Inspiring leadership among rural and indigenous women
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XFollowed Curvaradó, Colombia On 5 March Yomaira Mendoza was reportedly followed as she travelled from the regionof Curvaradó River Basin to Bogotá, the capital.
XWHRD insulted Piura, Peru - North On the 22nd February, Rosa Ibanez was insulted and ridiculed for being part of AMUPPA when she was returning to her home.
XBarro Blanco attempting to forcibily evict indigenous families Barro Blanco, Panama 'Despite a domestic lawsuit challenging the Barro Blanco project approval, on February 7, 2014, Panama’s National Public Services Authority (ASEP) notified Mr. Manolo Miranda and his family that the authorities will enter his land at 10:00 AM on February 17, 2014 to enable access for the company Generadora del Istmo (GENISA). Approximately 50 people in his family live on that land. In addition to their houses, the plants and trees that support the bulk of the indigenous communities’ diet are located there, and will be flooded by the dam. Also on this land is the central school for Ngöbe culture, language, and religion. The February 7th notice to Mr. Miranda identified six additional affected families, or approximately 270 people based on community estimates.
Although ASEP annulled the February 7th decision, the communities were not informed of that decision until the day after the evictions were expected to occur, and the affected communities remain fearful that evictions could happen at any time.'
XForced Eviction Cajamarca, Peru - North On February 13th 2014, members of the National Directorate of Special Operations (Dinoes) violently entered the home of Teodosia, looking for the president of the Ronda Campesina who is her husband. He was accused of allegedly stealing a truck of the Yanacocha Mining Company. Teodosia was attacked and dragged by her hair.
Teodosia reported the attack to the Attorney of Celendin. The Prosecutor, instead of investigating this fact, however, opened a criminal investigation against her the alleged theft of the van.
XWoman Human Right Defender threatened Cajamarca, Peru - North On the 4th February, 4 DINOES trucks were parked outside of Maxima's home. The officers were all armed they entered her land and told her that it is't her land to cultivate. They laughed at her and insulted her.
XPolice enter Human Right Defenders land and threaten her Cajamarca, Peru - North On the 30th January, at 12pm Police once again entered Maxima's land. one-armed DINOES and one police officer entered MaÌxima’s home and told everyone to leave immediately and to stop cultivating the land. Only MaÌxima rang the local radio station to denounce their actions the officers left.
XPolice enter Human Right Defenders land and threaten her Cajamarca, Peru - North On the 30th January, one hour after receiving a death threat, Maxima was farming with her daughter when two DINOES entered her land and told her to stop working the land as it is not theirs. Two further DINOES were standing on the side of her land and a further four remained in pick up trucks parked in front of her home
XWoman Human Right Defender Berta Caceres temporarly detained by members of the criminal investigation unit Rio Blanco, Honduras On 26 January 2014, Berta Cáceres was detained by members of the criminal investigation unit, who showed her an order for her capture and informed her that the authorities had not communicated any counter-order to them. According to sources, only her knowledge of her rights and the law lead to her release an hour later.
XWoman Human Right Defender threatened Cajamarca, Peru - North On the 26th January when Maxima was in the town square she was surrounded by her neighbour and neighbours daughters. They claimed that Maxima and her husband had mistreated her animal. Her neighbour then started calling Maxima names and said that Maxima doesn't know who she is dealing with. She warned Maxima not to talk to anybody about mining. Following this Maxima hear her neighbours husband telling community members that Maxima will soon be evicted. The neighbours husband is the President of Maxima's community, Tragadero Grando and is a known supporter of the mine.
XPolice evict family from their land Cajamarca, Peru - North On the 18th January a family were evicted from their land. DINOES entered their land and stated that it belonged to Yanacocha mine, the family fled, the family believe that the Uncle could have possibly sound their land without informing them. The family were left homeless.
XWoman Human Right Defender Followed Trujillo, Honduras In the second week of January, woman human right defener Yolanda Oqueli was leaving a hearing when a taxi began to follow her. It followed her for a good amount of time and only stopped when Yolanda drove into a shopping centre.
XPolice and an Engineer enter Maxima Chaupe's land Cajamarca, Peru - North On the 13th January DINOES and an engineer from the mine entered Maxima's land and began inspecting the land and the area that Maxima has planted her crops.
XPolice intimidate Woman Human Right Defender Cajamarca, Peru - North On the 12th of January, Maxima Chaupe was farming her land when DINOES told her that she should leave her land as it belongs to Yanacocha mining company.
XMilitary surround the home of Woman Human Right Defender Trujillo, Honduras On the 30th December military personnell surrounded the parents home of Yolanda Oqueli, where she is currently living.
XAttack on women ronderas Ajuterique, Honduras At 2.30pm on the 4th December, a group of approximately 8 false ronderos lead by Leopoldo Quispe spoke on Radio El Eden against fellow ronderos, accusing the district of El Porvenir of “selling themselves, for every complaint they receive, they charge.â€
On hearing this, a group of 6 ronderas (women ronderos) went to the radio in order to await the end of the radio program and ask for explanations. In this moment, the police arrived and formed a security line so that the false ronderos could leave the radio.
The director of Radio Eden was also inside. We recall that the owner of the radio, Colonel Briones is a candidate for mayor of Celendin, running with the party “Celendin Rebornâ€.
A struggle began, when the false ronderos, the director and Quispe hurled insults at the ronderas. An 82 year old rondera was assaulted and nearly thrown down on the floor. At this time a false rondero whipped out his belt and hit the Chairperson of the female Rondas, Loida.
The ronderas went to the attorny´s office in order to denounce such a cowardly attack.
XFamily who attempted to defend their land from mining machinery, badly beaten by Police Espinar, Ecuador 'On Tuesday, 5th November 2013, over 100 DINOES alongside mine workers from Glencore-Xstrata entered the Quehue families land without prior warning. Reynaldo Taco Quehue and Ambrosia Huaso were arrested and taken to a Police station in Espinar for questioning. Injuries were reported among the family who alledged that they had been beaten by the Police. Reynaldo Taco Quehue suffered injuries to his ribs, Diomedes Quehe sustained blows to different parts of the body, Agusto Quehe suffered blows to the ribs, Felicitas Quehue Colque, Epifania Tantani Pino, Teodora Quehue Colque, Ambrosia Huaso, Sheyla Taco Quehue all suffered blows to different parts of their body. Mayda Luz Quispe Taco aged two years old suffered a bruise to her chest whilst Romina Quehue also two years old suffered a hit to the head and Reyner Quehue aged three years old suffered blows to different parts of the body.
Police also fired shots into the air, whilst damage to the property was caused by the heavy machinery of the mining company including crop damage, destruction of water springs and the destruction of grasslands.
The following day a representative of the Public ministry examined the damage to the property and ordered the temporary suspension of the activities of the mining company on the land of the Quehue family whilst an investigation is carried out.'
XWHRD injured in protest Piura, Peru - North In November 2013, Reyna Peña was injured by police and workers of the mining company during a protest that was occurring against the mine in Huancabamba
XArmed Police violently raid and threaten the Tejera indigenous community Rio Blanco, Honduras On 1 November 2013, armed police -some hooded- entered the Tejera indigenous community in Rio Blanco. Most community members were at the cemetary burying the daughter of an elders council member. They forced open doors of homes of Francisco Sanchez Garcia, Marcelino Gonzalez, Ceferina Sanchez Garcia and Irene Gonzalez Gutierrez, in search for the indigenous council president, threatened to shoot at children and the elderly. They showed no order of invasion but announced that they have an order to kill, and warned that a Tegucigalpa contingent will come and carry out a massacre in the community if they didn't stop with their oppossition to the Dam.
XThreatening messages against WHRD Totonicap�, Guatemala On the 26 October 2013, the family of Jovita Tzul Tzul received phone calls stating that their daughter had been murdered and her body would be arrivig shortly. Further calls were made to family and friends reporting the same news.
XIntimidation and death threats targeting human rights defenders Nari�, Colombia On 17 October 2013, at 7pm, a member of MOVICE reported seeing a blue van, with tinted windows and without licence plates, outside their office. At approximately 7:30pm that day, Diana Montilla was approached by a group of youths in the car park behind the Nariño chapter headquarters. After saying, “It's her,†they left the scene, getting into a van of the same description as above.
XViolence against Indigenous Protesters by Anti Riot Police Buenaventura, Colombia On 16 October Indigenous demonstrators occupied part of the road which leads to Buenaventura Municipality, Valle del Cauca Department. Anti-riot police units (Escuadrón Móvil Antidisturbios, ESMAD) then initiated an operation to remove demonstrators from the road. According to information received, the security forces fired tear gas canisters filled with shrapnel directly at demonstrators and beat demonstrators. Sixteen demonstrators have been seriously wounded and in total over 60 have been injured. According to information received, security forces prevented injured demonstrators from being taken to medical centres in Buenaventura and Dagua Municipalities for several hours.
XForced eviction of Comunidad Campesina de Pitalito Campesina de Pitalito, Colombia 'On 25 October 2013, at approximately 9:00am, a vehicle arrived in the Pitalito community carrying the Police Inspector, a municipal official, a legal advisor from Chimichagua, the provincial attorney of the Banco Magdelena, an official from the Colombian Institute for Family Wellbeing and a lawyer for local landowner Juan Manuel Fernández. Under Decree 747 (1992) a judge had ordered an inspection of the site. The inspection did not take place until further vehicles had arrived bringing members of the Cesar police force and members of the Escuadrón Móvil Anti-disturbios – ESMAD (Mobile Anti-Disturbances Squadron – a unit of the Colombian National Police Riot Control that is under the command of the Colombian National Police). The police immediately surrounded the site and members of ESMAD began filming and photographing the community. The site inspection began at approximately 9:20am and finished at 2:50pm and resulted in the forced eviction of the community members, as persons in civilian clothing dismantled the homes and destroyed property and crops belonging to the 21 families.
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XDeath threats issued to community leaders Buenaventura, Colombia 'Thousands of Indigenous people in Colombia have been demonstrating for respect of their human rights since 12 October. Indigenous leaders and organizations have been threatened by a paramilitary group.
Los Rastrojos paramilitary group issued a written death threat to Indigenous activists and organizations dated 15 October. The paramilitaries demanded that Indigenous demonstrators marching in Cauca, Caldas, Risaralda, La Guajira, Huila and Antioquia Departments return to their communities within 24 hours otherwise they would carry out “social cleansing†(limpieza social) killings against them. The death threat suggested the marches were part of a strategy by the guerrillas to push their demands and use Indigenous people as “cannon fodder†(carne de cañon).
XAMUPPA member assaulted by journalist Piura, Peru - North A member of AMUPPA was assaulted by pro-mine journalist Duber Maureola in the main square of Huancabamba. Police refused to intervene or arrest the aggressor as both the Police and Duber receive support from Zjin mining consortium. Following the assault the AMUPPA member was refused medical assistance as the medical facility is financed by the mining company.
XHuman Right Defender was abducted by unidentified men at gun point Santa Cruz Barillas, Guatemala 'In the morning of 28 September 2013, Maynor Lopez was arbitrarily detained by unidentified persons. He was held at gun point, and taken into a van, which villagers say they recognized as one of the hydro company vehicles, and subsequently transferred into a helicopter that took him to Guatemala City. There he was reportedly arrested and detained by the national police. Human rights organizations claim that the arrest was conducted without a warrant and the existence of signs of torture in detention has been reported. '
XFifteen protesters injured in land struggle Aguachica, Colombia Communities in Souther Bolivar and Cesar mobilised outside the town of Aguachica Cesar for 26 days. After two failed attempts, where officials did not enter dialogue with the communities, they blocked the road from Aguachica to the Atlantic Coast.
The response from the security force, was repression. In Aguachica a curfew was announced. Fifteen people were injured, among them were those affected by bullets and two were seriously injured. Those injured included:
Harol Pena- Shot in the left leg Julio Manuel- Fractured skull Martin Medina- Fractured nose Neider Raul Pavon- Injury to the front of the head Ruben Beltran- Abdominal trauma Darwin Alfonso Villadiego- Fractured skull Yinis Torres Rangel- Bruised Chest Julio Rafael- Chest wounds
XShots fired into Campsite Cajamarca, Peru - North On 24 September 2013, 500 villagers went to the Mamacocha camp of the Guardians of the Lagoons to examine damage caused four days previously. At 11:30pm at night a group of 10 armed people fired into the camp. The police were standing nearby did not intervene.
XDestruction of camp of the Guardians of the Lagunas Cajamarca, Peru - North On Friday 20 September 2013, workers and security guards of the Yanacocha mining company entered and violently destroyed the camps of the Guardians of the Lagoons. They stole food, pots, blankets and burned straw mattresses.
XFour anti-mining leaders arrested and one hospitalised. Cajamarca, Peru - North On Friday 30 August 2013, four anti-mining leaders were arrested after a two day road block of the Cajarmarca-Bambamarca road against the mining in the region. The leaders were within the passive demonstration when they were arrested. Giovanna Jesús Medina Saldaña was taken to the Regional Hospital, Cajarmarca, suffering from a haemorrhage of the Vagina, a result of a strike from a Police baton.
XWomen Human Right Defender recieves death threats Almaguer, Colombia Adelinda Gómez Gaviria received death threats via the telephone from an unknown person. The telephone call warned her to “Stop messing around with this miners' thing. It's risky and it'll get you killed.â€
XThree Human Right Defenders Murdered. Locomapa, Honduras Around 5:30pm on Sunday afternoon on August 25th 2013, MarÃa Enriqueta Matute (71 years) alongside brothers Ricardo Soto Fúnez (40 years), and Armando Fúnez Medina, (46 years) were murdered. They were alongside 150 other Tolupanes that had been blocking a road for the last ten days to demand a halt to illegal mining, forest clearing and the construction of a hydroeletric dam. Two men known locally as 'Los Matute' arrived by motorcycle. Local witnesses stated that the two men were under contract by miners illegally extracting mineral antimony from the land of the indigenous Tolupan people. They immediately opened fire. The two brothers died in the entryway to Maria Enriqueta Matutue's house. She was then shot as she exited.
XFamilies forced to flee from armed men El Zapote, Honduras On the 3rd Agust two families were forced to flee the community of La Nueva Esperanza for their own safety, after they received threatening visits by the armed men of the company that wants their land for its operations.
XShots fired by mine personnel Ayabaca, Peru - South At around 4pm on Friday 26th July the community of Yanta were conducting a community meeting when personnel from the Rio Blanco mining company fired shots as a way to intimidate those attending the meeting
XFive injured as villagers clash with Police and armed personnel of mining company Trinity La Libertad, Peru - South 'At least five villagers in the town of Chota, in the province of Otuzco, Department of La Libertad, were injured in a clash with members of the national police and armed personnel of the mining company Trinity. The large group was moving the company premises to inspect the activities in the hill Caupar. When you reach the area where it operates Trinity Peru SAC, the hundreds of villagers were repelled with tear gas, firing rockets and deterrents made by members of the national police and armed company employees wearing balaclavas. Given the violent police repression, the people responded with stones and sticks. The clash left a total of five villagers wounded were taken to Chota Health Center, where he recovered. The injured were Miguel Reyes Rosas, Silvia Visitation Basil, Danny Gonzales, Olver Villegas Ibáñez and unidentified patrolman.'
XTwo armed men entered communities and threatened families who refused to sell their land El Zapote, Honduras At 5.30 pm on Saturday 20 July, two armed men with Mr. Wilfredo Fúnez, an employee of the mining company owner Lenir Perez, visited the communities of El Zapote and La Nueva Esperanza to threaten families who are refusing to sell their land to the mining company. We have also been informed that families have had to abandon their homes and take refuge in the countryside or in the homes of neighbours, for fear of the constant phone calls being made by the outsiders who have come to the community, and of the dozen armed men, who have kept the community in a virtual state of siege for over a month.
XActivist shot and killed by army,and his son wounded Rio Blanco, Honduras The army opened fire on a pacfic protest, killing one person and wounding his son.
XPolice attack demonstrators Sincelejo, Colombia On 6th July 2013 Police officers attacked a dozen patrolmen and ronderos outside the headquartes of the Municipality of Cortegana, Cajarmarca. The injured were as a result of Police blows and tear gas. A Rondero leader was knocked unconsiouss by the severity of hte blow that he received. Others were injured by Police blows and tear gas and several women were reportedly dragged by Police.
XBrazilian hydroelectric company carries out its public talk by force Cajamarca, Peru - North Ronderos (local patrolmen) of Cortegana, Cajamarca district reported malpractice by the company AC Energy HS in the conduct of the third and final workshop in which they are presenting information on their hydropower project Chadin 2, which occurred on Tuesday, April 30. The event held at a local Cortegana District Municipality, began at 9:00 pm with the presence of a strong police contingent of approximately 40 armed troops – who from the beginning were responsible for 'maintaining order' among attendees and prevented the entry of rondero leaders, including Walter Castaneda of the Regional Federation of the Rural Ronda of Cajamarca
Also, as explained Milton Sanchez, head of the Inter-CelendÃn Platform (ICP) (Plataforma Interinstitucional de CelendÃn (PIC)), the police prevented the entry of residents of the area, who, in response to being prevented from participating in the event, began to protest to demand entry of their leaders to the workshop and the placement of speakers in the outer zone of the room to listen to the information that the company offered. 'They formed a cordon outside the building where the workshop was taking to prevent our entry. At one point the police started to repress the population, but with the arrival of a prosecutor in the area, they proceeded to sign a document in which they agreed to allow only the entrance of some leaders,' said Sanchez.
XPolice Officers attack ronderos and patrolmen. Cajamarca, Peru - North 'On the 6th July a Public Hearing was held to approve Chadin II hydroelectric project by Brazillian company Odebrecht. Ronderos tried to attend but Police prevented their entry into the meeting. The Police then proceeded to confront those outside, using excessive force that left nine people injured, including a five year old girl.
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XOne the main leaders opposing Conga project arrested by 12 police in square on first day of state of emergency Cajamarca, Peru - North The Land and Freedom leader and one of the main opponents of the Conga project leaders, Marco Arana, was arrested by a group of at least twelve policemen in the square of Cajamarca on the first day of the state of emergency in three provinces region. As known, the leader was captured to be holding demonstrations when freedom of assembly and movement is restricted.
Even after his arrest, the suspended priest said what happened through his Twitter account. ''They arrested me, beat me a lot, inside the station I was beaten again, punched in the face, kidneys, insults,'' he said.
As reported by the contributor of Trade, Axel Cabanillas, the incident occurred after Arana gave a brief press conference in the square. Following this activity, the priest sat on a bench in the square next to other people and that's when the agents involved. He resisted.
XDefamatory article against human rights organisation CALAS published in four national newspapers Guatemala City, Guatemala On 1 July and 30 June 2013, a four-page full-colour article was issued by the Fundación Contra el Terrorismo-FCT (Foundation Against Terrorism) in four national newspapers, in which human rights organisation Centro de Acción Legal, Ambiental y Social de Guatemala – CALAS (Legal, Environmental and Social Action Centre of Guatemala) and two of its leaders, Dr Yuri Giovanni Melini Salguero and Mr Pedro Rafael Maldonado Flores were defamed and denigrated.
XPriest receives death threats for opposition to mining Arequipa, Peru - South 'If you come to the mines with machete're going to bite you and nuns', is one of many messages that the priest of the Catholic Church in the municipality of Arizona, Atlantis, Cesar Espinoza, received on his cell phone._x000d_ _x000d_ _x000d_ The priests of the different parishes of Atlantis sympathized with the father Caesar._x000d_ The priest from Guatemala, leads with residents of New Hope communities and Florida a movement that opposes mining because they are affected by the natural environment._x000d_ _x000d_ The complaint was made by a press conference developed in the bishopric of the diocese of the city, where they came from different parishes priests of Atlantis, led by Archbishop Miguel Leninhan, bishop of the Diocese of La Ceiba.
All the events related to human rights in those areas of Latin America where we have contacts are recorded here, with emphasis on women, mining and indigenous peoples.
Hover the cursor over the incident to view more detail; or click on the Lambda symbol to open a corresponding web article.
Description
Link
Surveillance (Curvaradó, Colombia; 5:3:2014)
Followed
Verbal abuse (Piura, Peru - North; 22:2:2014)
WHRD insulted
Eviction (Barro Blanco, Panama; 17:2:2014)
Barro Blanco attempting to forcibily evict indigenous families
Assault (Cajamarca, Peru - North; 13:2:2014)
Forced Eviction
Intimidation (Cajamarca, Peru - North; 4:2:2014)
Woman Human Right Defender threatened
Intimidation (Cajamarca, Peru - North; 30:1:2014)
Police enter Human Right Defenders land and threaten her
Intimidation (Cajamarca, Peru - North; 30:1:2014)
Police enter Human Right Defenders land and threaten her
Detention (Rio Blanco, Honduras; 26:1:2014)
Woman Human Right Defender Berta Caceres temporarly detained by members of the criminal investigation unit
Intimidation (Cajamarca, Peru - North; 26:1:2014)
Woman Human Right Defender threatened
Eviction (Cajamarca, Peru - North; 18:1:2014)
Police evict family from their land
Surveillance (Trujillo, Honduras; 14:1:2014)
Woman Human Right Defender Followed
Intimidation (Cajamarca, Peru - North; 13:1:2014)
Police and an Engineer enter Maxima Chaupe's land
Intimidation (Cajamarca, Peru - North; 12:1:2014)
Police intimidate Woman Human Right Defender
Intimidation (Trujillo, Honduras; 30:12:2013)
Military surround the home of Woman Human Right Defender
Detention (Oaxaca, Mexico; 5:12:2013)
Anti mining activist and husband detained and their whereabouts unknown.
Assault (Ajuterique, Honduras; 4:12:2013)
Attack on women ronderas
Other (Trujillo, Honduras; 14:11:2013)
Persecution of community leaders
Serious assault (Espinar, Ecuador; 5:11:2013)
Family who attempted to defend their land from mining machinery, badly beaten by Police
Assault (Piura, Peru - North; 5:11:2013)
WHRD injured in protest
Assault (Rio Blanco, Honduras; 1:11:2013)
Armed Police violently raid and threaten the Tejera indigenous community
Murder (Bruss Laguna, Honduras; 30:10:2013)
Army kill human right defender and threaten his wife
Specific threat (Totonicap�, Guatemala; 26:10:2013)
Threatening messages against WHRD
Surveillance (Nari�, Colombia; 17:10:2013)
Intimidation and death threats targeting human rights defenders
Assault (Buenaventura, Colombia; 16:10:2013)
Violence against Indigenous Protesters by Anti Riot Police
Eviction (Campesina de Pitalito, Colombia; 13:10:2013)
Forced eviction of Comunidad Campesina de Pitalito
