Dear Friends,

This month we bring you news from Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, and Argentina. 

Highlights are:

Colombia: The UN’s Working Group on Business and Human Rights has found that ‘Colombia suffers from long-standing structural problems that have led to serious human rights violations’

Brazil:  Amnesty International has launched a petition to urge the Brazilian Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship to implement the Program for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

Venezuela: Mass demonstrations, following the presidential election,  led to hundreds of protesters being arbitrarily detained – there is an Urgent Action

Ecuador: In a new report, and petition, Amnesty International reveals how the Ecuadorian state is failing in its duty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, allowing the operation of gas flares.

Chile: The trial preparation has at last been held in the case against a former Carabineros officer accused of blinding Gustavo Gatica, Amnesty International Individual at Risk.

Peru: There have been important developments following the publication of Amnesty International’s report, Who Called On The Shots?

Argentina: Amnesty International had sent Congress a guide explaining problems with the Argentine pension system and the need for reform that guarantees retirees a dignified life.

COLOMBIA

In a an appeal to support Colombia’s peace process, WOLA, alongside 172 individuals and organizations, calls for immediate action to resume the peace talks between the Colombian Government and the ELN (National Liberation Army) and to extend the bilateral ceasefire that expired on August 3. The implementation of the Ethnic Chapter of the 2016 Peace Accord should be prioritised. This includes humanitarian relief and protection measures for indigenous and black communities. Negotiations ended when the ELN resumed its kidnappings and other illegal activities to fund the armed group.

In another setback to President Petro’s ‘Total Peace Plan’, Colombia Reports  that EMC (Former FARC) commander “Ivan Mordisco” declared war on dissident guerrilla units that decided to negotiate peace with the government without his approval. ‘The declaration of war could have major consequences in southern Colombia where the Amazonas Bloc and the Jorge Suarez Briceño Bloc of dissidents operate.’

A gathering of 4,200 representatives of indigenous communities from the Cauca, where the war between armed groups has intensified, are in Bogotá seeking to meet President Petro. They demand that the government stop the fighting. Although they have yet to meet the President, they have achieved another goal, to obtain an ATEA (Territorial and Economic and Environmental Authority) decree for the Cauca region. This will enable indigenous communities to register their land claims and strengthen their legal position in respect of third parties. [Read more…]

Dear Friends,

This month we bring you news from Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Paraguay, Venezuela, Chile, Ecuador and Brazil.

Highlights are:

• Colombia and others: Amnesty has a new petition directed at governments to support a Torture-free Trade treaty.
• Argentina: An Urgent Action demands that charges against 33 people opposed the controversial ‘ley de bases’ be dropped.
• Argentina: A second Urgent Action demands that charges against Pierina Nochetti for painting graffiti be dropped.
• Peru: A new report with an Urgent Action identifies the former President’s responsibility for the killings and injuries in last year’s protests.
• Paraguay: Amnesty has issued an Urgent Action calling on the Chamber of Deputies to reject a bill limiting freedom of assembly..
• Venezuela: following the controversial re-election of President Maduro, Amnesty is calling on a commitment to human rights and the release of three political prisoners.
• Chile: Amnesty is calling on the government to decriminalize voluntary abortion in all circumstances.
• Ecuador: Human Rights Watch have released a new report calling on the Ecuadorian Government to accelerate measures to end sexual violence in schools.
• Brazil: Amnesty is denouncing the dropping of charges against 3 policemen accused of murder of a child.

COLOMBIA

Amnesty International has launched a campaign to demand that governments support a Torture-Free Trade Treaty to regulate the trade in policing equipment to ensure it does not end in the hands of abusive police forces. They cite the excessive use of violence using non-lethal weapons by Colombia’s police in response to the National Strike in 2018. Please sign the petition, which for UK residents will be redirected to the British government. Accompanying this demand is the first hand account by Leidy Cadena, the first person to be blinded by police in 2018, who has been forced to leave Colombia.

The Washington based human right advocacy group WOLA condemns the ‘vile attack’ on indigenous Wayuu leader Javier Rojas Uriana 2 July. They demand that the Colombian authorities and the National Protection Unit guarantee the protection of Mr. Rojas Uriana, his family, and the Association of Shipia Wayuu members. ‘They should guarantee that these crimes’ intellectual and material authors are brought to justice. Additionally, these entities should investigate why the regional prosecutor’s office of Cesar and the SIJIN have refused to accept the complaint the victim tried to file.’

Leaders of dissident FARC guerrillas known as the EMC, who were travelling in armoured cars provided by the National Protection Unit, were arrested at a military checkpoint in Cisneros. They were on their way to peace talks. Seven remain in custody. The EMC has been blamed for a series of bombings and shootings around Cali and they threatened to disrupt the COP 16 negotiations which are due to begin in Cali in October. They have since withdrawn this threat and have called for the arrest warrants to be revoked.

Peace Brigade International Colombia’s annual report records the NGO’s invaluable role in protecting communities at risk in Colombia. This includes the presence of 26 field volunteers, some of whom protect Amnesty’s IAR Casefile Peace Community of San José de Apartadó. The report includes the testimony of one field worker in the country. They note that ‘Even though violence and human rights violations decreased slightly in 2023 according to figures from Indepaz, there were still 188 murders of human rights leaders and defenders, 94 massacres with 303 victims and 167,540 victims of forced displacement.’ [Read more…]