Article by PBI-Canada

On International Women’s Day, Yésica Sánchez Maya presented on behalf of Peace Brigades International and Consorcio Oaxaca to the Human Rights Council.

Sánchez stated:

“Madame President,

PBI and the Oaxaca Consorcio welcome the presentation of the [UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Mary Lawlor]. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, killings and other attacks against defenders have increased in a worrying scale in Indonesia, Kenya, Colombia, Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala.

The 310 killings in 2020 in Colombia as well as the illegal intelligence actions of the army and the death threats against defenders such as Sebastian Escobar of [PBI-Colombia accompanied] CAJAR are very worrying.

The people who are defending the rights to land and environment in this context of the implementation of megaprojects such as the lawyer Golfrid Siregar who was found dead [in Indonesia] in 2019.

We regret the impunity that these perpetrators enjoy.

We are seeing that instead of finding solutions the common response to these situations is the militarization of our lands. This leads to increased conflict.

These killings are happening very frequently and we are seeing defamation and criminalization and a lack of progress in public policies being established.

We would urge that States in these countries implement preventive measures that have a comprehensive approach and that are differentiated.”

The video of her presentation can be seen here (Chapter 48 / 01:19:36).

For more on Oaxaca-based human rights lawyer, feminist, and Indigenous rights activist Yésica Sánchez Maya, please click here.