UNHRC: Peasant leader denounces systematic violence against peasants’ organizations in Colombia
On Friday 26 February, Nury Martinez, President of the National Agricultural Trade Union Federation in Colombia (FENSUAGRO), member of La Via Campesina, will address the plenary meeting of the 46th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. She will denounce the systematic violence and repression against peasant organizations in Colombia, as well as the continuous selective threats against defenders of land and territories.
With the support of Friends of the Earth International, CETIM and FIAN International (allied organizations with consultative status at the United Nations), the FENSUAGRO representative will take part in the discussions on the occasion of the presentation of the annual report for the Colombian Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
In this space, Martinez will also elaborate on the non-compliance with the Peace Agreements, which is directly related to state and para-state violence against social leaders, particularly peasants. Since 2016, at least 1,139 social leaders have been assassinated. There are also instances of torture and forced disappearances, such as the recent case of Omar Moreno Ibagué in Nariño.
The Colombian State must be held accountable for these failures, and must respect its national and international human rights commitments to build a lasting and dignified peace for its people.
Link to follow live broadcast of the UN debate: http://webtv.un.org/live/