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Judi Lynn

(160,542 posts)
Wed Apr 16, 2014, 02:45 PM Apr 2014

Criminalization of Social Movements and the Political Opposition in Colombia

April 15, 2014
From Massive to Selective Detentions

Criminalization of Social Movements and the Political Opposition in Colombia

by LILANY OBANDO

Although we Colombians, especially those of us who belong to social, human rights, and political organizations and labor unions, are used to carrying out our work in risky situations, sometimes things get worse. This is one of those unlucky times. It coincides with the pre-election contest.

In a cycle that repeatedly sends us back to a repressive past – one they don’t want to close down – we are witness to a perverse return to obscurantism and forced unanimity, to dissident thinking being considered subversive, to social protest having to be silenced at whatever cost, and where opposition guarantees are only a chimera. These are practices far removed from the duty of a state, especially one proclaiming itself as the continent’s oldest, most solid “democracy.”

Many years ago, and in tune with the U. S. obsession for transforming the idea of security into state policy, one outcome being anti-terrorism, the government of Álvaro Uribe Vélez during his first term (2002-2006) instituted in Colombia the politics of “Democratic Security.” That gave rise to a series of actions damaging to the right to liberty, to guarantees like equality, legality, and judicial norms, and, generally, to an international framework for human rights.

The strategy of arbitrary detentions imposed under the pretext of maintaining security of the state, and for “good citizens,” has its origins there. The modalities used were illegal interceptions, the network of informants, the Law of Justice and Peace and its accusers, and intelligence reports – or battlefield reports. They fueled judicial set-ups.

More:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/04/15/criminalization-of-social-movements-and-the-political-opposition-in-colombia/

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Criminalization of Social Movements and the Political Opposition in Colombia (Original Post) Judi Lynn Apr 2014 OP
well, see what happens when you are a FARC member Bacchus4.0 Apr 2014 #1
You're attempting to jump on the fascist bandwagon. She clearly is not a "FARC." Judi Lynn Apr 2014 #2
She's FARC thats why she was arrested and convicted Bacchus4.0 Apr 2014 #3
Wikipedia: Human rights in Colombia Judi Lynn Apr 2014 #4

Bacchus4.0

(6,837 posts)
1. well, see what happens when you are a FARC member
Wed Apr 16, 2014, 05:18 PM
Apr 2014

She should just change her title from Colombia to Venezuela and it would fit perfectly.

At least she is out of prison unlike those in Venezuela.

Judi Lynn

(160,542 posts)
2. You're attempting to jump on the fascist bandwagon. She clearly is not a "FARC."
Wed Apr 16, 2014, 07:13 PM
Apr 2014

From the article:


The charge against Obando of handling “resources relating to terrorist activities” was dropped.

Also:
In 2011 the Colombian Supreme Court invalidated the legal standing of such material. Obando and her family continue to experience police surveillance, harassment, and media slander.

You're reaching deep into that old, grimy bag of fascist slander they always use to fling at human beings when they are trying to make trouble for them. It's been around so long, is so time-worn.

If you don't have anything truthful to add, pass on to the next target.

Bacchus4.0

(6,837 posts)
3. She's FARC thats why she was arrested and convicted
Wed Apr 16, 2014, 08:03 PM
Apr 2014

trading romantic messages with good ol' Raul Reyes. FARC is an armed Marxist paramilitary terrorist organization whose goal is to violently overthrow the Colombian government (no matter who is president) and install a Marxist government. Its not a street protest against violence and food shortages. They hide in the shadows and commit terrorist acts, murder, kidnap, take child soldiers, and engage in slavery. Lovely people who you support.

http://www.caracol.com.co/noticias/judiciales/capturan-a-liliana-patricia-obando-villota-representante-de-la-ong-fensuagro-por-vinculos-con-las-farc/20080808/nota/648353.aspx

Judi Lynn

(160,542 posts)
4. Wikipedia: Human rights in Colombia
Wed Apr 16, 2014, 10:05 PM
Apr 2014

Human rights in Colombia

Colombia is a sovereign state situated in South America. It is a parliamentary democracy, has been a member of the United Nations since 5 November 1945,[1] and is party to a variety of international agreements concerning human rights.[2] It also has a series of domestic laws concerning the protection of human rights.[3] However, Colombia’s human rights record often contradicts directly with the laws and agreements to which it is bound; Colombia is widely referred to as the country with the ‘worst human rights record in the western hemisphere’.[4][5][6][7] In the UK Foreign Office annual human rights report for 2010, Colombia features as one of 20 ‘Countries of Concern’.[8

~ ~ ~

Human Rights Defenders in Colombia[edit]

As reported by the National and International Campaign for the Right to Defend Human Rights,[17] and as documented regularly in reports by leading human rights organisations, .[18][19] In 2010, according to the Colombian based human rights organisation Somos Defensores, at least 174 acts of aggression towards human rights defenders were committed. This included 32 murders and 109 death threats.[20] As Human Rights First reports, attacks against human rights defenders include also ‘smear campaigns and break-ins, threatening and omnipresent surveillance, physical assaults, kidnapping, violence directed toward family members, and assassination attempts’.[21]

The Colombian government has a special protection program that seeks to protect those under threat. The Colombian embassy in Washington states that the protection program ‘offers long-term services based on specific needs of vulnerable individuals and groups’.[22] In spite of this, the figures for the first semester of 2011 showed an increase of 126% in acts of aggressions committed against human rights defenders from 2010.[23] Paramilitary groups were held responsible in 59% of the cases, state security forces were held responsible for 10% and the guerrilla groups 2%.[24] Colombian officials have also been widely implicated in stigmatising the work of human rights defenders, often making unfounded accusations linking them to guerrilla groups.[25][26]

Justice for Colombia reports that between August 2010 and June 2011, there were 104 murders with direct ramifications for human rights concerns in Colombia.[27] Those murdered included human rights defenders, trade unionists and community leaders. On average, according to these figures, one murder took place every three days. Human rights defenders find little protection in the Colombian justice system; 784 human rights defenders were threatened, attacked or murdered between 2002 and 2009, there has been a conviction in only 10 of these cases.[28]

Labour Rights in Colombia[edit]

Colombia is widely referred to as the most dangerous country in the world to be a trade unionist.[29][30][31] The 2011 Annual Survey of Violation of Trade Union Rights published by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) reports that 49 trade unionists were killed in Colombia in 2010, more than in the rest of the world put together.[32] According to government figures, 37 unionists were murdered.[33] Between January and August 2011, 19 trade unionists have been reported killed.[34]

The ITUC reports that between 2000 and 2010 Colombia has accounted for 63.12% of trade unionists murdered globally.[35] According to Human Rights Watch and Justice for Colombia, most of these murders are attributed to right-wing paramilitaries, whilst some are directly attributed to state forces.[36][37] Amnesty International reported in 2007 that for cases in which the perpetrator was known, paramilitaries were responsible for 49% of the attacks against trade-unionists, state forces were responsible for 43%, and the guerrilla forces were responsible for 2%.[38]

According to the National Labour School (ENS), a Colombian NGO monitoring trade union violence, impunity for crimes committed against trade unionists is running at 94%.

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Colombia


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