Emilsen Manyoma Killed
Colombian human rights defender Emilsen Manyoma was last seen with her husband, Joe Javier Rodallega, boarding a taxi in Villa Linda last Saturday. On Tuesday, 17 January 2017, their bodies were found in the neighbourhood of el Progreso in Buenaventura.
Emilsen Manyoma was the leader of the Comunidades Construyendo Paz en los Territorios (Communities Building Peace in the Territories, CONPAZ) in Buenaventura. CONPAZ is an initiative of communities and organisations that live in territories where the armed conflict is taking place and national and international companies are present. CONPAZ is also a mutual support network for communities to be able to exchange experiences relating to non-violent protection and application of international humanitarian law.
Emilsen Manyoma was also a supporter of the Espacio Humanitario Puente Nayero (Humanitarian Space Puente Nayero), a space created in 13 April 2014 in the neighbourhood of Playita, in Buenaventura. The purpose of the project is to create a space free from armed groups in an urban context. From mid-2016 onwards, human rights defender Emilsen Manyoma had also been supporting the work of the Truth Commission by documenting killings and forced disappearances.
She was killed along with her husband, Joe Javier Rodallega, on 17 January 2017. Their bodies were found with bruises, stab wounds and gunshot wounds in the neighbourhood of el Progreso in Buenaventura.
Colombian human rights defender Emilsen Manyoma was last seen with her husband, Joe Javier Rodallega, boarding a taxi in Villa Linda last Saturday. On Tuesday, 17 January 2017, their bodies were found with bruises, stab wounds and gunshot wounds in the neighbourhood of el Progreso in Buenaventura. Joe Javier Rodallega's hands were tied when his body was found. The official forensic report determined each of their throats were slit. Prior to their disappearance, the HRDs reported that a truck had been surveilling their home, and Joe Javier had recently received threats. Both Emilsen and Joe Javier were involved in efforts to denounce the control of paramilitary groups over Buenaventura as well as the incursion of private companies into communities.
Emilsen Manyoma was the leader of the Comunidades Construyendo Paz en los Territorios (Communities Building Peace in the Territories, CONPAZ) in Buenaventura. CONPAZ is an initiative of communities and organisations that live in territories where there is ongoing armed conflictand national and international companies are present; it is a mutual support network for communities to be able to exchange experiences relating to non-violent protection and application of international humanitarian law. Emilsen Manyoma was a supporter of the Espacio Humanitario Puente Nayero (Humanitarian Space Puente Nayero), a social movement whose purpose is to create spaces free from armed groups and provide safety to civilians. Since mid-2016, the HRD had also been supporting the work of the Truth Commission by documenting killings and forced disappearances.
