Article by PBI-Canada

The Peace Brigades International-Colombia Project accompanied CSPP and CREDHOS have drawn attention to death threats against Nini Johana Cárdenas.

On December 2, BLU Radio reported: “The social leader and environmental advocate, Nini Johanna Cárdenas, spokesman for the organizing committee against mining and hydrocarbons in Carmen del Chucurí, Santander, reported that she was the victim of threats she received through phone calls.”

“It should be remembered that on 28 February strangers entered the house of Johanna Cárdenas where they found belongings and documents of the environmental processes led by the social leader in the Magdalena Medio area in Santander.”

Infobae adds: “Environmental and social organizations warned of the safety of leader Nini Johana Cardenas, who was threatened with death in the morning hours of December 1. Cárdenas lives in the municipality of El Carmen de Chucurí, Santander, and received two calls that apparently came from members of the paramilitary group Los Caparros.”

“According to these social organizations, the criminal group has murdered teachers and social leaders for not collaborating with them”

One of the organizations, the Alliance for a Colombia Free of Fracking, has also posted on Facebook: “We alert to serious threats against the life of Nini Johana Cardenas, communal leader of El Carmen de Chucurí (Santander), and member of the Fracking Free Colombia Alliance. We demand the authorities protect her life.”

“NINI JOHANA CÁRDENAS develops the leadership in this municipality for the defense of territory, nature and life, by denouncing extractivist projects in the region, which have affected or may affect the fauna and flora, water sources, crops as well as other collective goods of those living in the municipality; it also develops a scientific experimentation of bee pollination at this time.” – To read the full Urgent Action on the CSPP website, click here.