A report from the Office of the Defender of the People says that 36 indigenous people were murdered in January and February 2003. Fourteen of these killings were by rightwing paramilitary groups, four by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), three by the National Liberation Army, and two by the 12th Marine Infantry Battalion. Figures say that four more indigenous people have been murdered by paramilitaries in March, including a Zenú leader and two indigenous people from San Lorenzo and Cañomomo Lomaprieta reservations. The fourth death this month was a member of the Embera community and was killed by the 12th Marine Infantry Battalion. FARC has also admitted killing five Huitoto indigenous people last October for fishing on indigenous rivers that were under FARC control.
