The United Nations on Monday condemned the murder of a 12-year-old boy at the hands of a mob who surprised him along with another 18-year-old boy robbing a food store in the municipality of Tibú, in northern Colombia. The two later appeared with their hands tied and shot, lying on a sidewalk.
"We condemn the murder of a 12-year-old boy in Tibú, Norte de Santander. We express condolences to his family. We urge the authorities to investigate these events. We call for respect for the life and protection of children", the United Nations Human Rights office in Colombia wrote on its Twitter account.
The events took place last Friday, when both young men were accused of shoplifting. The merchants in the area, according to Colombian media, held the two boys until some men on motorcycles and armed men took them over.
Their bodies were found hours later dumped on a road. Both had been shot in the head and the 12-year-old boy had a sign around his neck with the word ‘thief’, says the Colombian newspaper ‘El Espectador’.
Civil society organizations have denounced that the Norte de Santander Police deliberately ignored the calls of the merchants in the area, allowing the two boys to be finally arrested by this group of armed men who has not yet been identified.
The Police, which has announced a reward of one hundred million Colombian pesos (22,900 euros) for anyone who offers information that helps to find the whereabouts of those responsible, has rushed to hold the armed groups operating in the area responsible, either the 33rd Front of the FARC dissidents, or the guerrillas of the National Liberation Army (ELN).
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