Afro-Colombian News

Act Now to Guarantee that More Afro-Colombian Children Do Not Become Collateral Damage

The US Network in Solidarity with Afro-Colombian Grassroots Communities strongly condemns the recent wounding of two Afro-Colombian children aged seven and ten at the hands of the Colombian armed forces in the community of “Bolita” in El Charco municipality, Nariño.

According to reports received from our partners, the children were attempting to flee fighting taking place between the Colombian armed forces and the FARC guerillas when they were hit by shrapnel originating from the Colombian armed forces.

The children’s wounds were so severe that they had to be taken to Tumaco municipality to seek medical assistance. Since the local institutions did not take responsibility for their care, this poor family was forced to transport the children a long distance with their own funds. The ICRC has stepped in to help them. The community of “La Bolita” remains in the crossfire with civilians likely to become internally displaced.

While NASGACC understands that the Colombian armed forces are operating in a complex geographic environment, this is not the first time that Afro-Colombian children are harmed in the crossfire. As such, NASGACC wishes to remind the Colombian and US State Department officials that one of the conditions for human rights certification of US military assistance to Colombia is that the Colombian armed forces must distinguish between civilians and combatants. It is imperative that these forces do their outmost to respect international humanitarian law to avoid civilian casualties in armed combat.
NASGACC also encourages you to express your concerns about Afro-Colombian children to the following persons in the State Department:

Steve Moody, Foreign Affairs Officer - Human Rights and Labor, Asia and Western Hemisphere Affairs, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Tel: (202) 647-8301

Susan Sanford, Colombia Desk Officer, Andean Affairs Office, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (Tel: 202-647-3142)

§ State officials should take action to guarantee the safety of Afro-Colombians residents located in the El Charco area of Nariño. They should call upon the Colombian armed forces to do their utmost to prevent civilian casualties from taking place and to respect international humanitarian law. It should urge authorities in Tumaco to assist these children and Acción Social to attend to the needs of the internally displaced.

§ State should be encouraged not to certify that military assistance is meeting the required human rights conditions until the case of these two children is investigated.

For additional information please contact Charo Mina Rojas, PCN charo@io.com or Gimena Sanchez, WOLA at gsanchez@wola.org

Act Now to Protect Afro-Colombian Communities in Cauca and Nariño

The US Network in Solidarity with Afro-Colombian Grassroots Communities urges you to contact US policymakers to protect the lives and territories belonging to Afrodescendants in La Toma (Cauca) and the Black Communities of Western Nariño (COPDICONC).

More Afro-Colombians Murdered

On July 25, 2010 the paramilitary group Los Rastrojos allegedly murdered two young Afro-Colombians in the municipality of Santa Barbara de Iscuande, Nariño. These killings follow an increase of this illegal armed group’s menacing presence in the territories of the Black Communities of Western Nariño (COPDICONC). Further details on these killings are not available since most of the inhabitants’ freedom of movement out of the area is not allowed by this group. As such persons are trapped and confined to the immediate area of their homes subject to potential harm by armed men. According to COPDICONC an estimated and unregistered 3,000 civilians were murdered by narco-traffickers and paramilitaries in this region since 2000. The continuing internal armed conflict in the area generates new displacements, confinements and impoverishment of the civilian population, threats, robberies, sexual violence of women and forced recruitment of youths. Yet despite the issuance of Constitutional Court Order 005 on Afro-Colombian internal displacement and repeated calls for help on the part of these communities, the Colombian authorities have not taken action to effectively protect the civilians in these territories and guarantee the rights of those internally displaced from this region.

Imminent Risk of Eviction and Harm for Afro-Colombians in La Toma

The Afro-Colombian Community Council of La Toma (Cauca) has unofficially been informed that they will be evicted from their ancestral territories on August 18th. As it stands the eviction will take place with the Colombian government and regional authorities not keeping its promises to the Afrodescendant residents of La Toma. Late 2009, Colombia agreed before the Inter-America Commission of Human Rights (IACHR) that it would review the thirty-five mining permits it granted to third parties without the previous consent and consultation of the La Toma Community Council. The Regional Corporation of Cauca, the environmental authority for Cauca Department, stated that they would revoke environmental permits. Neither has taken place and no concrete actions were taken to respect the rights of Afrodescendant artisanal miners. While the Community Council has taken legal action to protect their rights, it has yet to receive a response from the authorities.

Coupled with the injustice of the threat of an imminent eviction, are the continued death threats against Afro-Colombian community council members and the human rights defenders that support them. Since April, a massacre of eight miners took place and others including Alex Quintero and Alex Gonzales. These killings believed to be committed by paramilitaries that favor the displacement of local residents from the areas where the gold mines are situated follow a series of threats that were sent to community members, non-governmental organizations and the international group WOLA. Violence in the region is increasing with armed confrontations taking place this past week. While the government was scheduled to come up with a plan to protect La Toma community members by July 26th, it did not reveal a plan but rather put in place delay tactics to shirk responsibility further endangering the lives of civilians at risk of harm by paramilitaries.

On Friday, the Black Communities Process (PCN) issued a public statement http://bit.ly/bOwM0t urging the Colombian authorities to fulfill its responsibilities to protect the lives of Afrodescendants residing in these communities and resolve the title dispute. It also called upon the international community to take steps to encourage US policymakers to act in favor of Afro-Colombian territorial and human rights.

NASGACC encourages you to contact your Member of Congress:

§ Urge him/her to take action to protect the territorial and human rights of Afro-Colombians in Cauca and Nariño. Your representative should contact the US State Department and recommend that they do not certify that the human rights conditions regarding aid to Colombia are being met. Further, that such aid should not be certified until the wave of threats and murders of Afro-Colombian leaders in Cauca, Nariño and elsewhere is investigated and perpetrators brought to justice.

§ Ask him/her to co-sponsor House Resolution 1224 on Afro-Colombian, Indigenous and Women IDPs.

NASGACC also encourages you to reach out to the following persons in the State Department:

Steve Moody, Foreign Affairs Officer - Human Rights and Labor, Asia and Western Hemisphere Affairs, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Tel: (202) 647-8301 to express the same concerns and ask him to contact also the Colombian government.

Susan Sanford, Colombia Desk Officer, Andean Affairs Office, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (Tel: 202-647-3142)

§ State officials should take action to guarantee the safety of Afro-Colombians at risk of harm in Cauca and Nariño. They should call upon the Colombian authorities to halt the eviction of the community of La Toma, review the thirty five mining titles rejected by the community and the environmental licenses granted to third parties. Further, State should ask Colombia about the status of the investigation into the recent murders of Afro-Colombian leaders and threats made against the community councils in northern Cauca.

§ State should be encouraged not to certify that military assistance is meeting the required human rights conditions.

Finally:

Write/email/call your local media (print and broadcast) and ask that they do more to cover the human rights abuses committed against Afro-Colombian communities. Please do the same with national media outlets by writing to their editors.

We encourage you to circulate urgent action to others. Please send copies of email or letter correspondence with US officials to NASGACC at afro_colombians@afrocolombians.com and charo@io.com For additional information please contact Charo Mina Rojas, PCN charo@io.com or Gimena Sanchez, WOLA at gsanchez@wola.org

Add yourself to the Facebook Cause on La Toma: http://www.causes.com/causes/328750

EL Proceso de Comunidades Negras (PCN) denuncia la negligencia del Gobierno Colombiano para garantizar la seguridad de lideres y lideresas Afrocolombianos en La Toma, Norte del Cauca

La decisión del Gobierno Nacional en cabeza del Ministerio del Minas y Energía e INGEOMINAS, de entregar 35 permisos de explotación minera en la región de Suárez y Buenos Aires a foráneos, entre las que se encuentran concesiones a las multinacionales Anglo Gold Ashanti y Cosigo Resort y las 99.4 hectáreas concedidas al señor Sarria, violando el derecho de las comunidades a la Consulta Previa con consentimiento previo, libre e informado como lo demanda el Convenio 169 de la OIT, la Constitución y la Ley 70 de 1993, ha aumentado ostensiblemente el riesgo de las comunidades y sus lideres de ser agredidas y amenazadas por defender sus derechos.
Lea el comunicado completo en http://www.afrocolombians.com/pdfs/LaToma-PCN-comunicado-Julio292010-1.pdf

The Black Communities Process (PCN) denounces the Colombian governments’ failure to guarantee the security of Afro-Colombian leaders in La Toma, Northern Cauca

The decision of the national government, in the head of the Ministry of Mines and Energy and INGEOMINAS, to approve 35 mining licenses to foreigners in the region of Suarez and Buenos Aires, which included concessions to multinational corporations such Anglo Gold Ashantio and Cosigo Resort, and the 99.4 hectares to Mr. Sarria, in violation of the right of these communities to the Previous Consultation, with free and informed prior consent as mandated by ILO Convention 169, the Colombian constitution, and Law 70 of 1993, has increased ostensibly the risk of such communities and their leaders to aggressions and death threats for defending their rights.

Read more at http://www.afrocolombians.com/pdfs/LaToma-PCNstatement-July292010.pdf

NASGACC Urgent Action to Protect Miners in the Norte del Cauca Region

Urgent Action Alert 12 April 2010 ---News of a massacre in the Mining
Zone, Municipality of Suarez, the Department of Cauca, Colombia.

On April 8, 2010 NASGACC received reports that eight miners were assassinated by armed men who were transported in two vehicles and one motorcycle, the facts happened in the municipality of Suárez, in the department of the Cauca, in the south of Colombia. This incident in Cauca underscores the clear complaints of Afro-Colombian, indigenous and peasant communities that President Alvaro Uribe's pronouncements of calm and security have been, and remain, elaborate facades intended to obscure significant failures in protecting the most vulnerable in the population.

Read more at: http://www.afrocolombians.com/pdfs/Miners-NortedelCauca4122010.pdf

Human Rights Organizations exhort Exhort US Embassy to call Colombians Attention on Human Rights Violations

In April 10, the paramilitary group “Los Rastrojos – Comandos Urbanos” sent
death threats to more than 60 Colombian human rights organizations and individuals and international human rights organizations.

The International Campaign for the Right to Defend Human Rights, leaded by organizations such USOC, WOLA and the Center for International Policy, prompt US Ambassador William Brownfield to urge Colombian government immediate action, and to monitor closely the Colombian government's efforts to address the situation. "Continuing impunity in these cases should be seriously considered when deciding whether to certify compliance with the human rights conditions in appropriations legislation, especial relating to human rights defenders." say in their letter the organizations.

The letter was signed by, Lutheran World Relief, Latin America Working Group (LAWG), Human Rights First and AFRODE USA among others.

Read the letter at http://www.afrocolombians.com/pdfs/LetterToUSEmbassy-RastrojosThreats-42010.pdf

AFRODES USA Urge Solidarity with Afro-Colombian Communities and Leaders

With great indignation AFRODES USA denounces the alarming escalation in the violation of the Afro-Colombian fundamental rights in Colombia. We are receiving distressing reports from all corners of Afro-Colombian territories about the genocide and permanent threats to leaders, communities, and their organizational structures. More http://www.afrocolombians.com/pdfs/StatementonGeneralHHRRSituation1-2010.pdf

Recent Murder of Afro-Colombians in Choco

December 24, 2009

Dear Supporters of Afro-Colombian Rights,

AFRODES USA and the Network in Solidarity with Afro-Colombian Grassroots Organizations in the U.S. (NASGACC) strongly condemns the December 19th assassinations of Afrodescendants Manuel Moya, Graciano Bland�n and his son in the region of Curvarad� and Jiguamiand� (Choc�). We ask that the Colombians authorities immediately investigate this crime and that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

These murders underscore the need for the Colombian government take bolder actions to secure the physical safety of the inhabitants of Curvarad� and Jiguamiand�, fully and effectively dismantle the military, economic and social operational structures of illegal armed groups operating in this area. This development shows that the Colombian authorities have not taken the steps necessary to properly resolve the illegal appropriation of lands by oil palm companies in Curvarad� and Jiguamiand�.

The lack of resolution in this case, lack of physical return of lands to their rightful owners and lack of political will on the part of Colombian authorities to effectively combat paramilitarism in this area has led to conflict among Afro-Colombians, violence and insecurity. This greatly hampers the well being of all Afro-Colombian and mestizo civilians living in the Curvarad� and Jiguamiand� area. The lack of action on the part of the State is enabling criminal activity to continue to expand in area. This activity greatly hampers the advancement and economic development of Afro-Colombians in the region. The persistent impunity in this case weakens the possibility of local and regional institutions possibility to exert their authority in the region.

Effective State action and resolution on all pending criminal and human rights cases involving the inhabitants of Curvarad� and Jiguamiand� including the case of 23 palm oil industrialists would not only improve the security for Afro-Colombians living in the area but it would also lead to a weakening of criminal structures and a strengthening of local state institutions. Effective action would also greatly reduce the existent security threats against members of the Afro- Colombian community councils and the national and international NGOs that accompany these communities namely the Colombian NGO Justicia y Paz and international accompaniers Peace Brigades International and PASC.

Given the above, we ask that you take immediate action by contacting U.S. Ambassador William Brownfield in Colombia and informing him that these developments are a violation of the human rights condition pertaining to the rights of Afro-Colombians that the Secretary of State must implement in order for Colombia to receive U.S. military assistance. Ambassador Brownfield can be reached via email at AmbassadorB@state.gov

In order to rectify this situation and protect the rights of Afro-Colombians, U.S. officials should insist that they ask the Colombian authorities to do as follows:

1) Publicly pronounce themselves against the triple murder committed against Afro-Colombians on December 19th, as well as, the murder of Benjamin Munoz that took place earlier this year.

2) Urge the Attorney General promptly and effectively investigate these murders and bring the perpetrators and intellectual authors of this crime to justice.

3) Put a stop to false accusations in the media that insinuate that the latest murders are in some way related to members of the Colombian NGO Justicia y Paz (Abilio Pena and Danilo Rueda), as well as the spokesperson for MOVICE and ex-columnist Iv�n Cepeda Castro. Such accusations, in addition to being unfounded, greatly endanger the lives of these individuals.

4) Support the self-protection initiatives developed by Afro-Colombians and
mestizos who inhabit the humanitarian and biodiversity zones.

5) Effectively implement the decisions made by judicial and other authorities in the case of Curvarad� and Jiguamiand� including Court Order 222, the sentence of the Chocó tribunal, Incoder resolutions and push forward the case against the 23 oil palm industrialists.

Please be sure to inform AFRODES USA of any responses you receive from the
U.S. Embassy by emailing Marino Cordoba at macobe2001@yahoo.com

For further information on this case, please contact Gimena Sanchez-Garzoli at (202) 489-1702 or Charo Mina Rojas at (434) 760-0663.

Take Action to Guarantee Safety of Afro-Colombian and Indigenous Leaders from Norte del Cauca region

December 6, 2009

Dear Activists,

AFRODES USA and WOLA urge you to contact Colombian authorities immediately and urge them to take action to guarantee the safety of Afro-Colombian, Indigenous and human rights leaders in northern Cauca.

On December 4, Lisifrey Ararat of the Community Council of La Toma and the Black Communities Process (PCN) received a text message that stated:�Hp no decidan por la comunidad que si quieren los recursos, tienen 8 dias pasalir sigue la lista *** fin **. This translates into English as �Motherfucker don�t decide for the community what they want. You have eight days to leave the area. The list remains active.�

The same text message which came from the telephone number 310 8964370 was also sent to Yair Ortiz, Edwar Mina (both leaders from the Community Council of La Toma), Arley Gonzalez (mining leader), Enrique Guetio (traditional indigenous leader from the Cabildo Cerro Tijeras) and Edwar Villegas (member of the human rights group CUT-Valle and Association NOMADESC). This threat follows another threat that was received by the Aguilas Negras-Nueva Generacion paramilitaries to these same groups on October 22nd.

PCN, NOMADESC and others recently participated in a round of visits to the US Congress and an OAS hearing on the right to previous consultation for Afro-Colombian and Indigenous Communities. For details of this visit, got to: http://actualidadetnica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8500:gimena-sanchez-garzoli-&catid=57

Please contact the following offices immediately and urge them to protect the lives of these activists, investigate these threats and prosecute those responsible for making them. Also recommend to these offices that they take bold steps to strengthen the right of previous consultation for these communities. The Colombian authorities� information is as follows:

- Colombian Vice President�s office: Francisco Santos 57-1-560-1195
- Ministry of Interior and Justice: Fabio Valencia Cossio 57-1-444-3100 (Executive Secretary)
- Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Program: Carlos Franco 57-1- 595-1853 o 57-1595-1888.

For further information, please be in touch with Charo Mina Rojas of AFRODES USA at (434) 760-0663.

Complete information in Spanish http://www.afrocolombians.com/pdfs/ACCIONURGENTESUAREZ.pdf

Get Your Representative to Sign a Letter Supporting Human Rights in Colombia

From November 6th through 24th, a letter calling for change in U.S. policy towards Colombia will be circulating through the House of Representatives. This letter has our message, calling for a decrease in U.S. aid for Colombia's military and an increase in support for human rights and humanitarian efforts.

The initiators of this letter—Representatives Jim McGovern, Jan Schakowsky, Donald Payne, and Mike Honda— need 70 representatives to back up the initiative by adding their signatures before it is sent to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The Latin America Working Group -LAWG- has set up a on-line action http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/625/t/8560/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1651
and very easy instructions on how to call your representative to encourage him/her to sign the letter http://www.lawg.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=537&Itemid=77&tag=link2

Check who has signed already and get the text of the letter http://www.lawg.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=539&Itemid=77