The Guardian

Ana Fabricia Córdoba: a death foretold

June 17--A Colombian activist predicted her own murder – respect her memory by launching an inquiry into abuse by security services.

17 de junio de 2011

"They're going to kill me and no one's done anything." When Colombian activist Ana Fabricia Córdoba spoke those words last April during one of the last public meetings she attended, a sense of defiant outrage was evident in her demeanour – an unsurprising reaction for a woman who experienced first-hand years of armed conflict, and yet remained an outspoken advocate for the human rights of internally displaced people in the country.

She was shot dead on a bus by a lone gunman last week.

Córdoba moved to Medellín, Colombia's second city, after her husband and oldest son were killed by paramilitary groups. Once in Medellín, she became an outspoken opposition voice, losing yet another son last year. She always maintained that her son was killed by the police, an accusation made publicly on national television. Foolhardy? Perhaps, but symptomatic of her belief in using her voice in favour of those victims of the conflict who, unlike her, don't have a public platform to speak from.
 
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