On July 1, PBI-Guatemala posted: “PBI accompanies members of CCDA to the conciliatory board developed in the Integrated Center of Justice of San Pedro Carcha.”
More to come.
PBI-Colombia accompanies the Campesina University organized by the Peace Community of San Jose de Apartado
On June 30, PBI-Colombia tweeted: “PBI accompanies the University Campesina and resistance organized by the @cdpsanjose [Peace Community of San Jose de Apartado], a commitment to life, dignity and organizational strengthening from the peoples and communities to achieve #complete peace”
More to come.
PBI-Honduras accompanies ARCAH to the Choluteca River affected by poultry company pollution
On June 30, PBI-Honduras tweeted: “PBI accompanies @Arcah_hn to the Choluteca River in Tegucigalpa, strongly affected by pollution. We share ARCAH’s concern about the possible renewal of the environmental license for the El Cortijo poultry company, which expires these days.”
More to come.
PBI-Guatemala accompanies UVOC defender Justino Xollim at court hearing
On June 29, PBI-Guatemala posted: “PBI accompanies Justino Xollim, defender belonging to the UVOC, in the hearing for continuation of the debate. Justino has been criminalized for his defense of the territory and the search for recognition of the communal property of the land he inhabits today.”
More to come.
PBI-Mexico accompanied ASMAC and CONTEC sign letter on socio-environmental conflict that notes Canadian mining company
On June 24 PBI-Mexico tweeted:
“PBI observes. The @cedehm [the Center for Human Rights of Women] and CSOs [civil society organizations] of the state of #Chihuahua urgently urge the authorities to deal comprehensively and definitively with the socio-environmental conflicts in the municipality of Buenaventura, Chihuahua. Read the statement.”
The statement – signed by PBI-Mexico accompanied organizations Community Technical Consulting A.C. (CONTEC) and the Sierra Madre Alliance A.C. (ASMAC) – highlights:
“The undersigned organizations, we call for the government of the Republic and the government of the state of Chihuahua to urgently address in a comprehensive and definitive way the environmental conflicts that for years have been denounced by inhabitants of the ejidos Benito Juárez and Constitución both of the municipality of Buenaventura.
In recent days, the risk of a serious social conflict has potentially increased, based on the issuance of arrest warrants requested by the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Chihuahua against peasants who remain in defense of their natural resources.
The ejidos of Benito Juárez and Constitución have bravely resisted in the defense of their resources; the first before a Canadian mining company with an open-pit exploitation project and the second before the indiscriminate and illegal exploitation of water by producers without permission and with privileges.
The defense has had invaluable costs for the peasants, such as the murder of Ismael Solorio and Manuela Solís* in 2012 and Alberto Almeida in 2013; as well as threats and aggressions that have resulted in precautionary measures granted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). Despite this, the state of Chihuahua insists on the persecution of defenders.
On May 18, in the Senate of the Republic, a point of agreement was proposed, by which the Permanent Commission of the Congress of the Union, urges the installation of a working table to address the problems raised. In the same sense, on May 31, in the Congress of the State of Chihuahua, a position was presented regarding the urgency and attention that this situation requires.
Therefore, the organizations that we subscribe to urge the federal and state authorities to resolve the situation raised as a social conflict, which derives mainly from the omission of the authorities responsible for the protection of the environment, this despite the multiple complaints that have been filed.”
The statement can be read in full here.
*In October 2012, MiningWatch Canada posted: “Both Ismael and Manuela were members of Barzón National, a smallholders farmers’ movement, and the Mexican Network of Mining-Affected Communities (REMA). …In addition to being key activists opposed to the installation of a mine, they had also been denouncing the drilling of illegal wells in the Carmen river basin. [The] El Cascabel [mining company] is a closely related entity to Vancouver-based mining company MAG Silver and a central player in the development of MAG Silver’s 100% owned Cinco de Mayo mine project. Many members of El Barzon and other movements in the municipality opposed the mine, given concerns about the heavy use of groundwater in this arid region.”
PBI-Canada to visit accompanied defenders in Colombia
San Luis de Palenque, Casanare
Peace Brigades International-Canada coordinator Brent Patterson will be visiting Colombia between June 25 and July 6.
While there, Patterson will meet with PBI-Colombia accompanied defenders and visit Bogota, Barrancabermeja, Puerto Wilches, Bajo Simacota, San Luis de Palenque and Cali. The focus of the visit will be on documenting human rights violations and actions that can be taken to address Canadian corporate behaviour in these communities.
PUERTO WILCHES, Santander
Puerto Wilches is the site of two proposed fracking pilot projects that would be operated by Ecopetrol. That state-owned company has received more than $3 billion in financing from Toronto-based Scotiabank since 2018 as well as $300 million from the Ottawa-based Export Development Canada, the Canadian government’s export credit agency, between 2012 and 2020. Furthermore, Toronto-based Sintana Energy Inc. holds a 30 per cent interest in Block VMM-37, where the Platero fracking pilot project would be conducted.
The PBI-Colombia accompanied Regional Corporation for the Defence of Human Rights (CREDHOS) accompanies the Committee for the Defence of Water, Life and Territory of Puerto Wilches (AguaWil) whose members have received multiple threats because of their activism against fracking.
BAJO SIMACOTA, Santander
Calgary-based Parex Resources operates the Aguas Blancas oil field in Bajo Simacota. Since 2018, EDC has provided up to $250 million in financing to Parex.
CREDHOS has tweeted: “For a healthy environment, CREDHOS accompanies and supports the processes in defense of water in the territory. We highlight the struggle of the Bajo Simacota community against contamination by oil spills, caused by Parex.”
SAN LUIS DE PALENQUE, Casanare
Toronto-based Frontera Energy operates in its Cubiro Block in San Luis de Palenque. Frontera was formerly known as Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp.
On November 16 and 19, 2018, Frontera signed agreements with the Ministry of Defence for US $1.34 million to secure army protection for its activities.
El Espectador has reported, “On November 27, 2018, at 2:45 in the morning, an operation of 200 men, between members of the Police and the National Army, who landed in two helicopters, captured [eight social leaders who raised concerns about Frontera Energy] in San Luis de Palenque.”
On September 16, 2020, El Nuevo Oriente reported that a judge ordered the release of the eight social leaders because 500 days had elapsed without a trial.
The PBI-Colombia accompanied Committee in Solidarity with Political Prisoners (CSPP) and Social Corporation for Community Advisory and Training Services (COSPACC) accompany this community struggle.
CALI, Valle del Cauca
Cali was a focal point of police violence during the national strike that began in November 2019 and intensified in April 2021.
Notably, two police helicopters were used during Operation Siloé on May 3, 2021, in which three people lost their lives when the National Police, the Mobile Anti-Riot Squad (ESMAD) and Special Operations Group of the Colombian National Police (GOES) attacked a vigil.
It is in this context that we note Canada has sold forty CH-135 (between 1998 and 2000), twelve 212 (between 1994 and 1996) and four 407 helicopters (in 2013-14) to the Colombian police and military. Canada has also sold at least four (and perhaps as many as 30) Toronto-area INKAS manufactured armoured vehicles to the police in 2014-15.
Furthermore, on October 30, 2017, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a “bilateral police initiative” between Canada and Colombia. At that time, he stated: “We’ve agreed to work together to establish a bilateral police initiative. This effort will support post-conflict policing efforts in Colombia, and will see Canadian police providing training, capacity-building, and strategic advice to our Colombian friends.” Given the timing of the announced, the initiative would have likely begun in 2018.
The PBI-Colombia accompanied Association for Social Research and Action (Nomadesc) accompanies the victims of police violence.
As we visit communities, learn firsthand about the situations they are facing, uncover more about Canada’s role in these situations, we will be posting on social media. Please follow @PBIcanada on Twitter for daily updates on this visit.
PBI presents to Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions on the situation in Kenya and Colombia
On June 22, Kim-Mai Vu of Peace Brigades International presented to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland during the Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.
She stated:
“PBI welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur.
Kenya
In Kenya, the Missing Voices Coalition documented 187 alleged extrajudicial executions in 2021, an increase of 29 compared to 2020. Of grave concern are the long delays in investigation of extrajudicial executions and in the courts, threats to witnesses and human rights defenders who fight against police violence; and the resulting denial of justice for victims and family.
In line with the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur, it is imperative that Kenya operationalize the Coroners Service Act, enacted in 2017, that establishes an independent National Coroners Service. However, as of yet no Coroner-General has been appointed and no Service has been established. The operationalization of this Act would be a significant step towards prompt, effective and impartial investigations of extrajudicial executions.
Colombia
In Colombia, extrajudicial executions persist. Despite the reforms introduced in the 1990s, practice shows that the Minnesota Protocol* is not properly applied. In cases where the rural civilian population is presented as having been killed in combat by the armed forces, as in the recent case of the Puerto Leguizamo massacre in April 2022, or where there are serious doubts about how events occurred, victims and human rights organizations denounce the lack of implementation of the Minnesota Protocol by the armed forces.
Similar situations occur in the cases of civilians arbitrarily executed in contexts of social protest, where military criminal justice continues to operate and substantially affects due process especially the initial evidence gathering phase of the legal proceedings. The cases of Dilan Cruz, the youth of Cali and the 9 September massacre are emblematic examples.
We are also concerned about the lack of security guarantees for the families of the victims, their legal representatives and the persistent re-victimization as well as the widespread impunity for extrajudicial executions.
Thank you, Mr. President.”
The video of her presentation can be seen here (starting at 03:11:26).
*The Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death (2016) is a set of international guidelines for the investigation of suspicious deaths, particularly those in which the responsibility of a State is suspected (either as a result of act or omission).
PBI presents to UN Working Group on human rights and transnational corporations
On June 22, Kim-Mai Vu of Peace Brigades International presented to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland during the Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises.
She stated:
“PBI welcomes the report of the Working Group on human rights violations business-related human rights that occurred in the context of the pandemic.
Honduras
In Honduras, attacks by private guards and criminalization processes hinder the defense of the environment against megaprojects, as in the cases of Guapinol and OFRANEH. We observed inconsistencies in the execution of queries prior to indigenous peoples, despite the ratification of ILO Convention 169. The Decree PCM-030-2020, approved in the midst of a pandemic, sharpens the pressure on the land by prioritizing the agro-industrial sector. Several extractive companies that violate human rights receive international funding. The signature and ratification of the Escazú Agreement, on the other hand, could contribute to improvements in the protection of environmental defenders.
Colombia
Colombia is among the most dangerous countries for human rights defenders people related to companies. The measures by COVID 19 have exacerbated violence in the territories and structural inequalities. Between January and May 2022, there were 11 murders and 8 attacks against human rights defenders who denounce crimes and links between extractivist companies and armed actors, affecting especially women and ethnic population (indigenous and Afro-Colombian). Urgent and efficient protection for defenders of land and territory, including advances in legal investigations on the responsibilities of companies and masterminds of crimes in FTA zones (Free Trade Agreements) and mining and oil megaprojects.
Thank you very much, Mr. President.“
The video of Kim-Mai’s presentation can be seen here (starting at 1:29:08).
PBI-Guatemala accompanies security workshop for members of the CCDA
On June 23, PBI-Guatemala posted: “PBI accompanies and facilitates the security workshop, given by a Guatemalan expert in the subject, to members of the CCDA.”
More to come.
PBI-Kenya accompanies Mothers of Victims and Survivors Network march for peaceful elections and against police violence
On June 23, PBI-Kenya tweeted:
In the lead-up to the march, the Mothers Network also tweeted:
The general election is scheduled for August 9, 2022.
Following the 2017 election, Human Rights Watch stated: “The elections were marred by serious human rights violations by Kenyan security forces, who used excessive force to break up protests and carry out house-to-house operations particularly in opposition strongholds in Nairobi and western Kenya.”
It further noted: “At least 12 people were killed by police in western counties of Kisumu and Siaya alone and another 33 in Nairobi during the violence.”
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders has also warned: “Human rights defenders often face hostile discourse from State officials and are denigrated via smear campaigns with the aim to delegitimize their work. …This has particularly affected human rights defenders and civil society addressing voters’ education and electoral monitoring ahead of the general elections.”
Beyond elections, the Mother’s Network has also noted: “In Nairobi, people are killed by police every week. Most victims are young men who live in the city’s informal settlements, places where all of the public services that a state owes its citizens—water, electricity, security, education, healthcare—are denied and substituted instead with violent policing.”
For more on the work of the Mothers of Victims & Survivors Network, click here.
