Nasa Indians overpower soldiers in Colombia

William Fernando Martinez / AP

Nasa Indians charge a soldier in Toribio, southern Colombia on July 17. Dozens of Indians attacked half a dozen soldiers guarding communication towers on the outskirts of the town.

Luis Robayo / AFP - Getty Images

Indigenous natives drag Colombian army sergeant Rodrigo Garcia out of his military post on Mount Berlin in Toribioon July 17, 2012.

William Fernando Martinez / AP

Nasa Indians drag off a soldier in Toribio, southern Colombia on July 17.

Christian Escobar Mora / EPA

A soldier tries to stop another from shooting in the air.

Christian Escobar Mora / EPA

A soldier is attacked by indigenous trying to evict them from a military control base in El Alto del Berlin mountain in Toribio, Cauca, Colombia

Luis Robayo / AFP - Getty Images

Army sergeant Rodrigo Garcia leaves with tears in his eyes after he was forced out of his military post on Mount Berlin on July 17, 2012.

Nasa Indians near Toribio in southern Colombia have demanded security forces and leftist rebels stay off their land. Local people decided to expel a group of soldiers from the area after clashes resulted in eight people being wounded and several houses damaged, Agence France Presse reports. 

Previously on PhotoBlog: Colombians dismantle police post in protest at FARC clashes

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Discuss this post

Columbia? COLUMBIA? really?

Holy frijoles man! last time I checked this country was called COLOMBIA!

  • 1 vote
Reply#1 - Tue Jul 17, 2012 5:08 PM EDT

C'mon, get real! Can't you see they were indigenous scientists from NASA, attacking soldiers in DC?

  • 1 vote
#1.1 - Tue Jul 17, 2012 10:47 PM EDT

So this is what NASA has to resort to since they canceled the shuttle program?!?! Restore funding NOW!

  • 2 votes
#1.2 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 12:46 PM EDT
Reply

Frijoles! That's what they eat in Mejico, hombre. In Columbia, they eat grits. Columbia, South Carolina, that is.

  • 2 votes
Reply#2 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 7:59 AM EDT

If the Indians want the leftists and soldiers off THEIR LAND, isn't it their prerogative to keep them off? It seems that many countries have repeatedly taken Indian lands for private use, so it is inevitable that the Indians might want to fight back.

  • 4 votes
Reply#3 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:18 AM EDT

Yup,big whoop,they are only about 500+ yrs to late.Must be Libs...better late and ineffective than never...:o)

    #3.1 - Thu Jul 19, 2012 12:02 AM EDT

    Must be Libs...

    Time to exercise control the troll option ita.

    :o)

      #3.2 - Thu Jul 19, 2012 1:29 AM EDT
      Reply

      And cameras just happened to be there up close and personal? There's a picture with a guy taking pictures in it! Guess those indigenouses have some modern things.

      • 2 votes
      Reply#4 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:38 AM EDT

      It was likely planned in advance or, at least, the government and press knew about it. If no one knew about it a) the cameras wouldn't have been there, b) the soldiers would have opened fire.

      And yes, just because they are a local tribe doesn't mean they don't have access to the same amenities the rest of the country has.

        #4.1 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 4:21 PM EDT
        Reply

        These people have balls of steel, I dont care whats going on right now.

        I want them on my team.

        • 3 votes
        Reply#5 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:45 AM EDT

        Took a lot of self control on the soldiers part in my opinion. A guy waving a machete at a comrade would not last too long where I come from. "THEY GOT THE GUNS BUT-WE GOT THE NUMBERS- GONNA WIN YEAH WE'RE TAKING OVER C'MON! Jim, you were spot on one more time.

        • 3 votes
        Reply#6 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:51 AM EDT

        Take a closer look. There aren't any machetes, just sticks.

        • 2 votes
        #6.1 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 11:32 PM EDT

        These guys (soldiers) look like kids. Hope no retaliation from Higher Ups in the Military about this, but... Glad it did not end in worse way, for sure.

        Howdy Stonepipe! Good to see Ya!!

        Peace

          #6.2 - Thu Jul 19, 2012 1:34 AM EDT

          Not as good as it is to see you my friend! Peace x 10

          • 1 vote
          #6.3 - Thu Jul 19, 2012 5:33 PM EDT

          Top pic empty scabbard = machete. I myself prefer a Woodsmans Pal.

          • 1 vote
          #6.4 - Thu Jul 19, 2012 5:36 PM EDT
          Reply

          if indians in the U.S. did this the federal govt. would go in and massacure them, so that corporate could steal THEIR, coal, gold , copper, oil! the only thing left would be the LEAD in their bellies! go indians!

          • 5 votes
          Reply#7 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:22 AM EDT

          You mean 100 years ago? Now, there are so many different people walking around, like alot of South American indians (latinos) for example, that I think your point is moot.

            #7.1 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:37 AM EDT

            unbelievable-3571258 People from Spanish (also Italian and Portuguese, their languages derive from old Latin) descent are Latinos; South American Indians are Southern Native Americans.

            • 2 votes
            #7.2 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 11:38 AM EDT

            Unbelievable - Damn dude.......get a clue !

              #7.3 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 12:54 PM EDT

              romilio, thanks for spreading disinformation or BS...

              South American Indians are also latino. Being latino is not part of being a race, it's an ethnicity.

              • 2 votes
              #7.4 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 1:36 PM EDT

              Agreed, what the 81. I've never heard the term 'latinos'-a relatively new term, used for people of European desent.

                #7.5 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 5:59 PM EDT

                Yeah!They need Commies to show them the path to freedom,you Commie puke...:o)

                • 1 vote
                #7.6 - Thu Jul 19, 2012 12:05 AM EDT
                Reply

                Indigenous people have been exploited by Spaniards and their mixed descendants for 500 years. Whether it's a "legitimate" government's troops, foreigners in search of mineral wealth, or drug dealing "rebel" militias the natives are always on the short end. I'm sure the army will send in reinforcements and do their usual raping and pillaging before "peace" is restored. I'm with the Nasa and support them in their quest to free their ancient lands from both Columbian and drug peddling interlopers.

                • 3 votes
                Reply#8 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 11:13 AM EDT

                It just doesn't end down there. The natives will always get the short end of the stick.

                But there also natives that have taken positions of power that do the same....

                  #8.1 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 1:43 PM EDT
                  Reply

                  This whole story consists of only 2 sentences? Sure it has photos but its not like a town threw out an infantry, its a local skirmish with a small outpost, how is this news? The Wallmart Flash Rob had more people and violence than this.

                  • 2 votes
                  Reply#9 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 12:02 PM EDT

                  This is happening many places in S. America. The local people are tired of getting screwed by the Latinos (they have their own dialect and are not Latinos) and the so called Leftists.

                  • 1 vote
                  Reply#10 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:40 PM EDT

                  Totally agree with Ximp comment. It is unacceptable a mistake like misspelling a country name because it is not only that, it goes beyond...the credibility, accuracy, seriousness, responsability, all those principles of a good journalism, of an "international media". Seriously guys, it makes me rethink about the quality of the info you provide (as Ximp quoted above!)

                    Reply#11 - Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:55 PM EDT

                    Man dominating man to his own injury.

                      Reply#12 - Fri Jul 20, 2012 12:54 AM EDT

                      The Indians just look like they don't want the soldiers and the drug lords playing cops and robbers in their territory and destroying their houses and harming their people. Good luck to them. But they are lucky they aren't dealing with something like the LAPD or Russian or Chinese or North Korean, etc. soldiers or there would have been a massacre.

                        Reply#13 - Sat Jul 21, 2012 5:15 PM EDT

                        BLAME BUSH ! ! ! !

                        George W. Bush be held accountable for this.

                        Using MSNBC Logic, Bush Shut NASA down in the USA.....

                        ...thus FORCING these jobs to be outsourced to Colombia. Not only did we loose NASA jobs to Colombian Indians, but they are now TERRORIZING Colombia.

                        • 1 vote
                        Reply#14 - Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:58 PM EDT

                        You should really stop chewing those paint chips.

                        An allergic reaction to yourself could be fatal in you don't have your eppy!!!

                        Unless you were going for sarcasm and I missed it .

                          #14.1 - Fri Jul 27, 2012 8:32 AM EDT

                          .

                            #14.2 - Fri Jul 27, 2012 8:34 AM EDT

                            Hey Einstein....

                            the highest form of Sarcasm is when the Aforementioned Sarcasm is noted by others.

                            So, THANKS FOR NOTING THE SARCASM YOU NOTED.

                            "B...B...B....BUYAAAAAAH"

                              #14.3 - Fri Jul 27, 2012 1:15 PM EDT
                              Reply

                              I wonder where the pics of FARC soldiers being dragged away from one of their camps are. My guess is if they tried that they would end up in a very shallow grave in the jungle.

                                Reply#15 - Thu Sep 20, 2012 9:47 AM EDT
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