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By Emily Schmitz, Charlotte Melly, Elisabeth Rohrmoser and Gina Spigarelli
The rural farming community of La Esperanza, remotely scattered through dense jungle, lies three hours walking from the nearest town in one direction, and one hour in the other. The cluster of rural farmsteads has no electricity or running water and the river passing through the valley serves as a source for bathing, drinking and washing. Now it faces increasing paramilitary threats. Express your concern to the U.S. Ambassador to Colombia. Continue reading.
 By Susana Pimiento
The Mission found that, despite the promises of respect for Colombian human rights defenders, the overall security situation has worsened over the past two years, and Colombia continues to be one of the most dangerous countries in the world for human rights defenders. Murders of defenders increased – 255 attacks in the period July 2010 – May 2011 (a 126% increase ), including 54 assassinations. Furthermore, there is a strategy of denial so that everyone believes that the conflict and its victims never took place, in a fashion similar to what preceded the Holocaust. Military attorneys are now filing measures to reconsider rulings on other massacres, some for which the Inter-American Human Rights Court has found the Colombian State responsible. Continue reading.
By Alejo Vargas Velásquez, Professor, National University
The armed conflict in Colombia has in recent days been on the national agenda. This is not only because of new killings that had a deep impact – the murder of four members of the armed forces by the FARC guerrillas – but also because of citizen reactions and several statements by President Santos and the guerrilla groups. Continue reading.
By Laura Carlsen, Americas Program
Mexican human rights defenders have been under attack over the past weeks. The murders of Nepomuceno Moreno of the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity, whose son was forcibly disappeared apparently by government security forces in Sonora; and Trinidad de la Cruz, leader of the autonomous, indigenous community of Santa Maria Ostula, Michoacan; and the shooting of Norma Andrade, leader in the movement to bring justice to the victims of femicides and the disappearance of young women in Ciudad Juarez, sent shock waves through the human rights community. Continue reading.
A human rights counteroffensive in Colombia
By Adam Isacson, Washington Office on Latin America
The Colombian government is backing legislation that, if approved, would curtail military accountability for human rights abuses. If these provisions had been promoted by the 2002-2010 government of hardliner Álvaro Uribe, there would have been a firestorm of justifiable criticism. But so far, President Juan Manuel Santos’s government’s human rights counteroffensive has received little attention. Continue reading.
By John Lindsay-Poland
The U.S.military approach to undocumented immigrants along the Mexico border has moved south - to a new military academy in Panama. The new school, which Panama announced in early December, will bring together U.S. and Colombian trainers to “combat undocumented people” at an unnamed site in Panama, according to an account of Panama Security Minister José Raúl Mulino’s announcement on December 6. Continue reading.
Militarism Watch Webinar: Where Are the Women?
We continue our series to strengthen research skills with "Where Are the Women? Feminist Research of U.S. Militarism," a presentation and discussion with researcher and teacher Cynthia Enloe, author of 12 books on women's politics and the international arena. Joined by Gwyn Kirk of Women for Genuine Security, and hosted by John Lindsay-Poland. No fee, but registration is required. Thursday, January 26, 3 pm Eastern. Register here.
News Brief
Former Army commander General Mario Montoya was called to testify December 19 in response to charges by a paramilitary capo that he collaborated in joint operations in Medellín. Montoya faces ten accusations, including that he authorized the joint Army-paramilitary operation that killed eight people in San José de Apartadó in 2005. |
Peace in Colombia: Between Expectations and Uncertainties
Mexico: Spate of Attacks on Human Rights Activists
New U.S.-Colombia Base in Panama to "Combat Undocumented" People
