After various interventions by local authorities, family members of the accused addressed the community. "The kidnappings were not a 'mistake,' they were the result of an illness that has affected our community," said Flor Ilba Trochez, a former Governor of Jambaló.
The three accused, including Trochez' brother, sit to her left. They all confessed to the crime. The fourth kidnapper was turned over to state authorities.
The fifth kidnapper, who escaped, is a known member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and it is believed he was the intellectual author of the kidnapping.
The Indigenous Guard is currently searching for the escaped kidnapper, and the Council of Jambaló have begun an investigation.
by Dawn PaleyThe Dominion is a monthly paper published by an incipient network of independent journalists in Canada. It aims to provide accurate, critical coverage that is accountable to its readers and the subjects it tackles. Taking its name from Canada's official status as both a colony and a colonial force, the Dominion examines politics, culture and daily life with a view to understanding the exercise of power.