At least 15 people were injured and three cars were burned on Wednesday when rural laborers and indigenous people demonstrated in southwest Colombia demanding the return of their lands, police in the southwestern department of Cauca said Wednesday.
Major Luis Montenegro, highway police commander there, said that demonstrators had blocked the Pan-American Highway close to Santander de Quilichao.
"In Mondono, some 600 demonstrators blocked the highway in three places. It is completely at a standstill and drivers are waiting along the length of the road," said Montenegro.
Cauca indigenous people are demanding land that was seized by commercial farmers with the help of corrupt officials. The demonstrators threw stones at police on the highway, who responded with tear gas.
Cauca farmers are backing the indigenous people, because the area is one of the most fought ever in Colombia's armed conflict --where far-right paramilitary forces have forced people to leave their homes and lands and left-wing rebels have counterattacked.
Indigenous people say they retain ownership of land that is part of their cultural heritage and refuse to recognize title deeds published by farmers.
Source: Xinhua
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