This month, we update you on developments in Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Ecuador and Chile. In Colombia, enforced coca eradication threatens the livelihoods of rural communities while armed opposition groups are using repressive measures to enforce COVID-19 curfews in the areas that they control. In Brazil, there is an increase in land seizures for illegal cattle ranching, Amnesty has called for an end to secret and illegal investigations against government opponents, and COVID-19 is out of control. In Venezuela, opposition members continue to be subjected to government threats and attacks, while the UN has highlighted impunity for gross human rights violations and a government failure to investigate crimes linked to the mining industry. In Ecuador, Amnesty has called for an urgent action plan to protect indigenous communities from COVID-19. In Chile, Amnesty has expressed concern for 27 detained Mapuche people who are on hunger strike. We have two Urgent Actions for you, relating to a Human Rights Defender in Colombia and a missing person in Argentina.
COLOMBIA
ELN Guerrillas in Chocó, Colombia
Amnesty International has issued an Urgent Action on behalf of the Human Rights Defender Jani Silva, who has received death threats from an armed group called “La Mafia”. They oppose the voluntary crops substitution programme that Jani Silva is promoting in the Putumayo region of Colombia. According to NGOs, “La Mafia” is behind the killings of 14 persons in the Putumayo region since the COVID-19 lockdown started. We are urging the National Protection Unit to increase the protection measures for Jani Silva.
Amnesty International has said that ‘The decision of Colombia’s Ministry of Defence to begin ground-spraying operations in coca plantations in some areas of the country could result in human rights violations in the campesino farming communities that depend on coca for their livelihoods. Moreover, beginning a process of forced eradication of crops could exacerbate the conflict in the country, leaving rural communities in an even more dangerous situation, particularly for social leaders. Operations to forcibly eradicate coca crops in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic are a death sentence for rural communities. Spraying illicit crops not only means depriving rural communities of their only livelihood amid the pandemic, but it could also destroy legal crops, an important source of food. In addition, these operations expose a population with limited access to health services to contagion.’
In a new report, Human Rights Watch found that in 11 of the country’s 32 departments armed groups have imposed curfews, lockdowns, and other measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19. To enforce their rules, the groups have threatened, killed and attacked people they perceive are failing to comply. ‘Armed groups imposing measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 include the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas; the Popular Liberation Army (EPL); the Gaitanist Self-Defences of Colombia (AGC); and several groups that emerged from the 2016 demobilization of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas, often called “FARC dissident groups”. Human Rights Watch has also documented that Contadores in Nariño and La Mafia in Putumayo have imposed Covid-19 measures.
Colombia has reported 267,000 cases of Covid-19 and 9,000 deaths and new cases and deaths are increasing at an alarming rate. The refusal of the government to lockdown Bogotá, as requested by its mayor, has resulted in the city’s ICUs being overwhelmed by Covid-19 patients, according to Colombia Reports.
The Internal Displacing Monitoring Centre states that 18 July a massacre in Tibú, in Norte de Santander, perpetrated by an organised armed group left 8 people dead and caused the displacement of 450 people from the area. [Read more…]
