Fed-up citizens from the municipality of Tumaco in Colombia’s southwestern Nariño state have been left without power and water for days due to attacks by the country’s largest rebel group FARC. A group of ‘Tumaqueños’ are now demanding a response from the government.
Tumaco has been without water for almost a week and without power for more than two weeks due to attacks by the FARC that began earlier in October.
MORE: FARC attacks part of rebels’ ‘Black October’ offensive: Defense minister
A group of citizens took to the streets Wednesday in public protest wearing black shirts to symbolize their perceived abandonment by the national government.
“We are tired of violence, we are tired of terrorism, we are tired of being forgotten…today, we Tumaqueños will make ourselves known,” said one angry citizen via twitter. Others have just been posting photos with the slogan, “Tumaco Holds Out, Tumaco Exists.”
#TumacoResiste pic.twitter.com/few6K4mLWu
— Ricardo Maya (@fisiomaya) October 23, 2013
— Ricardo Maya (@fisiomaya) October 23, 2013
The Tumaqueños protested peacefully on Wednesday wearing masks that represented their being gagged by both the FARC and the government.
Members of Colombia’s congress released statements on Wednesday asking President Juan Manuel Santos to bring up this issue with the FARC during ongoing peace talks between the government and the rebel group. Senator Guillermo Garcia requested that the President both ask the FARC to cease the violence and terrorist attacks in the region and increase military support in that area to defend the affected municipalities.
“The guerrilla group cannot have peace talks and continue with these terrorist actions affecting the electrical infrastructure and lives of a poor population such as Tumaco,” continued the Senator.
Due to these most recent attacks by the FARC, many coastal cities have been left without electricity for half a month already.