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PBI-Colombia accompanies Nomadesc as humanitarian caravan arrives in Bogotá

By
Brent Patterson
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On April 27, PBI-Colombia tweeted:

“The #Humanitarian Caravan arrived in Bogotá today, #human rights defense organizations and communities in resistance to remain in the territory have toured the country since April 23 in rejection of #violence and the #humanitarian emergency. PBI accompanies @Nomadesc [the Association for Social Research and Action].”

Telesur has reported: “The humanitarian caravan for the defense of life, known as indigenous Minga, after advancing through different cities of Colombia, arrives this Wednesday [April 27] in Bogotá, the capital, in a new day of protests.”

Valora Analitik adds: “At around 11:00 am on Wednesday, a humanitarian caravan arrived with the indigenous guard, the maroon [cimarrona] guard and the peasant [campesino] guard, among other organizations, at the National Park, a place where indigenous communities have spent the night for several weeks.”

Colombia Informa has also explained: “Various organizations of the Colombian social movement are carrying out a Humanitarian Caravan … to denounce and make visible the national crisis with respect to the systematic violation of human rights, the continuous murders of social leaders that constitute a political genocide in impunity.”

The National Agrarian Coordinator, one of the groups organizing the caravan, says: “Social movements say that, for us, declaring ourselves in Humanitarian Emergency is an autonomous political action through which we seek to draw the attention of national and international society to the harsh reality we live. We do not want the state violence of recent times to remain part of the political landscape in Colombia. But we want solutions that guarantee us to continue living in our territory in a dignified way.”

A representative of the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca (CRIC), another group organizing the caravan, says: “We are going to propose to the country and to all the social and popular organizations a route of humanitarian dialogues in the possibility of weaving a comprehensive peace proposal and preparing it to present it to the next government after August 7.”

We continue to follow this via social media.

PBI-Honduras accompanies LGBT Rainbow Association at Forum for Lesbian Visibility

By
Brent Patterson
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On April 27, PBI-Honduras tweeted:

“PBI accompanies the LGBT Rainbow Association of Honduras at the Forum for the Visibility of Equality, Respect, and Inclusion of Lesbian and Bisexual Women. Lesbian and bisexual women speak of “the importance of being recognized as people who can love.”

On Facebook, PBI-Honduras further notes: “They also call for the application of a comprehensive protocol in access to health. More than half of them only visit a medical care center if strictly necessary, for fear of being discriminated against.”

The Peace Brigades International-Honduras Project has accompanied Arcoíris, the LGTB Association of Honduras since July 2015.

PBI-Canada webinar on militarization of territory and CANSEC arms show, May 31

By
Brent Patterson
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PBI statement: “The dominant security discourse associated with the militarization of societies is a setback. Billions more spent on weapons will not make the world safer.”

The CANSEC arms fair will take place in Ottawa this coming June 1-2.

CANSEC is organized by the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI) to “showcase leading-edge technologies, products and services for land-based, naval, aerospace and joint forces military units.”

The exhibitors list this year includes:

– BAE Systems (the maker of the Eurofighter Typhoon warplane)

– Bell Textron Canada Limited (that has manufactured helicopters used by the Colombian and Mexican armed forces)

– General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (that makes the Light Armoured Vehicles implicated in human rights violations in Yemen)

– L3Harris Technologies (now bidding to sell armed drones to Canada)

– Lockheed Martin Canada (the world’s largest military contractor now in final negotiations with Canada to sell 88 of their F-35 stealth warplanes)

– Raytheon Canada Limited (the world’s largest producer of guided missiles that recently sold missiles to arm Canada’s current fleet of CF-18 fighter jets).

The Canadian Commercial Corporation is also listed as an exhibitor at this year’s CANSEC. This Crown Corporation facilitates exports, including weapons sales.

Ottawa Citizen reporter David Pugliese has reported: “The Ottawa-based CCC [Canadian Commercial Corporation], which helps Canadian exporters get contracts with foreign governments acknowledges  it conducts no follow-up to ensure exported Canadian-built equipment isn’t being used to abuse human rights.”

It is expected that 55 international delegations will be present in Ottawa for the CANSEC arms show this year.

The Canadian Commercial Corporation has previously highlighted that it has toured the exhibition floor at the CANSEC arms show in Ottawa with a delegation including representatives from Colombia and Mexico.

It is expected that Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand will be at the Official Opening Breakfast for CANSEC on Wednesday June 1 starting at 7 am.

PBI webinar, May 31

On Tuesday May 31, Peace Brigades International-Canada will be hosting an online forum on the arms industry and the militarization of territory.

Speakers will include Quetzalli Villanueva Vergara, a lawyer with the Human Rights Centre of the ‘Tlachinollan’ Mountain (accompanied by PBI-Mexico), Dene land defender Little Wolf (whose land is occupied by Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake), and Tkaronto-based World Beyond War organizer Rachel Small. A speaker from Colombia will be confirmed soon. It will be moderated by PBI-Canada Board member Seb Bonet.

Speakers: Quetzalli Villanueva Vergara, Rachel Small, Little Wolf, Seb Bonet.

Early registration for that webinar is now available here.

More information on this webinar and the mobilization in Ottawa by the Canada-Wide Peace and Justice Network coming soon.

In June 2017, the Canadian armoured vehicle manufacturer INKAS exhibited at CANSEC. In July 2021, the Colombian National Police used an INKAS Huron armoured carrier to stop delegations travelling to Cali for a National Strike popular assembly.

Mexican environmental defender Gustavo Castro, who was wounded alongside Lenca defender Berta Cáceres in Honduras in 2016, says: “One of the greatest threats of militarization is the repression of social movements and protest.”

PBI-Colombia accompanies Nomadesc on humanitarian caravan as communities declare an environmental emergency

By
Brent Patterson
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On April 26, PBI-Colombia tweeted:

“We accompany @Nomadesc in the #Humanitarian Caravan where communities and organizations declare an #Environmental Emergency and resist against territorial dispossession. [They say]: ‘The environmental crisis is part of a general crisis that we are experiencing in territories, which is also social and economic’”

This morning, Nomadesc also posted:

“Second day of the #Humanitarian Caravan. We start in Cajamarca with the popular and public pre-hearing about the environmental crisis.”

Yesterday, April 25, PBI-Colombia accompanied Nomadesc at a humanitarian caravan popular public hearing in the city of Tuluá, Valle del Cauca.

More on that at PBI-Colombia accompanies Nomadesc at popular public hearing as Humanitarian Caravan arrives in Tuluá, Valle del Cauca.

Overall, social leader Guido Rivera says: “[We are protesting] how they shattered the peace agreements, the community leaders are targets of that violence from sectors that do not want changes in the country, the figures of homicides of social representatives are alarming.”

He adds: “[In] Cajamarca … we will participate in an act of protest against the multinationals and then we arrive in Bogotá.”

We continue to follow this on social media.

PBI-Guatemala accompanies lawyers at hearing on Hogar Seguro fire that killed 41 young women

By
Brent Patterson
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On April 26, PBI-Guatemala posted: “PBI accompanies the lawyers of the Human Rights Law Firm in a hearing of the Hogar Seguro (Safe Home) Case. The accused PNC officer requests a change in her coercive measures.”

Forty-one young women, who were 14 to 17 years of age, died as a result of a fire at the state-run Hogar Seguro Virgen de la Asuncion shelter south-east of Guatemala City on March 8, 2017. Fifteen girls were also seriously injured in the fire.

By November 2017, The Guardian reported: “Initially, three people – the former minister of social welfare, his deputy and the director of the shelter – were charged with negligent homicide, abuse of power and mistreatment of minors. In June, three government officials and two police officers were also charged.”

EFE has also reported: “At least eight people including police officers and authorities have been charged with the deaths of minors.”

And CNN has reported that five are accused of breach of duties, wrongful death, mistreatment of minors and wrongful injuries.

One of those is Lucinda Marroquín, the former deputy inspector of the National Civil Police, is accused of not opening the locked room for 9 minutes after the fire started.

That CNN article adds that Santos Torres, the former director of Hogar Seguro, also faces five criminal charges, including abuse and homicide.

Tweet from today:

#CasoHogarSeguro The deputy inspector of the PNC Lucinda Marroquín, who according to @MPguatemala [Public Ministry] took 9 minutes to open the door of the burned classroom in #HogarSeguro of #Guatemala where 41 girls died, will try to be released today. She has been in preventive detention since 2017.”

Conditions at the shelter

Al Jazeera has reported: “Some of the victims of the March 8, 2017 fire in the Hogar Seguro Virgen de la Asuncion shelter had run away from home, fleeing abuse and sexual assault by relatives. But many faced more of the same inside the shelter.”

That article adds: “For years, girls reported being raped and forced into prostitution inside the state-run facility, but their protests were ignored.”

The Guardian has further noted: “More than 700 children lived at the home, which had capacity for 400-500.”

Accompaniment

PBI-Guatemala has accompanied Human Rights Law Firm lawyer Edgar Pérez since August 2010 and then extended that accompaniment to the other lawyers at the firm in 2013.

PBI-Colombia accompanies Nomadesc at popular public hearing as Humanitarian Caravan arrives in Tuluá, Valle Del Cauca

By
Brent Patterson
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On April 25, PBI-Colombia tweeted:

“Communities declare themselves in #Humanitarian Emergency in the face of violations #human rights and non-compliance with Peace Agreements and carry out #Humanitarian Caravan from April 23 to 28 in different territories of Colombia. Today 25A we accompany @Nomadesc in [the city of] #Tuluá #Valle Del Cauca #Popular Public Hearing.”

We will continue to follow social media reports of the caravan this week.

PBI-Honduras observes ‘Escazú: Now more than ever!’ forum organized by the Honduras Network for Escazú on Earth Day

By
Brent Patterson
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On April 25, PBI-Honduras tweeted: “A few days ago, PBI observed the Forum ‘Escazú: Now more than ever!’, of the Honduras Network for Escazú. We highlight the defense work of all the people in Honduras who advocate for the importance of protecting the environment, the land and the territory.”

The video of the forum can be watched here.

The Escazú Agreement entered into force on Earth Day, April 22, 2021.

To date, 24 countries have signed the Escazú Agreement, 12 of which have also ratified it: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Uruguay.

In September 2018, Peace Brigades International endorsed the Escazú Agreement as “a means to guarantee a safe environment in which individuals, groups and organizations that promote and defend human rights related to the environment can act without facing threats, restrictions, attacks or danger.”

Significantly, the Escazú Agreement is the first legally binding treaty to include specific provisions to protect environmental defenders.

Article 9 includes the obligation for States to: “guarantee a safe and enabling environment for persons, groups and organizations that promote and defend human rights in environmental matters, so that they are able to act free from threat, restriction and insecurity.”

Article 9 also mandates States to: “prevent, investigate and punish attacks, threats or intimidations that human rights defenders in environmental matters may suffer while exercising the rights set out in the present Agreement.”

Canada and Escazú

On March 5, 2021, Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor presented to the UN Human Rights Council on the threats against and killings of human rights defenders.

During that session, Canada’s Ambassador to the UN Leslie E. Norton stated: “Some states have established specific protection mechanisms to prevent risks and attacks against HRDs and to intervene when need be. Canada wants to stress these important milestones such as the Escazu Regional Agreement in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

Subsequently, on May 5, 2021, Paraguay received 210 recommendations during its Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations including this one from Canada:

“Ratify the Escazú Agreement and ensure appropriate resources are in place to enforce it domestically in order to better protect environmental defenders, including Indigenous peoples, rural leaders and journalists.”

While Canada did call on Paraguay to back Escazu, it did not join with the Ambassadors from Germany, Sweden and Norway when they urged Colombia to ratify the agreement in June 2021 in an El Tiempo opinion piece.

We continue to follow the situation in Honduras.

PBI-Guatemala accompanies Retalhuleu water defenders criminalized by sugar mills at court hearing

By
Brent Patterson
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On April 25, PBI-Guatemala posted:

“PBI accompanies the members of the Council of Communities of Retalhuleu in an intermediate stage hearing. This criminalization process for defending access to water began more than 4 years ago and has seen 14 suspensions of hearings in progress. Sugar mills monopolize water through the extraction and diversion of rivers to irrigate their monocultures, leaving the surrounding communities without water.”

Sugarcane production uses large amounts of water. To get that water, sugar mills divert rivers and drill wells. This impacts the availability of water for local communities. The production methods can also result in the pollution of water.

Organizing against this has resulted in the criminalization of these water protectors.

Notably, Canada is the largest importer of Guatemalan sugar. That sugar arrives in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal and is found in food and beverage products.

Recent PBI webinar

On March 13, Abelino Salvador Mejía Cancino from the Council of Communities of Retalhuleu (CCR) joined a Peace Brigades International-Canada organized webinar on Defending the right to water from harm by the sugar industry in Guatemala.

The webinar was hosted by PBI-Canada Board member Marianna Tzabiras and also featured Kerstin Reemtsma from PBI-Guatemala.

You can watch the Facebook video of that webinar (mostly in Spanish) by clicking here.

To hear the audio for Abelino’s introductory comments in English (a 14-minute audio file from the Zoom webinar), please click below.

VIDEO of PBI-Canada webinar with PBI-Mexico accompanied CONTEC director Diana Villalobos Diaz

By
Brent Patterson
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You can watch the 1-hour video here.

On April 24, PBI-Canada hosted a webinar with Diana Villalobos Diaz, the director of PBI-Mexico accompanied Community Technical Consulting (CONTEC).

The webinar began with PBI-Mexico advocacy coordinator Manuel Jabonero speaking about the role of PBI in Mexico and its accompaniment of CONTEC.

Diana talked about a range of issues, including the impacts of tourism, internal displacement, megaprojects (including the TC Energy Encino-Topolobampo gas pipeline and a regional airport), criminal organizations, logging and more.

Thank you to PBI-Canada Board member Ailish Morgan-Welden who moderated the webinar.

To watch the video of the webinar, click here. (While the live webinar had simultaneous Spanish-English translation, most of the video is in Spanish.)

Today! Webinar with PBI-Mexico

By
Brent Patterson
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Today at 2:30 pm EDT!

What does the struggle for ancestral territory look like in northwestern Mexico?

Join us to hear PBI-Mexico accompanied Community Technical Consultancy, A.C. (CONTEC) director and lawyer Diana Villalobos Diaz speak about the struggles of Indigenous communities in the Sierra Tarahumara mountains against logging, megaprojects, tourism and displacement.

Simultaneous translation in English and Spanish.

You can register by clicking here.

Brent

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