The Bajo Aguán valley is witnessing an alarming situation of violence and repression against peasant communities: between January 2010 and early October 2011, 40 people involved in peasant organizations in the region were murdered. For several years, approximately 3,500 peasant families have claimed their right to food and access to agricultural lands in an environment infused with rural conflicts with the principal palm oil producers in the region. National and international human rights organizations have monitored the situation and concluded that the peasant communities are completely defenseless and unprotected against the authorities´ actions and omissions. Testimonies from the victims, their families and witnesses point to the private and public security forces as those responsible for the deaths, torture, threats and harassment of the peasant communities.
Attached, you find the word version of the Urgent Action, as well as a Petition format, where many signatures are gathered collectively, and you as respective SCC would send this list of signatures to the recipients of the Urgent Action.
