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Photo: Reuters

Last week, the Colombian government decided to present a tax hike during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, as people already struggle with their health and livelihoods. The reforms would raise taxes affecting thousands of Colombians (especially middle and lower class).

Thousands of Colombians went to the streets to protest against the tax reforms. The Colombian state forces, particularly the anti-riot police ESMAD, met the protestors with tear gas and excessive violence, resulting in more than 26 homicides, more than 140 victims of violent assaults, more than 761 arbitrary detentions, more than 216 violent interventions, at least 10 victims of sexual assault, and at least 56 allegations of disappearances.

According to the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), “Since its creation in 1999, the unit [ESMAD] has killed at least 34 people. Their disproportionate use of force and brutal attacks against unarmed civilians in rural protests—especially those led by indigenous communities.” The Colombian government has come under fire from international groups for its violent response to the protests.

The United States dominates the growing nonlethal weapons industry that supplies crowd-control solutions, such as tear gas, to governments across the world, including Colombia. “Two global defense manufacturers, in particular, stand out: Safariland, based in Jacksonville, Florida, and Combined Systems, Inc., which operates out of Jamestown, Pennsylvania, have seen their fortunes — and public scrutiny — soar in recent years.”

As concerns grow about the use of violence by Colombian national police against the ongoing national strike protests, questions are emerging about the use of US-made tear gas and other nonlethal weaponry in human rights violations. WOLA notes that “many of the ESMAD’s weapons, including tear gas and ‘bean bags’, are purchased with the Colombian government’s own funds through U.S. arms sales programs. Much of its materiel, for instance, comes from one Pennsylvania-based company, Combined Systems, Inc., which sells tear gas canisters and stun grenades to Colombia.”

According to a report by La Semana, Colombia paid the Pennsylvania-based manufacturer company called Combined Tactical Systems (Combined Systems, Inc), about $23 for every tear gas canister that has been fired on protesters during the National Strikes.

As Colombian human rights defenders call on the international community to uphold the right to peaceful assembly, we express concern about the report that the US-made tear gas is being exported to Colombia and used in human rights violations by the ESMAD police.

We call on the US government to suspend all sales of crowd control equipment to Colombia’s security forces, and all sales of nonlethal weaponry, training, and services to ESMAD until there is clear assurance that it will not be used to violate human rights and the constitutional right to protest.

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Photo: Tear gas canister used by ESMAD police against National Strike protestors made in Pennsylvania.