francisco, CA 94110
415 863.9977
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