The national police may have returned to its barracks, but that doesn't mean they're just sitting there with their arms crossed waiting for the fallout of days of violent repression and murder.
We're getting reports from Chiriquí that the local police is hunting down witnesses of the two murders they committed. Virgilio Bejarano, leader of an organization called SITRAPEID, has been arrested in Boquete. Late last night, the police was looking for Ngöbe student leader Eric González, and raiding houses in Las Lomas.
The police maintains a theory that the second victim, a 16 year old protester, died as a result of an accident with a molotov cocktail. This is, forensic experts have said, totally inconsistent with the injuries shown on various pictures. Witnesses have stated that the victim was shot at close range, through the window of a car, with a 12 gauge shotgun by a member of the police.
Indigenous leaders this morning demanded an investigation into serious human rights violations by the national police. According to Celio Guerra, illegal ammunition was used, murders were committed, and members of the police raped a 13 year old girl.
One wounded victim of the repression stated on video that he was shot by SENAFRONT from a helicopter. SENAFRONT is the militarized border police that keeps the Darién province under military rule.
As of Yesterday there are still over 110 Panamanian Citizens that were arrested by the National Police and have not been seen, heard from, or Located by family, relatives, and fellow tribe members!
Cacica of the Ngabe-Bugle
12 Feb 2012