Bogota: On Thursday, there were violent protests in the Caqueta province of Colombia that resulted in the deaths of a police officer and a civilian. The human rights ombudsman also reported that 79 police officers and nine oilfield workers were held hostage by rural communities.
The San Vicente del Caguan municipality's rural area was the scene of the escalating violence, according to Colombia's national police, where protesters attacked an oil field owned by Emerald Energy and set it on fire.
Ombudsman Carlos Camargo said in a statement that it is regrettable that during these protests a police officer and a civilian were killed, while a number of policemen were detained and other officers suffered injuries. He also said that his office is offering mediation.
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Indigenous and rural communities had blocked the oil field's entrance in order to pressure the company—a subsidiary of Sinochem, the state-owned enterprise of China—to assist in repairing the area's roads.
Police sources reported that the officer and civilian killed during the protests died from gunshot wounds and that FARC dissidents who oppose a 2016 peace deal are present in the area and may be responsible for the unrest.
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In Colombia, protests frequently take place in the vicinity of oil and mining projects as locals demand that businesses construct infrastructure, such as roads and schools.
On Twitter, Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced that a joint commission made up of representatives from the Defense and Interior Ministries as well as the armed forces should be sent to the area to put an end to the violence.