Indigenous Guards protecting Colombia's lives, territories and MotherNature

In memorian of Reynaldo Campos, President of ASOCATA* and member of CONPI killed on April of 2026. *Association of Traditional Authorities and Captaincies of Arauca (Orinoquia in Colombia)

Name of the Project:

Indigenous Guards for the protects of our lives and the Mother Nature.

• What we want to safe?

We care deeply about this work because Indigenous peoples in Colombia are defending not only their own lives and territories, but also some of the world’s most important ecosystems and sources of biodiversity. Through the work of the National Coordination of Indigenous Peoples of Colombia (CONPI), We have witnessed how Indigenous leaders continue protecting forests, rivers, sacred territories, and collective rights despite facing constant threats, displacement, kidnappings, and assassinations. Colombia remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world for environmental and human rights defenders, and Indigenous peoples are among the communities most affected by this violence. Supporting their protection is essential for the future of peace, environmental justice, and human dignity in the country.

• Capacity building

This one-year project focuses on strengthening the protection of Indigenous human rights defenders and defenders of nature across five macro-regions of Colombia: the Caribbean, the Amazon, the Andes, the Pacific, and the Orinoquía. These territories are shaped by armed conflict, illegal mining, land grabbing, deforestation, drug trafficking, extractive economies, and weak state protection mechanisms.

Indigenous communities are defending their ancestral lands while confronting systematic violence from armed actors and increasing pressure on their territories and natural resources. CONPI has documented multiple cases of assassinations, attempted killings, kidnappings, threats, and forced displacement against Indigenous authorities and community leaders. Public statements and denunciations issued by CONPI demonstrate the urgent need for stronger community protection mechanisms and international solidarity. (https://conpicolombia.blogspot.com/search/label/Denuncias)

The project’s approach is rooted in direct territorial work with Indigenous communities through a methodology developed by CONPI since its founding in 2010. Strengthening workshops will take place directly within Indigenous territories and will bring together community authorities, Indigenous guards, spiritual leaders, territorial and national institutions, to collectively design pathways for the protection of life, territory, culture, and nature. This methodology recognizes that Indigenous peoples themselves are the principal defenders of biodiversity, territorial peace, and collective rights.

• Focusing on Indigenous and Spiritual Guards

At the center of the project is the strengthening of the Indigenous and Spiritual Guards of each people and territory affiliated with CONPI. These guards have been recognized by the Colombian State and the Indigenous authorities as one of the principal mandates for protecting the rights to life, integrity, territorial autonomy, and collective survival of Indigenous peoples in Colombia. The guards play a fundamental role in preventing violence, protecting communities from armed actors, responding to threats, safeguarding sacred territories, and preserving ancestral governance systems and traditional knowledge.

The project will directly support training, coordination, emergency response capacities, territorial monitoring, collective protection systems, and advocacy strategies among Indigenous organizations and communities throughout Colombia. Participating peoples and organizations include the Wiwa Indigenous People and the Organización Wiwa Yugumaiun Bunkuanarrua Tayrona; the Arhuaco Indigenous Resguardos of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta; the Kankuamo Cabildo of Maicao; the National Organization of the Wounaan Nation of Colombia (DURRABDURR); the Nasa Peoples of Cauca and Valle del Cauca; the Association of Indigenous Cabildos of San Vicente del Caguán in Caquetá; the Pastos People of Nariño; the Gran Cumbal Indigenous Resguardo and the communities of San Martín and Miraflores; the Makaguan People; the Association of Traditional Authorities and Captaincies of Arauca (ASOCATA); the Inga Cabildo of Maicao; the Pijao People of Tolima; the Muisca Chibcha Nation; the Indigenous Council Muisca Chibcha Cundiboyacense (CIMCCB); the Zenú Cabildo of Maicao; the Indigenous Zenú People of Sucre (INZESU); and multiple Wayuu communities in Barrancas, Fonseca, and Dibulla, La Guajira, including the settlements of Los Mangos, Anaa Mma, Wepiapaa, Los Nonis, La Cauquera, Opotolomanaa, Sotpa Palaa, Yanamaa, S’emión, and Los Manguitos. These organizations participated in the 4th CONPI Assambly on May of 2025 See the declararion on https://conpicolombia.blogspot.com/2025/06/declaracion-conjunta-cuarta-asamblea.html

• The project timeline

The project timeline is structured over twelve months. During the first phase, territorial visits and community consultations will identify urgent risks, protection priorities, and local capacities. The second phase will focus on strengthening workshops, collective protection training, Indigenous Guard coordination, documentation of human rights violations, and the creation of alliances with territorial and national institutions. During the final phase, participating communities and organizations will consolidate territorial protection plans, advocacy mechanisms, and long-term coordination strategies with national and international allies.

By the end of the project, several concrete outcomes are expected. Communities will collectively develop a specific route for the protection of human rights and nature within their territories. The project will also produce an inventory of territories requiring urgent protection and monitoring due to threats from violence, extractive activities, and environmental destruction. In addition, participating organizations will establish a strengthened protection plan for Indigenous and Spiritual Guards, including coordination mechanisms with national institutions and international organizations. These actions aim to reinforce collective security, territorial governance, and the defense of biodiversity while keeping alive the hope for peace, justice, and dignity in Colombia.

In six months, the project expects to strengthen community protection networks, improve communication among Indigenous authorities, and increase the visibility of documented cases of violence against Indigenous defenders. Communities will have stronger tools to respond to threats, defend their territories, and preserve sacred ecosystems. After one year, the project aims to consolidate stronger Indigenous-led protection systems capable of responding to violence while promoting long-term environmental stewardship and territorial autonomy. This work will contribute to the protection of forests, rivers, biodiversity, and ancestral lands while strengthening cultural continuity, collective resilience, and community self-determination.

The project is rooted in the leadership and participation of Indigenous communities themselves. The main partner is the National Coordination of Indigenous Peoples of Colombia (CONPI), together with regional Indigenous authorities, grassroots organizations, Indigenous Guards, women leaders, youth defenders, spiritual authorities, and territorial organizations across the Caribbean, Amazon, Andes, Pacific, and Orinoquía regions. The initiative also seeks to strengthen relationships with national and international human rights institutions, environmental organizations, and solidarity networks committed to the protection of Indigenous peoples, biodiversity, and peacebuilding in Colombia.

We expect to begimg with the project at the end of November of 2026 at 10 year of the Colombian Peace Agreetment that we contribute to desing and to support the implementation trougth the IEANPE.