Is there a substantial risk Canadian vehicles sold to the Colombian police are involved in human rights violations?

Are there reasonable grounds of a substantial risk that Canadian-manufactured vehicles sold to the Colombian national police could be used to commit serious violations of human rights during the current national strike?

Is there a direct, present and foreseeable risk of misuse?

What do we know?

1– United Nations and Organization of American States human rights experts have stated: “We are deeply distressed by the excessive and unlawful use of force by police and members of the ESMAD (Mobile Anti-Riot Squad) against peaceful demonstrators, human rights defenders and journalists across Colombia.”

2– Temblores has documented 2,387 cases of police brutality and 472 violent interventions by the public force in Colombia between April 28 and May 18.

3– In May 2014, Toronto-based INKAS reported it would supply 4 Huron tactical attack and defense vehicles to the National Police of Colombia. In April 2015, INKAS reportedly had a tendered order 26 Huron vehicles for the Colombian police.

4– The Canadian manufacturing magazine PLANT reported: “The Huron … will be outfitted with a cannon to wrangle unruly rioters with foam, tear gas, dyes and water.”

5– There are numerous videos – including from the Washington Post, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch – that raise a context of concern given how similar armoured vehicles are being used by the police during the national strike.

Videos

Twitter video (May 22)

Washington Post video (May 20)

Twitter video (May 20)

Twitter video (May 19)

Twitter video (May 14)

Colombia Informa video (May 14)

El Parche Critico video (May 13)

Colombia Informa video (May 10)

Periferia Prensa video (May 6) Human Rights Watch says: “With eyewitnesses and digital video verification we have corroborated the use of tanks with multiple projectile launchers aimed at protesters. It is a dangerous and indiscriminate weapon.”

Colombia Informa video (May 1)

Amnesty International video (May 1) “Armoured vehicle driving through the city firing bullets”

Amnesty International video (April 30)

Twitter video (April 30)

There is also this Noticias Uno Colombia news report on May 16: Young man is hit by a projectile fired from a police tank in Popayán. And there is this Washington Post visual forensics feature article: Killed by police in Colombia.