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Afro-Descendant & Indigenous: News & Updates

News Article
In Defense of Ancestral Lands: Afro-Colombian Women Resist US Militarization and the War on Drugs
September 22, 2019

Nidiria Ruiz Medina defends collective territorial rights and identity through a gender approach. Despite the risks that this victimized population confronts—resisting a complex reality of conflict, exclusion, marginalization and historical state abandonment—Nidiria believes the Colombian Peace Agreement has helped reaffirm the rootedness of the land and spurred dreams of hope.

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News Article
The Companies Behind the Burning of the Amazon
September 3, 2019
The incentive for the destruction comes from large-scale international meat and soy animal feed companies like JBS and Cargill, and the global brands like Stop & Shop, Costco, McDonald’s, Walmart/Asda, and Sysco that buy from them and sell to the public. It is these companies that are creating the international demand that finances the fires and deforestation.
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RRN Case Update
RRN Case Update: RRN 2019 - urgent human rights cases
August 22, 2019
RRN case summaries at a glance
On behalf of our 190 Rapid Response Network members, IRTF volunteers write and send six letters each month to government officials in southern Mexico, Colombia, and Central America (with copies to officials in the US). Who is being targeted? indigenous and Afro-descendant leaders, labor organizers, LGBTI rights defenders, women’s rights defenders, journalists, environmental defenders, and others. By signing our names to these crucial letters, human rights crimes are brought to light, perpetrators are brought to justice and lives are spared. Our solidarity is more important than ever. Together, our voices do make a difference.
PDF icon 2019_08_rrn_letters_summary_generic.pdf
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RRN Letter
RRN Letter: Colombia - 08/16/19
August 16, 2019
On July 6 unknown men broke into the home Danelly Estupiñan, a human rights defender with Black Community Process (PCN) in Buenaventura, Valle de Cauca Department. Human rights organizations have reported that unknown persons made a payment to kill her.
PDF icon 2019_08_16_ua91update_colombia_letter.pdf
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RRN Letter
RRN Letter: Honduras 08/14/2019
August 14, 2019
recent death threats to COPINH finance coordinator Rosalina Domínguez, her family, and other members of the indigenous Lenca community at Río Blanco in Intíbuca Department. Seven individuals, one of whom was armed, intercepted Domínguez’s path and called her “a witch like Berta,” i.e., Berta Cáceres, the indigenous and environmental defender who was assassinated in 2016. This reference implied intention to cause physical harm to Rosalina Domínguez.
PDF icon 2019_08_14_ua64update_honduras_letter.pdf
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RRN Letter
RRN Letter: Guatemala 08/13/2019
August 13, 2019
Quelvin Jiménez, lawyer for the Xinca indigenous people in San Rafael las Flores in Santa Rosa Department, continues to be under threat.
PDF icon 2019_08_13_ua63update_guatemala_letter.pdf
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RRN Letter
RRN Letter: Colombia 08/02/2019
August 2, 2019
paramilitary violence being waged in the port city of Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca Department. We are concerned that local security forces are complicit in allowing paramilitaries to take control over several districts of Buenaventura. The ongoing violence in Buenaventura is a clear example of how impunity for paramilitary actors threatens the true possibility of peace.
PDF icon 2019_08_02_wfp_colombia_letter.pdf
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News Article
Submission by Human Rights Watch to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women on Colombia
July 17, 2019

This submission focuses on the topics of sexual violence, women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights, and the protection of students, teachers, and schools during time of armed conflict.

Sexual Violence Against Women and Girls (article 14)

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RRN Letter
RRN Letter: Honduras 7/16/2019
July 16, 2019
destruction of crops that occurred on July 15 at the sites of La Vege del Culatón and El Achotal in the Río Blanco community in Intibucá Department. The Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) announced that during the night members of the Madrid family, associates of the Atala Zablah family, destroyed with machetes more than 15 manzanas of the Lenca indigenous community's corn harvest. At least 25 families have lost their principal food and main livelihood.
PDF icon 2019_07_15_comitecerezo_mexico_letter.pdf
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News Article
Almost 1000 of Colombia’s human rights defenders and community leaders threatened with death
July 5, 2019
Ombudsman Carlos Negret said Wednesday that 983 social leaders have received personal threats and said it is “necessary to believe what the pamphlets say, they may not be ignored.” Ombudsman Carlos Negret said Wednesday that 983 social leaders have received personal threats and said it is “necessary to believe what the pamphlets say, they may not be ignored.” Since last year’s congressional elections in March, 481 human rights defenders were the victim of some kind of aggression, the vast majority through death threats. Twenty of them were assassinated and 13 survived assassination attempts.
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