On May 14, PBI-Colombia tweeted: “Today we accompany NOMADESC in the Aures neighborhood in Buga verifying cases of vulnerability of human rights related to the disproportionate use of force in mobilizations of the national strike on May 13. The use of tear gas affected even minors.”

Yesterday, PBI-Colombia had posted: “Today PBI accompanied NOAMDESC in Buga. Organizations and human rights commission alert to the disproportionate use of force by the ESMAD against protesters and affecting residents.”

NOMADESC had further commented: “ESMAD disproportionately attacks protesters and residents of the Aures and Paloblanco neighborhoods in Buga.”

Buga is a city in the department of Valle del Cauca. It is situated east of the port of Buenaventura and north of the city of Cali.

La FM reported: “According to complaints from the community [in Buga], several people in the Aures neighborhood were affected by the use of tear gas and there are also said to have been about 48 injured, who were transferred to San José Hospital in this town.”

El Espectador also noted: “Citizens denounce abuses by members of the public force and use of tear gas in residential neighborhoods.”

And this short video from El Parche Crítico also expresses the concern: “ESMAD fired expired tear gas at the protesters in Buga, some of them expired since 2014.”

Earlier this week, The Nation reported: “Following recent protests, international organizations like WOLA and Peace Brigades International are calling on Congress to end the sale of equipment and training to ESMAD until reforms are made. Colombia remains the largest recipient of US foreign aid in Latin America, receiving over $400 million per year, half of which is allocated for military and security programs.”

Statement from NOMADESC, dhColombia and other organizations.

The text below says: “The agents have violently and indiscriminately attacked those in the scene with unconventional weapons and tear gas, and adults have been injured and affected. …We call the attention of the international community to make an immediate pronouncement and thus avoid containing the critical situations in this municipality of the Cauca Valley.”

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