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PBI-Guatemala accompanies women’s group from Chinautla supporting Poqomam leader Armando Vazquez

By
Brent Patterson
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On April 23, PBI-Guatemala posted: “PBI accompanies this morning to the women’s group from Chinautla, which accompanies the family of the defender Armando Vazquez whose son was killed last Thursday and while the other son survived the attack and is injured in the hospital. To local and national authorities, we express our concern for the security situation of the family and other members of the Chinautla Multisectoral. The Multisectoral defends its territory against the uncontrolled exploitation of sand that damages its homes, the environment and the health of the municipality’s population.”

Two days later, on April 25, PBI-Guatemala posted on Facebook: “We share our ALERT about the murder of Denilson Alberto Vázquez Chacón and attempted murder of Lester Moisés Armando Vázquez Chacón [on Thursday April 18], children of a defender and indigenous authority of the Multisectoral Chinautla. Find it here.”

PBI-Guatemala is calling on the international community to:

-pay special attention to the situation in Chinautla and, in particular, to the safety of the members of Multisector Chinautla.

-organize a visit to Chinautla to express their solidarity with the Vázquez Pascual family and publicly share their concern over and raise awareness of the risk in which the members of the Multisector Chinautla are facing.

-in their political dialogue with the Government of Guatemala, request that the State grant protection measures to the Vázquez Pascual family and the members of Multisector Chinautla and that the provision of these measures be coordinated with the beneficiaries and;

-request the prompt and effective investigation and criminal prosecution of those responsible for the events.”

Their ALERT can be read here.

The PBI-Guatemala Project has been accompanying the Chinautla Multisector Urban Platform since December 2018.

PBI-Colombia notes urgent concern about new attacks on the territory of the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó

By
Brent Patterson
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Video: PBI-Colombia at the Peace Community on March 27, just days after the murder of two community members.

PBI-Colombia has posted on social media: “Urgent. After the murder of two members of @cdpsanjose [the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó], new attacks occur on the territory of the Community. Guarantees, research results and progress in the commitments made by the State are urgently needed.”

This follows the tweet from the Peace Community that says: “Urgent! Upon arriving at our Las Delicias community property, we evidenced that the property was violated again, the gate, work tools, food and dishes were stolen.”

On April 20, the Peace Community had also tweeted: “Urgent! Paramilitaries in the Las Nieves village break into private property. There are several paracos [which may mean supporters of former Colombian president Álvaro Uribe Vélez] camped inside the property and they do not allow residents to carry out agricultural work there. It is already the third consecutive threat against anyone who tries to work the property.”

As noted above, these incidents follow the murders of Peace Community members Nallely Sepúlveda (30 years old) and her brother-in-law Édinson David (14 years old) in the village of La Esperanza on the collective farm known as Las Delicias.

We continue to follow this closely.

The Peace Brigades International-Colombia Project has accompanied the Peace Community of San Jose de Apartado since 1999.

ALERT: 16-year-old son of Maya-Poqomam leader opposed to sand extraction in Chinautla, Guatemala killed by gunmen

By
Brent Patterson
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Prensa Comunitaria photo: “Poqomam people of Chinautla say goodbye to Enilson Vásquez Chacón … who was murdered during an attack against his father on Thursday, April 18.”

The Peace Brigades International-Guatemala Project has posted on Facebook: “We share our ALERT about the murder of Denilson Alberto Vázquez Chacón and attempted murder of Lester Moisés Armando Vázquez Chacón, children of a defender and indigenous authority of the Multisectoral Chinautla. Find it here.”

Prensa Comunitaria has also reported: “Brothers Lesster Moisés, 19, and Anilson Alberto Vásquez Chacón, 16, were attacked by two unknown men on a motorcycle on the night of Thursday, April 18, at approximately 8:30 p.m. Both are the sons of Francisca Chacón and Armando Vásquez, members of the Mayan community authority Poqomam, from the Cruz Blanca community, in Chinautla, Guatemala.”

That Prensa Comunitaria article adds: “Armando Vásquez is a Poqomam authority who, together with the authorities of the surrounding communities, who during July and August 2022, held a protest against the companies that exploit pebbles and that has affected the community; In addition, these companies operated without a valid license for more than two years in the community of Santa Cruz.”

The PBI-Guatemala alert further notes: “About two months before the events, on February 9, Denilson Alberto was run over and seriously injured by a clay extraction truck belonging to the company La Primavera, one of the many companies operating in the area whose activities Multisector de Chinautla have been protesting for years. This company’s license has expired and yet it continues to operate in the area, causing serious impacts on houses and infrastructure, as well as air pollution and noise pollution.”

PBI-Guatemala calls on the international community to:

-pay special attention to the situation in Chinautla and, in particular, to the safety of the members of Multisector Chinautla.

-organize a visit to Chinautla to express their solidarity with the Vázquez Pascual family and publicly share their concern over and raise awareness of the risk in which the members of the Multisector Chinautla are facing.

-in their political dialogue with the Government of Guatemala, request that the State grant protection measures to the Vázquez Pascual family and the members of Multisector Chinautla and that the provision of these measures be coordinated with the beneficiaries and;

-request the prompt and effective investigation and criminal prosecution of those responsible for the events.”

The PBI-Guatemala Project has been accompanying the Chinautla Multisector Urban Platform since December 2018.

PBI-Canada visited with the community in May 2023.

Instagram post.

Da’naxda’xw-Awaetlala land defender Rainbow Eyes sentenced to 60 days in jail

By
Brent Patterson
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Photo: Rainbow Eyes outside the Nanaimo courthouse with supporters just prior to sentencing on April 24. Photo by Jordan Davidson/Nanaimo News NOW.

Da’naxda’xw-Awaetlala land defender Angela Davidson, also known as Rainbow Eyes, was sentenced this week to 60 days in jail for her participation in the peaceful blockades against Teal Cedar logging on the Fairy Creek watershed on Pacheedaht territory on Vancouver Island on seven occasions in 2021 and 2022.

CBC reports: “Angela Davidson, also known as Rainbow Eyes, received 60 days of jail time, after being convicted of seven counts of criminal contempt earlier this year, though she received credit for 12 days of time already served in pretrial detention.”

That CBC article adds: “Davidson, who is of the Da’naxda’xw First Nation and a deputy leader of the federal Green Party, was also ordered to do 75 hours of community service for her role in the protests.”

During her trial this past January, Kwakwaka’wakw Hereditary Chief Walas Namugwis described Davidson’s obligations as being those of a people “groomed to be land defenders,” “to look after mother nature, to care and nurture and not be greedy.”

The Times Colonist notes: “Defence lawyer Ben Isitt asked for any more jail time to be suspended, suggesting a 13-day sentence that would have been negated by time already served.”

Biased injunctions

The Chilliwack Progress further reports: “An injunction had been ordered prohibiting people from obstructing or interfering with anyone accessing the logging road from April 1 to Sept. 26, 2021. Davidson had violated the injunction numerous times including chaining herself to a gate, climbing on top of a grader and dropping food off at a roadside camp, according to the judge. She was arrested and given curfew during that time.”

Green Party leader Elizabeth May has stated: “Injunctions are used to convert the justice and policing systems of the state into private cops to protect corporate profits over the public interest. This has to stop.”

The Canadian Press has reported: “[An October 2019] study of over 100 injunctions published by the Yellowhead Institute … found 76 per cent of injunctions filed by corporations against First Nations were granted, compared with 19 per cent of injunctions filed by First Nations against corporations.”

After the sentencing, May further commented: “[Rainbow Eyes] was trying, as an Indigenous land defender, to protect what’s left of our old growth forests. She deserves the Order of Canada, not [jail time].”

Impunity for the C-IRG

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG) is the controversial unit used against Indigenous land defenders and allies challenging resource extraction projects in this country.

The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (CRCC) is now conducting a systemic investigation of C-IRG activities, including its enforcement of “the Teal Cedar Products Ltd injunction in the Fairy Creek watershed”, after receiving nearly 500 formal complaints that include allegations of excessive force, illegal tactics, unprofessional behaviour, racism, discrimination and Charter violations.

Despite being launched more than a year ago on March 9, 2023, there has been little information on the progress of this investigation and no date has been set for the release of their report.

More than 800 human rights defenders killed in Palestine over the past six months

By
Brent Patterson
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Photo: Nour Naser Abu al-Nour of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights was killed by an Israeli airstrike on her family home in Rafah on February 20. The airstrike also killed seven members of her family including her two-year-old daughter Kenzi Jumaa.

The recently-released Amnesty International report The State of the World’s Human Rights notes: “Canada continued to export weapons to countries where there was a substantial risk of them being used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international human rights or humanitarian law.”

Along with the examples of Canadian arms exports to Saudi Arabia and Peru, Amnesty International highlights: “Canada issued 315 export permits to Israel for weapons and military technology in 2022 and approved over USD 21 million worth of military exports to Israel between October and December 2023.”

Unprecedented violations

Speaking about this report on Democracy Now!, Agnès Callamard, the organization’s secretary general, commented: “The scale of the violations committed over the last six months [by the Israeli military] is unprecedented. And I want to insist on that. It is unprecedented. The harm to civilians is unprecedented.”

As of April 24, Euro-Med Monitor documented that the “Israeli army has killed 42,510 Palestinians over the course of its 200-day attack, 38,621 of whom were civilians, including 10,091 women and 15,780 children.”

They further note that 79,240 Palestinians have been injured, “the vast majority of whom were civilians, with 70% being children and women.”

With a daily death toll of  212 Palestinians, including 79 children killed every day, these numbers only continue to increase.

What has the impact been on human rights defenders?

Front Line Defenders has noted: “People considered to be human rights defenders in the OPT [Occupied Palestinian Territory] include journalists, lawyers, medical workers, fieldworkers, international volunteers who act as independent observers and carry out human rights work and defenders working for economic, social and cultural rights.”

Using this definition, it can be estimated that at least 800 human rights defenders and international volunteers have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023.

Journalists: The Committee to Protect Journalists says that at least 97 journalists and media workers have been killed during this period.

Lawyers: The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights notes that two lawyers – Dana Yaghi and Nour Naser Abu Al-Nour – from the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights were killed in Israeli airstrikes in February.

Medical workers: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) says 499 healthcare workers have been killed in Gaza, including 5 MSF colleagues.

International volunteers: The New Republic has reported: “On April 1, the Israeli military repeatedly struck a humanitarian relief convoy from World Central Kitchen … killing seven foreign aid workers [including Canadian Jacob Flickinger].”

Field workers: TNR adds: “But the fact that the Israel Defense Forces had targeted and killed humanitarian workers was not, in fact, unusual. By April 1, the conflict had already killed more than 200 aid workers—a staggering number compared to other conflicts, and one that continues to rise.”

Arms embargo

Last month, Mary Lawlor wrote in The Guardian: “There exist no moral arguments that can justify the continued sale of weapons to Israel by states that respect the principle of the universality of human rights.”

She added: “During my work as the United Nations’ special rapporteur on human rights defenders, Palestinian human rights defenders have emphasized to me the importance of a ban being placed on such sales, given that Israel has demonstrated time and again that it will use such weapons indiscriminately against Palestinians.”

Lawlor also commented that while the US, the UK, Germany, France and Canada have “highlighted their steadfast support for human rights defenders … these same states continue to arm Israel.”

Peace Brigades International supports the demand for an immediate ceasefire and continues to call “on the international community to suspend the supply of arms to Israel and the armed groups involved in the conflict.”

Photo: An Israeli F-35 with a 2,000 pound bomb in the foreground. There are US$2.3-million worth of Canadian components in every F-35 warplane.

Educa Oaxaca video explains opposition from Indigenous communities to Vancouver-based Fortuna Silver Mines

By
Brent Patterson
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Video still.

Educa Oaxaca has posted:

“Mining represents a serious threat to indigenous communities in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. In the Central Valleys, 12 communities have organized to confront this problem and to defend their territories and dignity.

However, despite presenting evidence, testimonies, and records, and in violation of the communities’ right to self-determination, the federal government, through the Mexican Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), authorized 12 years of commercial silver and gold mining in this region to Cuzcatlán Mining, a subsidiary of the Canadian company Fortuna Silver Mines. The permit was withdrawn by the same federal environmental authority and has been in litigation since 2021.

These Zapotec communities in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca do not authorize or approve the mining project by Fortuna Silver Mines.”

Their 7-minute video can be seen here.

PBI-Mexico accompanied Educa Oaxaca from 2013 to 2020. They now support the work of Educa Oaxaca through a strategic alliance that includes periodic accompaniments and advocacy support.

Further reading: Eleven Zapotec communities in Mexico win injunction against Canadian mining company, say court order should be respected and the mine closed (April 5, 2024).

PBI-Mexico at forum on ‘Strengthening the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists’ in Sonora

By
Brent Patterson
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Diario del Yaqui reports:

“The Forum ‘Strengthening the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists’ seeks to socialize a law that protects them from threats, murders and forced disappearances of these actors in Sonora. This past Saturday [April 20], the event was held in Ciudad Obregon with members of the guilds at the facilities of the Itson campus Centro.

Sibely Cañedo Cazares, coordinator of the Sinaloa Initiative, explained that in response to the death of a journalist in her state, a law for his safety was approved, so through this workshop they want to generate proposals aimed at the creation of an initiative in this regard but in the state of Sonora.

It should be noted that members of the national journalists’ organization Article 19, Peace Brigades International, were also present at the event.”

The Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ) has recorded 88 killings of journalists and media workers in Mexico between 2012 and March 2024. It has verified that 37 of them were murdered in relation to their work. The most dangerous states in that period have been Veracruz (21 killings), Guerrero (10), Oaxaca (9), and Sonora (7).

This week, Mexico News Daily reported: “A report released this week by the Mexican Center for Environmental Law (CEMDA) … found 20 lethal attacks against environmental activists in 2023, which represents the fifth-highest number documented by CEMDA in the past decade. In 2022, the figure was 24. [The state of] Michoacán topped the list with seven victims … Guerrero was second on the list with six murders, followed by México state and Oaxaca with two each. Hidalgo, Sonora and Jalisco each had one.”

The full Diario del Yaqui article can be read at Iniciativa Sinaloa brinda respaldo legal a periodistas de Sonora en elaboración de ley (April 21).

PBI-Mexico accompanies the family of murdered Indigenous Náhuatl land defender Samir Flores Soberanes

By
Brent Patterson
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PBI-Switzerland has posted on Instagram:

“In March 2024, Swiss television SRF aired a moving reportage by Mitja Rietbrock on the work of PBI Mexico entitled ‘Mexico: Commitment against violence and arbitrariness’. The film highlights PBI’s escort for the family of Samir Flores, a human rights activist murdered for his resistance to the construction of a controversial thermal power plant and gas project in the Morelos region.”

The 4-minute video can be watched here.

UN Special Rapporteur comments on the “repression and persecution” faced by Indigenous water protectors in Canada

By
Brent Patterson
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Photo: Maria Jose Acosta Lazo and Pedro Arrojo Agudo at their media conference at the Lord Elgin Hotel in Ottawa, April 19.

Pedro Arrojo Agudo, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights to water and sanitation, has concluded his official visit to Canada.

In a media statement released today, he noted “there are challenges to be addressed” in Canada, including “the criminalization of water defenders”.

While in Canada, Arrojo Agudo visited several Indigenous territories, including the Wet’suwet’en and Secwepemc nations.

That media statement further noted: “He also expressed grave concern about the criminalisation, repression and persecution faced by Indigenous Peoples opposing large infrastructure projects.”

Arrojo Agudo says: “These actions violate their rights to peaceful protest and freedom of expression. Canada must uphold the principle of free prior and informed consent while respecting dynamics of consultation and consent established by Indigenous Peoples themselves.”

    

   

At the media conference in Ottawa this morning, Arrojo Agudo noted he had “mixed feelings” including “frustration and indignation” about Canada’s treatment of Indigenous peoples, and that he is “sadly surprised by the criminalization of Indigenous river defenders that damages Canada’s international reputation.”

He further shared that he “couldn’t help but cry with them” when he heard the stories from frontline communities.

In response to a question from PBI-Canada about the three militarized RCMP C-IRG raids on Wet’suwet’en territory, Agudo Arrojo said that the repression of Indigenous water protectors was a “shocking reaction, so violent”. He further highlighted Canada “needs to avoid this kind of repressive action”.

Arrojo Agudo stressed that the actions of the Indigenous water protectors were non-violent, but that the treatment of them has been violent. He added concern about the “judicial treatment, criminalization” of the water defenders.

The Special Rapporteur will present the report on his visit to Canada to the Human Rights Council in Geneva in September 2024.

Further reading

Indigenous communities present to UN Special Rapporteur on the right to water about the threat of Ring of Fire mining (PBI-Canada, April 9).

PBI-Canada presentation to UN Special Rapporteur on the right to water Pedro Arrojo-Agudo (PBI-Canada, April 9).

Photo: In October 2022, the Special Rapporteur was in Barrancabermeja, Colombia and met with Juan Camilo Delgado (CREDHOS), Yuli Velasquez (FEDEPESAN), Ivan Madero (CREDHOS) and Marie Zeller (PBI-Colombia).

United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) session focuses on the criminalization of Indigenous land defenders

By
Brent Patterson
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The Mongabay web-news portal reports:

“[The] rise in criminalization [was] the key focus of a report released this week at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, or UNPFII, the largest gathering of Indigenous activists, policymakers, and leaders in the world.

‘It’s a very serious concern because the Indigenous people who have been resisting the taking over of their lands and territories, they are the ones who most commonly face these charges and criminalization,’ Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples told a packed panel on the topic on Tuesday.

The report ‘Criminalization of Indigenous Peoples’ human rights’ lays out the mechanisms by which Indigenous peoples around the world are increasingly facing criminalization and violations of their rights with impunity. Indigenous land, subsistence and governance rights are often poorly implemented if at all, leading to violations when they intersect with government and third party interests, especially in extractive industries and conservation. In addition to historical discrimination, a lack of access to justice for Indigenous rights holders—including environmental and human rights defenders, journalists, and communities—leads to higher rates of arrests and incarcerations. The report provides recommendations for UN bodies, states, and other relevant actors to better address this growing threat.

The use of criminal law to punish and dissuade people from protesting or speaking out is typically the way people understand criminalization, said Fergus Mackay, a Senior Legal Counsel and Policy Advisor to Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI), an organization that works to protect Indigenous peoples’ rights. But the bulk of criminalization Indigenous peoples face actually stems from the inadequate recognition or non-recognition of their rights by governments.

Criminalization comes with serious consequences. In 2021, of the 200 land and environmental defenders killed worldwide, more than 40% were Indigenous. According to IPRI, which was founded in part to address the growing concern over criminalization of Indigenous peoples, despite representing only 6% of the global population, Indigenous defenders suffered nearly 20% of attacks between 2015 and 2022 and were much more likely to experience violent attacks.

Indigenous journalists were included in this year’s report as being increasingly at risk of criminalization.”

The full article can be read at UN puts spotlight on attacks against Indigenous land defenders (by Sarah Sax, April 18, 2024).

Examples from Canada noted in the Mongabay article:

– “In Canada, First Nations fishermen are being arrested and harassed by federal fisheries officers for fishing–rights protected by treaty.” Further reading: Treatment of Mi’kmaw fishers by federal DFO officers compared to Starlight Tour violence by Saskatoon police (PBI-Canada article)

– “In Canada, dozens of members of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation, who have long protested the creation of the Coastal GasLink pipeline that will cross their unceded territory, have been arrested and await trial in Canada. That trial is currently on hold because of allegations of excessive force and harassment by the police.” Further reading: Twelve concerning things we learned about the RCMP C-IRG during the first week of the abuse of process hearing (PBI-Canada article)

– “Brandi Morin, an award-winning Cree/Iroquois/French journalist from Treaty 6 territory in Alberta was arrested while covering an Indigenous-led homeless encampment in Edmonton.” Further reading: Charges withdrawn against journalist arrested at Edmonton homeless encampment protest (Edmonton Journal)

This week, APTN also reported: “Representatives of the Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick [were at the United Nations in New York for the 23rd session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and] said the criminalization of Indigenous Peoples in Canada and around the world must be addressed. ‘One of the topics here is the criminalization of Indigenous rights so it’s perfect timing we want to bring attention to it,’ said Nicholas Paul. ‘We shouldn’t have to go to court to have make the government obey its own courts.’” Further reading: Crown asks New Brunswick judge to stay charges against Indigenous lobster fisherman (Canadian Press article)

APTN further noted: “United Nations delegates take aim at Canadian government, mining companies: According to Amazon Watch, 37 Canadian mining companies operating in nine countries have human rights complaints and destroyed the environment”.

And the Williams Lake Tribune reported: “Tŝilhqot’in mark 10th anniversary of title win at UN forum in New York”.

In this new United Nations report ‘Criminalization of Indigenous Peoples’ human rights’ examples from Canada are referenced in points 6, footnote 24; 13, footnote 42; 14, footnote 45; and 28, footnote 85.

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