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XThreat to WHRD Colima, Mexico Viridiana Guzman Theodore was verbally attacked by Paula Alonso Lomelà who threatened to arrest her if she kept at it.
XVerbal assault against member of Bios Iguana Colima, Mexico Martha Laureano Aranda was verbally attacked by Mariana Cardenas, who stated 'f he was still helping to get the comissioner (the police inspector) removed, that is what was going to happen to him.'
XVerbal assault Colima, Mexico Juana Martinez Quirino was verbally attacked by Rosa Olivares Aranda.
XWHRD Assaulted Colima, Mexico Blas Carly Gallo Quirino was attacked by Antonia LomelÃn Quirino who threatened to stone him.
XVerbal assault Colima, Mexico Elizabeth Santos Vicente was physically and verbally assaulted by Gregoria Lorenzo Guzman
XWHRD hit by husband Colima, Mexico Agustina Lorenzo Thomas was beaten and threatened by her husband Enrique Carpio, Commissioner of the Municipal Board. He threatened that he would take her from the community if she continued to participate in the demonstrations.
XPolice assault protesters Arequipa, Peru - South 'On the 1st September 2014, community members from Uchamayo closed the entrance to the Cerro Verde mine in protest to the closure and disruption to the main road from Uchamayo to Arequipa, as a result of mine work. They claim that there has been no dialogue from the mine.
The community members were met by over one hundred police who broke up the protest violently. Community members claim that Police fired tear gas cannisters directly at them followed by attacking them with their batons. Five people were badly injured from Police batons and being hit by gas cannisters in the head. Those injured, included Elizabeth Flores Arias who was two months pregnant.'
XAssassination of WHRD Acacias, Colombia On 29th August at 3pm Edith Santos was shot twice and killed by a hitman on a motorbike, as she was entering a town building home to the Community Action Board. Attempts were made to save her life but she was prounced dead at 3:40pm.
XMeeting attacked by Pro miners Colima, Mexico On August 26 2014, a meeting which included the Mayor of Comala, Braulio Arreguin, 4 councilors and one deputy (Donaldo Zuñiga) and people who were asking for more security for the Community following the dismissal of the Municipal Commissioner Enrique Carpio was interrupted when a group of 6 people violently burst the meeting, pulling and beating those who had attended. Eight women of the Indigenous Council were left injured,
XNotification Piura, Peru - North Cleofe received a summons stating that she had to present herself to the Fiscalia as charges were being made against her by the Ministry of Transport.
XOver 50 families lose their homes La Sierra de La Laguna,, Mexico In the morning of 15th August 2014, an estimated 700 police entered the community of 9 de Febrero. By 11:50 am many houses had been burnt, crops lost and furnitute, work tools and personal belongings destroyed. It is estimated that over 50 Mayan Q'eqchi families lost their homes. The community has been established for over 50 years.
Over thirty tear gas were fired, over one dozen people were injured and five people were arrested. Magdiel Ical Eudulia Ical, Cristina Chun, Choc and Izabela Thomas Chun
XWHRD verbally insulted Piura, Peru - North On the 15th August 2014, Rosa Carrion was insulted by the inhabitants of a red vehicle as she was walking in the street at 5pm. They jeered at her and stated that she would fail in her defence of the environment. The inhabitants were members of Huancabamba but she was unable to identify their names.
XDestruction of property Monte Olivo, Guatemala In the morning of 15th August 2014, an estimated 700 police entered the community of 9 de Febrero. By 11:50 am many houses had been burnt, crops lost and furnitutre, work tools and personal belongings destroyed. It is estimated that over 50 Mayan Q'eqchi families lost their homes. The community has been established for over 50 years.
Over thirty tear gas were fired, over one dozen people were injured and five people were arrested: Magdiel Ical Eudulia Ical, Cristina Chun, Izabela Chun and Thomas Chun.
XPolice arrest Human Right Defenders Monte Olivo, Guatemala On the morning of 15 August 2014, 1,600 Civil National Police officers arrived to the municipality of Raxhujá in Alta Verapaz with the intention of arresting a regional Mayan Q'eqchi leader. As the leader was not found, two other community leaders were detained; namely, Mr Rafael Chen and Ms Carmen del Cid. In reaction to their detention, people took to the streets in protest and blocked the roads. During this protest, Sebastian Rax Caal, Luciano Can Cujub and Oscar Chen Quej were reportedly shot by the Civil National Police. Rafael Chen, Carmen del Cid, Carmen Hun, Isabel Choc and Obdulia Regina Ical Hun all were detained.
Reportedly, the Civil National Police used excessive force against the protesters, raiding homes and physically assaulting demonstrators. Forty people were detained in total and many others were injured. Some people remain displaced having been forced to leave their homes.
XDeath threat Piura, Peru - North On the 3rd August 2014, Elizabeth Cunya received a phone call from a man at 6pm who told her in a laughing voice that 'we are following you, be careful, we are always behind you'
XPursued by two vehicles Santa Isabel Cholula, Mexico On the 31 July 2014, between the hours of 6-7pm. Irma Lemus y Rigoberto Duran were returning from a hearing in Trujillo when two vechiles (one identified as the same vechile that had been watching Martha Arnold the previous day) began to follow them. The two human rights defenders took shelter in a store and waited for a human rights organisation to arrive and transport them. One vechile had stayed outside of the store.
XHuman Right Defenders followed by Security force Trujillo, Honduras On the 31 July 2014, between the hours of 6-7pm. Irma Lemus y Rigoberto Duran were returning from a hearing in Trujillo when two vechiles (one identified as the same vechile that had been watching Martha Arnold the previous day) began to follow them. The two human rights defenders took shelter in a store and waited for a human rights organisation to arrive and transport them. One vechile had stayed outside of the store.
XFollowed by a vehicle Tocoa, Honduras Between 8:00 and 9:00 of the July 30, 2014, human Rights Defender Martha Arnold was under surveillance by a white vechile with tinted windows. The vehicle waited in front of her whilst she was waited in front of the Metro Plaza in Tocoa for the bus to Sonaguera.
XSecurity forces assist mine workers trespassing Cajamarca, Peru - North At 9:15am a group of 25 DINOES accompanied by engineers of Yanacocha entered Maxima's territory. The engineers began to work on Maxima's land behind the hill separating her house to her land. Her daughter and husband went to investigate what they were working on. As they approached the summit of the hill, police grabbed Jaime (Maxima's husband) and wouldn't let him see what the workers were doing. One worker began shouting insults at Jaime. Other workers were by the vehicles that the workers had arrived in, positioned just outside the land of Maxima. They started shouting insults towards Jaime.
XFurther intimidation against WHRD Antioquia, Colombia On July 23, 2014, environmental human rights defender and spokesperson of MRV, Ms Isabel Cristina Zuleta, received more messages on her social media account accusing her of being a member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) by an account reportedly identified as being part the National Army .
XMovement of activist and her family observed and recorded Cajamarca, Peru - North In the morning many Mine trucks parked close to Maxim's house. Each time the truck would stay for over half an hour. Her husband and daughter Jhilda were monitored and their movements recorded by the mine workers inside the truck
XThreatening messages against WHRD Antioquia, Colombia On July 22, 2014, environmental human rights defender and spokesperson of MRV, Ms Isabel Cristina Zuleta, received messages on her social media account accusing her of being a member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) by an account reportedly identified as being part the National Army .
XTrespass by police and engineers Cajamarca, Peru - North Six policeman and two engineers from Yanacocha mine entered Maxima's land and attempted to take her cattle. Her husband Jaime, managed to escape as he feared being attacked after being threatened the day previously
XDeath threat in a phone call Cajamarca, Peru - North At 11am Maxima's husband received a phone call stating ' A few days left for you to die' Pocos dias faltan para que mueras'. This ocurred when an overseerer from the mine was present outside of his home holding a phone. The company worker walked away and called again stating 'Now I will come you motherfucker and I will kill you' “Ahorita vengo, concha de tu madre, y te mato†(An overseerer is an employee of the mine who dresses in civillian clothes and with his face covered monitors and watches people that live within the concession.
XInsulted by radio presenter Piura, Peru - North On the 18th July 2014, Aide Garcia Ruiz, was insulted by the radio presenter where she was called a scoundrel, a donkey and an enemy of the people, who is against mining.
XAttempted forced eviction por 400 policÃas Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico At 8:00am of the morning of Thursday 10 July 2014, 400 hundred members of the riot Police (PNC) accompanied by a deputy of the Municipality of Puerto Barrios and members of the private security forces of the Guatemalan Nickel Company tried to violently evict the community of Serocja. Three houses were burnt and over 50 Q'eqchi families including elderly women and men were affected by tear gas.
XAttempted forced eviction por 400 policÃas Barrancas, Colombia At 8:00am on the morning of Thursday 10 July 2014, following the attempted eviction of the community of Serocja, Police headed to the adjoining community of Chichipate where they again attempted to evict the community. 400 hundred members of the riot Police (PNC) accompanied by a deputy of the Municipality of Puerto Barrios and members of the private security forces of the Guatemalan Nickel Company tried to violently evict the community of Chichipate Three houses were burnt and over 50 Q'eqchi families including elderly women and men were affected by tear gas.
XForced eviction by 400 police and security guards Ayacucho, Peru - South 'Following the attempted eviction of the communities of Serocja and Chichipate on the morning of July 10, 2014, 400 members of the Guatemalan National Police, accompanied by private security guards from the Guatemalan Nickel Company (CGN) — a subsidiary of Canadian mining company HudBay Minerals — violently evicted at least 80 families from the community of Nabalija. CGN claims to be the owner of the land, although families have occupied the area for over a year. The eviction left several people injured, who had to be transferred to the municipal hospital for treatment.
Fifteen schoolchildren were inside the local school and were poisioed by the tear gas fired by Police.'
XVerbal assault Piura, Peru - North On July 18, 2014, Aide Garcia Ruiz, was insulted in a radio program where she was called a scoundrel and an enemy of the people who is against mining.
XForced Eviction Chichipate, Guatemala At 8:00am of the morning of Thursday 10 July 2014, 400 hundred members of the riot Police (PNC) accompanied by a deputy of the Municipality of Puerto Barrios and members of the private security forces of the Guatemalan Nickel Company tried to violently evict the community of Serocja. Three houses were burnt and over 50 Q'eqchi families including elderly women and men were affected by tear gas.
XForced eviction of community Chichipate, Guatemala At 8:00am on the morning of Thursday 10 July 2014, following the attempted eviction of the community of Serocja, Police headed to the adjoining community of Chichipate where they again attempted to evict the community. 400 hundred members of the riot Police (PNC) accompanied by a deputy of the Municipality of Puerto Barrios and members of the private security forces of the Guatemalan Nickel Company tried to violently evict the community of Chichipate Three houses were burnt and over 50 Q'eqchi families including elderly women and men were affected by tear gas.
XForced eviction of community Chichipate, Guatemala Following the attempted eviction of the communities of Serocja and Chichipate on the morning of July 10, 2014, 400 members of the Guatemalan National Police, accompanied by private security guards from the Guatemalan Nickel Company (CGN) — a subsidiary of Canadian mining company HudBay Minerals — violently evicted at least 80 families from the community of Nabalija. CGN claims to be the owner of the land, although families have occupied the area for over a year. The eviction left several people injured, who had to be transferred to the municipal hospital for treatment.
Fifteen schoolchildren were inside the local school and were poisioed by the tear gas fired by Police.
XAssault by police officers Cajamarca, Peru - North On the 9 July 2014, at 10am one dozen police attacked community members who were refusing mining trucks carrying gifts for local community members to enter their community. Police fired tear gas to break up the protest, the gas went directly into the school where schoolchildren were present and attending class. Four women report being kicked by enforcers. The community are within the region of influence (Yanacocha mine).
XPolice officers use excessive violence against WHRD Cajamarca, Peru - North On the 9 July 2014, at 10am one dozen police attacked community members who were refusing mining trucks carrying gifts for local community members to enter their community. Police fired tear gas to break up the protest, the gas went directly into the school where schoolchildren were present and attending class. Four women report being kicked by enforcers. The community are within the region of influence (Yanacocha mine).
XThreatening phone call Oaxaca, Mexico In the morning of 8 July 2014, Carmen Ruiz, a worker at the office of Human Rights organisation 'Committee for Defence of Human Rights Integral Gobixha (COD-DHH) received a threatening phone call. Carmen actively supports complaints made by community members in relation to human rights violations committed in the context of the building of a wind farm in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca.
XEviction by 50 armed men Sierra de Perijá, Venezuela - West On the 30th June 2014 around fifty armed men with rifles and machetes assaulted and forcefully removed Yukpa Chief, Carmen Fernandez from her encampment along with her family in the Western Venezuelan state of Zulia. Members of the army and Boliviarian National Guard reportedly werre on hand, but did not intervene as the men began beating Fernández Romero and her son.
XAMUPPA members threatened by radio hosts Piura, Peru - North At 9:00am, radio host Duber Maureola threatened to take the law into his own hands if a member of AMUPPA alongside other activists did not return the money that they received following the 2005 protest in Huancabamba that resulted in the kidnapping and torture of protesters who opposed the Rio Blanco mining project.
XWHRD verbally insulted Piura, Peru - North On the 27th June 2014 at 7:00 am; Mrs. Cleofe Neyra Neyra, was insulted on her way to the chapel at the town centre. She was called old and useless, crafty and that when she was detained by the Police she acted like the wife of the police. The agresor was Leoncio Mogollon
XForced Eviction Vichada, Colombia On June 25 at 7:30 am the anti-riot police of the National Police violently evicted 215 indigenous families in a land called 'Brisas', in the Municipality of Cumaribo (Vichada). This land had been peacefully occupied a month ago by indigenous people belonging to various indigenous peoples (Sikuani, piapoco, saliva ...).
Several community members, including two children were injured.
The land has been assigned for various economic developments including mining and energy.
XKilled by National Guard Sierra de Perijá, Venezuela - West Cristóbal Fernández Fernández, 19, was killed—reportedly in a beating by National Guard troops. His family had been occuppying land that they claim is traditional Yukpa land for four months and four days. He was the third of Fernández Romero's sons to have met a violent death in the past five years. Carmen Fernández Romero is currently hospitalized, recovering from her injuries that she sustained in the same attack.
XForced eviction Santa Eulalia, Guatemala 'On June 25 at 7:30 am the anti-riot police of the National Police (riot police) violently evicted 215 indigenous families in a land called ''Brisas'', in the Municipality of Cumaribo (Vichada). This land had been peacefully occupied a month ago by indigenous people belonging to various indigenous peoples (Sikuani, piapoco, saliva ...).
Several community members, including two children were injured.
The land has been assigned for various economic developments including mining and energy.'
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
Specific threat (Colima, Mexico; 1:9:2014)
Threat to WHRD
Specific threat (Colima, Mexico; 1:9:2014)
Verbal assault against member of Bios Iguana
Verbal abuse (Colima, Mexico; 1:9:2014)
Verbal assault
Specific threat (Colima, Mexico; 1:9:2014)
WHRD Assaulted
Assault (Colima, Mexico; 1:9:2014)
Verbal assault
Assault (Colima, Mexico; 1:9:2014)
WHRD hit by husband
Assault (Arequipa, Peru - South; 1:9:2014)
Police assault protesters
Murder (Acacias, Colombia; 29:8:2014)
Assassination of WHRD
Assault (Colima, Mexico; 26:8:2014)
Meeting attacked by Pro miners
Assault (Colima, Mexico; 24:8:2014)
Indigenous Women Attacked in Zacualpan
Verbal abuse (Piura, Peru - North; 21:8:2014)
WHRD verbally insulted
False allegation (Piura, Peru - North; 18:8:2014)
Notification
Eviction (La Sierra de La Laguna,, Mexico; 15:8:2014)
