La Guardia Indígena

In response to a history of violence on Colombian indigenous communities and threats to their resources such as water and land use, an indigenous guard was set up and is legally recognized to act as a security force for the indigenous communities. 

Colombia has suffered grave armed conflicts for more than 50 years, which have left an untold number of victims among the civil populations. These conflicts were the result of events involving the army, guerrillas, and the paramilitary groups. 

The indigenous population is the biggest victim of this conflict, particularly since it has been attacked by all actors in the conflict; the guerrillas are responsible for kidnappings of its youth in order to make them members of their group or massacre them; the paramilitary and army kills them, accusing them of supporting the guerrilla.

On April 14, 1998, the FARC attacked an indigenous town belonging to the Nasa tribe. The attack left 2200 displaced, 21 injured, and led to the death of a small girl. This situation led the members of all of indigenous tribes in one department in the south of Colombia, known as Cauca, to immediately start a discussion on these security issues, eventually forming the Guardia Indigena (with distinctive colourful berets).