Photo: The ESMAD riot police.
Published by Brent Patterson on
The government of President Gustavo Petro has changed the name of the controversial ESMAD police unit to UNDMO. The Mobile Anti-Riot Squadron (ESMAD) is now the Dialogue and Order Maintenance Unit (UNDMO).
Published by Brent Patterson on
On the May 17, 1990, homosexuality was declassified as a mental disorder by the World Health Organization, a day which has been established since 2004 as the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. 33 years later and the risks of identifying as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, lesbian, trans, intersex or queer person remain unaltered in many countries.
As Canada-based Frontera Energy holds its virtual annual meeting of shareholders on May 18, three Colombian human rights defenders are raising concerns about the company’s operations in San Luis de Palenque and Orocué, Casanare.
Their short videos (spoken in Spanish with English subtitles) can be seen here:
The International Delegation of Independent Lawyers travelled to Alta Verapaz, where they heard concerning allegations about violence in the context of forced evictions when they visited Indigenous communities and met with local authorities. They will publish a full report in September 2023, but in their initial observations the lawyers highlighted:
Apparent ‘systemic failures’ in the protection of Indigenous rights.
We hope you can join us on Sunday April 2 at 1 pm ET to hear Romina (Argentina) and Valentina (Italy) from PBI-Honduras and Maria (Chile) and Laura (Spain) from PBI-Guatemala talk about being a PBI field volunteer!
The webinar will have Spanish-English translation and people are already registering from the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and Latin America.
On March 8, PBI-Colombia tweeted:
“We accompany @nydia_erika [the Nydia Erika Bautista Foundation] to Washington due to the serious situation of impunity for forced disappearance in Colombia and to request the declassification of intelligence files to access information on the whereabouts of the victims and support for the law on women seekers and their protection.”
