PBI-Canada Board member Heather Neun meets with CCALCP during VII International Caravan of Jurists in Colombia

PBI-Canada Board member Heather Neun is participating in the VII International Caravan of Jurists in Colombia.

As noted in this statement from the José Alvear Restrepo Lawyers’ Collective (CCAJAR): “From August 20 to 28, 2022, 18 international jurists, human rights experts from eleven countries will be in Colombia for an intense week to undertake a fact-finding mission and advocate for the protection of lawyers, human rights defenders and their communities, to guarantee access to justice and truth.”

On August 22, CCAJAR tweeted:

“In Cúcuta, Norte de Santander, the Caravan met with @ccalcp [the Luis Carlos Pérez Lawyers Collective Corporation] to find out about the risk situation in the territory, with @Asonal_Judicial [the National Association of Officials and Employees of the Judicial Branch] about the victims of the judicial branch, and with @DefensoriaCol [Institution of the Colombian State responsible for promoting human rights] to find out the balance of human rights in the dept. and institutional response.”

Then on August 23, CCALCP tweeted:

“In #Cúcuta, international jurists are aware of the litigation filed by @ccalcp demanding the implementation of the public policy established in the Peace Agreement; as well as the risks that the continuity of the conflict represents for the protection of the rights of the population

With the VII International Caravan of Jurists, @ccalcp [makes] visible deficiencies of the authorities in the protection of aquifer recharge zones; and sustainable substitution activities for coca crops and mining in territories in conflict, and for environmental protection.

In Cúcuta, international jurists met with the @DefensoriaCol and learned of acts of gender-based violence, human trafficking, sexual exploitation and recruitment of minors that occurred in Norte de Santander and the Catatumbo region.

From Asonal, with the participation of Prosecutors and CTI [the Technical Investigation Unit], the Caravan of Jurists was exposed: lack of security guarantees and resources for the exercise of their work, and the complaint by the population; what worries them in the face of the continuity of impunity and violence.”

And on August 24, CCALCP tweeted:

“The legal area of the @AscamcatOficia [organization defending the territory, human rights, promoter of peace with social justice and the peasant reserve zones of Catatumbo] exposed before international jurists the demands of the peasantry in the implementation of the Peace Agreement in the Catatumbo region and the risk for the population, defenders and social leaders in the face of the continuity of the conflict.

VII International Caravan of Jurists met with the territorial liaison of the @JEP_Colombia [Special Jurisdiction for Peace] in Norte de Santander and learned about the challenges facing the implementation of its own sanctions in this territory in a context of continuing conflict and the presence of armed groups.”

To follow the Caravan, please also follow the Twitter account: Colombian Caravana.

Further reading: VII caravana internacional de juristas de Norte de Santander llega a la UFPS.