Authorities in Colombia are probing 10 police officers who allegedly stood by as civilians shot at protesters in Cali, a high-ranking official said on Monday. At the same time, the attorney general’s office linked three additional deaths to the nationwide protests, Reuters reported.

In the Andean county, protests have been doing on for over a month against the social and economic policies of the government. Many have urged President Ivan Duque to resign.

These protests were sparked by a tax reform, which has now been withdrawn. Since its withdrawal, the demands of protesters have diversified. Many are asking for expansion for a basic income, more employment opportunities for youngsters and an end to police violence.&nbsp;

Many of them also want the anti-riot unit ESMAD to be dissolved.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/un-rights-chief-urges-independent-probe-into-deaths-in-colombia-388424" hreflang="en">UN rights chief urges independent probe into deaths in Colombia</a>

The protests have been witness to a lot of violence. On Monday, the country’s attorney general’s office reported 20 deaths linked to the protesters, increasing the toll by three. Human rights groups claim that a lot more have died in the protests at the hands of police forces.

The country’s third-largest city of Cali has recently become an epicentre for protests. On Friday, the city saw more bloodshed. According to the attorney general, many civilians also shot at protesters.

The director of Colombia’s police, General Jorge Luis Vargas on Monday announced that an investigation has been launched to identify those involved in the killings. Vargas added that information about officers who broke the law has been sent to the military justice unit of Colombia.

Cali Mayor Jorge Ivan Ospina over the weekend reported over a dozen deaths in the city on Friday. In addition, Ospina claimed that armed men had shot at protesters in the presence of police.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/colombian-army-tightens-grip-on-cali-after-protests-leave-13-dead-388320" hreflang="en">Colombian army tightens grip on Cali after protests leave 13 dead</a>

Authorities in Colombia are probing 10 police officers who allegedly stood by as civilians shot at protesters in Cali, a high-ranking official said on Monday. At the same time, the attorney general’s office linked three additional deaths to the nationwide protests, Reuters reported.

Authorities in Colombia are probing 10 police officers who allegedly stood by as civilians shot at protesters in Cali, a high-ranking official said on Monday. At the same time, the attorney general’s office linked three additional deaths to the nationwide protests, Reuters reported. In the Andean county, protests have been doing on for over a month against the social and economic policies of the government. Many have urged President Ivan Duque to resign. These protests were sparked by a tax reform, which has now been withdrawn. Since its withdrawal, the demands of protesters have diversified. Many are asking for expansion for a basic income, more employment opportunities for youngsters and an end to police violence. Many of them also want the anti-riot unit ESMAD to be dissolved. Also read: UN rights chief urges independent probe into deaths in Colombia The protests have been witness to a lot of violence. On Monday, the country’s attorney general’s office reported 20 deaths linked to the protesters, increasing the toll by three. Human rights groups claim that a lot more have died in the protests at the hands of police forces. The country’s third-largest city of Cali has recently become an epicentre for protests. On Friday, the city saw more bloodshed. According to the attorney general, many civilians also shot at protesters. The director of Colombia’s police, General Jorge Luis Vargas on Monday announced that an investigation has been launched to identify those involved in the killings. Vargas added that information about officers who broke the law has been sent to the military justice unit of Colombia. Cali Mayor Jorge Ivan Ospina over the weekend reported over a dozen deaths in the city on Friday. In addition, Ospina claimed that armed men had shot at protesters in the presence of police. Also read: Colombian army tightens grip on Cali after protests leave 13 dead

Colombia to probe police officers who stood by as civilians shot at protesters

The Colombian army on Saturday tightened its control over Cali, the country's third largest city, after the latest anti-government protests left at least 13 people dead. 
 
The city's streets were largely deserted after clashes late Friday pitted police against armed civilians. The country is in the second month of protests against the government of President Ivan Duque.&nbsp; 
 
In Cali, a city of 2.2 million, the smoking remains of barricades and rubble heaps testified to the chaotic night. There, as across the country, poverty and the pandemic have sparked widespread anger and resentment. 
 
The month of protests has left at least 59 people dead, officials say, including the 13 who died in Cali. More than 2,300 civilians and uniformed personnel have been injured, according to the Defense Ministry. 
 
The NGO Human Rights Watch cited "credible reports" of at least 63 deaths nationwide, and called the situation in Cali "very serious." 
 
The dead in Cali included an off-duty employee of the prosecutor's office who had fired his gun at two protesters blocking a street, killing one of them. Video on social media shows a crowd then pouncing on the shooter and lynching him. 
 
Duque, who has been in Cali since Friday, said he was deploying military troops to support the police there and elsewhere as rallies have morphed into a broad anti-establishment mobilisation. 
 
The president ordered 7,000 troops to help clear and patrol blockaded roads in 10 departments, while a total of 1,141 soldiers were deployed in Cali. 
 
At one point Saturday Duque was booed by a crowd as he appeared in public in Cali before traveling to the town of Popayan. 
 
"He is a disgrace," one youth shouted while crying in a video circulating on social media.

'Almost an urban war' 
One witness, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal, told AFP that a group of protesters in Cali were celebrating the one-month anniversary of the anti-government rallies when "shots rang out." 
 
"They started massacring people," the 22-year-old said. He said the shots came from "five guys in civilian clothes behind the trees." 
 
Videos that went viral supported his account. Police said in a statement they were investigating. 
 
"In the south of the city we had a real scene of confrontation and almost an urban war where many people not only lost their lives, but we also had a significant number of injuries," said Cali's security secretary Carlos Rojas. 
 
Duque, who on Friday chaired a security meeting in the city, afterward announced "the maximum deployment of military assistance to the national police" would begin immediately.&nbsp; 
 
Jose Miguel Vivanco, the Human Rights Watch executive director for the Americas, urged Duque to take "urgent measures to de-escalate, including a specific order prohibiting agents of the state from using firearms." 
 
The police in Colombia are under the command of the military.

Poverty, disease, resentment 
People in Cali's poorer neighbourhoods told AFP the military deployment makes them more fearful, not less. 
 
"We feel threatened, we feel more in danger," said Lina Gallegas, a 31-year-old social leader. "If something happens we cannot call the police because they are the ones who are killing." 
 
Luis Felipe Vega, a political scientist at Javeriana University, likened the deployment to "putting out a fire with gasoline." 
 
Government mediation attempts have been largely futile, unable to contain the fury of increasingly politicised youth battered by the pandemic and angered about the country's deep inequalities. An estimated one-third of those aged 14 to 28 are jobless and not in school. 
 
Duque's attempts at negotiation have been further frustrated by forces in his rightist Democratic Center party, who prefer an iron-fist approach with elections a year away. 
 
Economists say more than 42 percent of the country's 50 million people live in poverty, and the pandemic has plunged many of the vulnerable into penury. 
 
Analysts link the government's militarised history to its response to the protests. For more than 50 years, Colombia's war against leftist FARC guerrillas eclipsed all other government priorities, leaving a militarily strong government but one weak on social redress. 
 
In 2019, the year after Duque took power, students took to the streets demanding free and more accessible public education and better jobs. 
 
On April 28, fury at a proposed tax increase led people onto the streets again.&nbsp; The proposal was quickly withdrawn, but it had triggered a broad mobilisation that only grew amid a heavy-handed response by security forces. 
 
Protesters have kept barricades burning countrywide and blocked dozens of key roads, causing shortages of many products.

The Colombian army on Saturday tightened its control over Cali, the country's third largest city, after the latest anti-government protests left at least 13 people dead.

The Colombian army on Saturday tightened its control over Cali, the country's third largest city, after the latest anti-government protests left at least 13 people dead. The city's streets were largely deserted after clashes late Friday pitted police against armed civilians. The country is in the second month of protests against the government of President Ivan Duque. In Cali, a city of 2.2 million, the smoking remains of barricades and rubble heaps testified to the chaotic night. There, as across the country, poverty and the pandemic have sparked widespread anger and resentment. The month of protests has left at least 59 people dead, officials say, including the 13 who died in Cali. More than 2,300 civilians and uniformed personnel have been injured, according to the Defense Ministry. The NGO Human Rights Watch cited "credible reports" of at least 63 deaths nationwide, and called the situation in Cali "very serious." The dead in Cali included an off-duty employee of the prosecutor's office who had fired his gun at two protesters blocking a street, killing one of them. Video on social media shows a crowd then pouncing on the shooter and lynching him. Duque, who has been in Cali since Friday, said he was deploying military troops to support the police there and elsewhere as rallies have morphed into a broad anti-establishment mobilisation. The president ordered 7,000 troops to help clear and patrol blockaded roads in 10 departments, while a total of 1,141 soldiers were deployed in Cali. At one point Saturday Duque was booed by a crowd as he appeared in public in Cali before traveling to the town of Popayan. "He is a disgrace," one youth shouted while crying in a video circulating on social media. 'Almost an urban war' One witness, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal, told AFP that a group of protesters in Cali were celebrating the one-month anniversary of the anti-government rallies when "shots rang out." "They started massacring people," the 22-year-old said. He said the shots came from "five guys in civilian clothes behind the trees." Videos that went viral supported his account. Police said in a statement they were investigating. "In the south of the city we had a real scene of confrontation and almost an urban war where many people not only lost their lives, but we also had a significant number of injuries," said Cali's security secretary Carlos Rojas. Duque, who on Friday chaired a security meeting in the city, afterward announced "the maximum deployment of military assistance to the national police" would begin immediately. Jose Miguel Vivanco, the Human Rights Watch executive director for the Americas, urged Duque to take "urgent measures to de-escalate, including a specific order prohibiting agents of the state from using firearms." The police in Colombia are under the command of the military. Poverty, disease, resentment People in Cali's poorer neighbourhoods told AFP the military deployment makes them more fearful, not less. "We feel threatened, we feel more in danger," said Lina Gallegas, a 31-year-old social leader. "If something happens we cannot call the police because they are the ones who are killing." Luis Felipe Vega, a political scientist at Javeriana University, likened the deployment to "putting out a fire with gasoline." Government mediation attempts have been largely futile, unable to contain the fury of increasingly politicised youth battered by the pandemic and angered about the country's deep inequalities. An estimated one-third of those aged 14 to 28 are jobless and not in school. Duque's attempts at negotiation have been further frustrated by forces in his rightist Democratic Center party, who prefer an iron-fist approach with elections a year away. Economists say more than 42 percent of the country's 50 million people live in poverty, and the pandemic has plunged many of the vulnerable into penury. Analysts link the government's militarised history to its response to the protests. For more than 50 years, Colombia's war against leftist FARC guerrillas eclipsed all other government priorities, leaving a militarily strong government but one weak on social redress. In 2019, the year after Duque took power, students took to the streets demanding free and more accessible public education and better jobs. On April 28, fury at a proposed tax increase led people onto the streets again. The proposal was quickly withdrawn, but it had triggered a broad mobilisation that only grew amid a heavy-handed response by security forces. Protesters have kept barricades burning countrywide and blocked dozens of key roads, causing shortages of many products.

Colombian army tightens grip on Cali after protests leave 13 dead

Colombia will begin "the maximum deployment" of military personnel in the western province of Valle del Cauca and its capital, Cali, President Ivan Duque said on Friday, after four people died in protests to mark a month of anti-government demonstrations. 
 
The four died in and around Cali on Friday as tens of thousands marched across the country in the latest in demonstrations that started on April 28 to oppose tax reform but have since expanded to include wide-ranging demands. 
 
Talks between the government and the protest leaders, including union leaders who have formed a national strike committee, have stalled. 
 
"From tonight begins the maximum deployment of military assistance to the national police in Cali and the province of Valle," Duque said in a televised message. 
 
He added that more than 7,000 personnel will be sent to lift road blockades, including members of the navy, but did not give any more specifics. 
 
Clara Luz Roldan, governor of Valle del Cauca, earlier declared a curfew would start in the province from 7:00 p.m. 
 
On Friday in Cali, an epicenter of the protests, Mayor Jorge Ospina confirmed three deaths. Local media reported the fourth death occurred on the road between Cali and the town of Candelaria. 
 
Two people in Cali were killed when an agent of the attorney general`s investigative unit opened fire on civilians, before also being killed, Attorney General Francisco Barbosa said in a televised message. The agent was not on duty at the time, Barbosa said. 
 
The demonstrations have been plagued by violence. 
 
As of Thursday 17 civilians have died in connection with protests, the government said. Human rights groups say dozens more have been killed by security forces. Two police officers were also earlier reported killed. 
 
Human Rights Watch`s executive director for the Americas, Jose Miguel Vivanco, said on Twitter the advocacy group had verified videos published on social media showing armed men in civilian clothes firing weapons while police look on. 
 
Vivanco called on Defense Minister Diego Molano to explain. Colombia`s defense ministry did not immediately respond to questions. 
 
DEMANDS 
 
The demonstrations have pressured the government and lawmakers into shelving the tax and health reforms and prompted the resignation of former finance minister Alberto Carrasquilla. 
 
Protester demands now also include a basic income, opportunities for young people and an end to police violence. 
 
Although demonstrations outside Valle del Cauca on Friday were mostly peaceful, clashes between police and protesters were reported in some areas, such as the municipality of Madrid, near Bogota, as were incidents of violence in the city of Popayan. 
 
Amid singing and music in the capital Bogota, protesters said they would keep marching. 
 
"Until the government listens to us, we have to stay in the streets," Alejandro Franco, 23, told Reuters. Close to graduating, he said he was marching for better education and health, among other reasons. 
 
"If the people don`t have peace then neither will the government," he added. 
 
Despite the government and protest leaders reaching a "pre-agreement" for ending demonstrations this week, strike organizers on Thursday said the government had not signed the deal and accused it of stalling. 
 
"We have already reached the agreement, the only thing missing is the president`s signature to start the negotiations," Francisco Maltes, president of the Central Union of Workers (CUT), said on Friday, accusing the government of delaying talks. 
 
The government said it had not signed the deal because some protest leaders would not condemn road blocks, calling the issue non-negotiable, and adding that talks will resume on Sunday. 
 
Colombia`s finance ministry estimates protests and roadblocks have cost the country $2.68 billion, with the roadblocks leading to shortages of food and other supplies, boosting prices, and disrupting operations in the country`s main seaport as well as for hundreds of companies. 
 
"I have to close my shop every time there are protests," Laudice Ramirez, 62, said in the south of the city. "I`m going bankrupt, but the youth don`t have any other options for opportunities." 
&nbsp;

Colombia will begin "the maximum deployment" of military personnel in the western province of Valle del Cauca and its capital, Cali, President Ivan Duque said on Friday, after four people died in protests to mark a month of anti-government demonstrations.

Colombia will begin "the maximum deployment" of military personnel in the western province of Valle del Cauca and its capital, Cali, President Ivan Duque said on Friday, after four people died in protests to mark a month of anti-government demonstrations. The four died in and around Cali on Friday as tens of thousands marched across the country in the latest in demonstrations that started on April 28 to oppose tax reform but have since expanded to include wide-ranging demands. Talks between the government and the protest leaders, including union leaders who have formed a national strike committee, have stalled. "From tonight begins the maximum deployment of military assistance to the national police in Cali and the province of Valle," Duque said in a televised message. He added that more than 7,000 personnel will be sent to lift road blockades, including members of the navy, but did not give any more specifics. Clara Luz Roldan, governor of Valle del Cauca, earlier declared a curfew would start in the province from 7:00 p.m. On Friday in Cali, an epicenter of the protests, Mayor Jorge Ospina confirmed three deaths. Local media reported the fourth death occurred on the road between Cali and the town of Candelaria. Two people in Cali were killed when an agent of the attorney general`s investigative unit opened fire on civilians, before also being killed, Attorney General Francisco Barbosa said in a televised message. The agent was not on duty at the time, Barbosa said. The demonstrations have been plagued by violence. As of Thursday 17 civilians have died in connection with protests, the government said. Human rights groups say dozens more have been killed by security forces. Two police officers were also earlier reported killed. Human Rights Watch`s executive director for the Americas, Jose Miguel Vivanco, said on Twitter the advocacy group had verified videos published on social media showing armed men in civilian clothes firing weapons while police look on. Vivanco called on Defense Minister Diego Molano to explain. Colombia`s defense ministry did not immediately respond to questions. DEMANDS The demonstrations have pressured the government and lawmakers into shelving the tax and health reforms and prompted the resignation of former finance minister Alberto Carrasquilla. Protester demands now also include a basic income, opportunities for young people and an end to police violence. Although demonstrations outside Valle del Cauca on Friday were mostly peaceful, clashes between police and protesters were reported in some areas, such as the municipality of Madrid, near Bogota, as were incidents of violence in the city of Popayan. Amid singing and music in the capital Bogota, protesters said they would keep marching. "Until the government listens to us, we have to stay in the streets," Alejandro Franco, 23, told Reuters. Close to graduating, he said he was marching for better education and health, among other reasons. "If the people don`t have peace then neither will the government," he added. Despite the government and protest leaders reaching a "pre-agreement" for ending demonstrations this week, strike organizers on Thursday said the government had not signed the deal and accused it of stalling. "We have already reached the agreement, the only thing missing is the president`s signature to start the negotiations," Francisco Maltes, president of the Central Union of Workers (CUT), said on Friday, accusing the government of delaying talks. The government said it had not signed the deal because some protest leaders would not condemn road blocks, calling the issue non-negotiable, and adding that talks will resume on Sunday. Colombia`s finance ministry estimates protests and roadblocks have cost the country $2.68 billion, with the roadblocks leading to shortages of food and other supplies, boosting prices, and disrupting operations in the country`s main seaport as well as for hundreds of companies. "I have to close my shop every time there are protests," Laudice Ramirez, 62, said in the south of the city. "I`m going bankrupt, but the youth don`t have any other options for opportunities."

Colombia sends military to western province after four die during protests