Colombian government continues to disregard the rights of citizens

BY AMANDA WILLIAMS

A national strike started on April 28^th, 2021, in Colombia, with multiple massive demonstrations across the country against a bill that would have increased taxes on income and essential goods, affecting a large sector of the Colombian population. Although the Columbian government withdrew its $6.7 billion tax plan on May 2^nd, protests have continued across the country.

As of May 9^th, Colombian human rights organizations have recorded the death of 47 people, 12 cases of sexual violence, 28 victims of eye injuries, 963 arrests, and 1,876 acts of police violence. In addition, the Attorney General’s Office had 168 active requests for missing persons and other reports of torture, beatings, ill treatment, and attacks by armed civilians, many in the presence of the police.

Furthermore, paramilitary-style accomplices in plain clothes and firing weapons were filmed on multiple occasions joining uniformed officers to attack protesters. The protestors’ demands include, but are not limited to: reforming the police, implementing a basic income plan, and providing free tuition at public universities.

President Joe Biden tweeted, “America won’t back away from our commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms. No responsible American president can remain silent when basic human rights are violated.” The tweet, an excerpt from the U.S. president’s prepared congressional address, was retweeted on May 1^st by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken with the caption, “We will always defend human rights at home and abroad.” 

Amnesty International USA called on Anthony Blinken to immediately cease the direct or indirect supply, sale, or transfer of equipment used, such as small arms, shotguns, and related ammunition, as well as tear gas, riot control projectiles, launchers, armoured vehicles, dual-use surveillance technologies, training, and any other technical or financial assistance.

“The United States government has been an agonizing party to the killing, disappearances, sexual violence, and other torture, and horrendous repression of dozens of mostly peaceful demonstrations,” said Philippe Nassif, the advocacy director of Amnesty International USA.

In a letter to Anthony Blinken, U.S. Representative James P. McGovern, Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Mark Pocan, Jan Schakowsky, Raúl M. Grijalva and 55 of their colleagues urged the U.S. Government to denounce police brutality in Colombia.

“Colombia’s security forces, especially its National Police, are more unleashed than we have seen in decades of strife – hundreds of citizen videos show aggressive, indiscriminate use of lethal and non-lethal weapons against citizens in ways that violate both Colombian law and international human rights standards,” wrote the lawmakers.

According to Justice for Columbia, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) made a formal request to visit and monitor human rights abuses in Colombia on May 14^th, 2021. However, the Colombian government rejected the demand on the grounds that any visit should occur once Colombian authorities’ investigations have been concluded.

Although the government has now confirmed that an IACHR delegation will visit Colombia in June, they have attempted to shift the focus of investigation away from security forces and onto protesters. Vice-President Martha Ramírez urged the delegation to meet primarily with state institutions to investigate ‘attacks on judicial power,’ ‘vandalism,’ and road blockades that the government says have impacted local populations. The letter made no mention of the widely documented police violence that has drawn concern from multiple organizations.

On May 28^th, President Iván Duque issued an order to increase military deployment in eight departmental regions. Since then, significant violations, including deaths in Cali, Putumayo in southern Colombia, and elsewhere, have been reported.

The government continues to disregard the rights of citizens. Human rights are being dismissed or violated at increasing rates over the past year, which poses the question: Do people worldwide have human rights at all? Furthermore, if governments can quickly and continuously violate them, how can we possibly hold them accountable when they have the ability to dismiss or delay external investigations?