UN says Colombia police fired on mission to probe slayings

Coat of Arms of Colombia (Photo By Shadowxfox – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0)

BOGOTA — The United Nations is denouncing Colombia’s anti-narcotics police for firing stun grenades on a humanitarian mission it led to investigate the murder of several coca growers during clashes with security forces.

In a statement Monday, the U.N.’s human rights mission in Colombia said it and several organizations were verifying reports of a dead body when they were shaken by the sound of the exploding stun grenades and gunfire.

The mission travelled Sunday to the turbulent municipality of Tumaco two days after six protesting coca farmers were killed in what authorities initially said was an attack by a dissident rebel faction. Eyewitnesses claimed the farmers were killed by trigger-happy security forces.

Colombia’s police and vice-president apologized for the attack on the humanitarian mission and said four officers were suspended.