By Cintia Garcia

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA—The FARC and the Colombian government announced the end of the longest guerilla war in the Americas on Wednesday August 24 in Havana, Cuba. After four years of negotiations, both parties have reached a deal outlining the timeframe in which the FARC will turn in their arms and reintegrate into society.

The negotiation team released a 297-page document detailing the accords. The deal calls upon the FARC to end their drug trafficking activities. It also calls on the government to develop the rural impoverished communities of Colombia. Additionally, the deal allows FARC to reintegrate into Colombian politics by becoming a left-wing political party that will have the governments protection. The deal gives certain FARC members amnesty, and they will not be able to be indicted for war crimes.   The FARC will also hand in their weapons in a transfer to the UN monitors— though a date for the transfer has not been established.

Although the parties have agreed on the details of the peace accords, the people of Colombia will vote to approve the deal in a referendum that will be held on October 2. President Juan Manuel Santos stated, “It’s in your hands, of all Colombians, to decide with your vote to support this historic accord that puts an end to this long conflict between the children of the same nation.” The FARC will meet in mid-September to ratify the accord.

Hundreds gathered in Bogota to watch the broadcasting of the peace accords and to celebrate the end of a chapter. As President Juan Manuel Santos announced, “Today begins the end of the suffering, the pain and the tragedy of war…Let’s open the door together to a new stage in our history.” The ceasefire will officially commence on Sunday at midnight when both the FARC and the government will announce at the same time a definitive ceasefire.

For the past fifty-two years Colombia has experienced an intrastate conflict that has displaced millions and killed 260,000 victims. FARC was created in the 1960s on Marxist beliefs demanding land and social reform.

 For more information, please see:

New York Times—Colombia and FARC Reach Deal to End the Americas’ Longest War—24 August 2016.

NPR—FARC Rebels, Colombian Government Sign Historic Peace Treaty—25 August 2016.

Colombian Reports—FARC Peace Deal to be Signed in 2nd Half of September, ahead of Vote—26 August 2016.

BBC—Colombia Peace Deal: FARC to Announce Ceasefire on Sunday—27 August 2016.

By Cintia Garcia
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Colombia—The citizens of Choco, Colombia have been on strike for the past six days. They are protesting against the governments inaction in the region that has led to neglect, corruption and poverty. Forty-thousand residents marched and protested on Monday against the neglect. Under the presidential administration of Juan Manuel Santos the region has experienced an increase in poor living conditions and its citizens have vowed not to return to work until the living conditions improve.

The demographics of Choco is 90% afro-descendants and 10% indigenous. For decades the providence has been neglected by the government and deprived of basic necessities. Choco has the highest poverty rate in the country with 65% of its residents living below poverty and 37.1% are living in extreme poverty according to Colombia’s statistic agency. The region experiences rampant violence from drug trafficking activities due to the lack of government resources to fund military personal. About 72% of the population has been a victim of crime and the homicide rate in 2015 was 69.14 per 100,000 inhabitants.

The citizens are demanding more state services including hospitals to serve the region. Currently, the capital of Choco, Quibdo, is served by one hospital which caters to the medical needs of 400,000 people. The hospital has been plagued with dire conditions including corruption and embezzlement of healthcare funds. In addition to a lack of health care services, there is limited access to clean water. Many of the water sources are contaminated with mercury caused by gold mining. Furthermore, the providence has two roads that are unpaved with no roads that lead to the nearest city of Medellin—the providence is isolated from the rest of Colombia.

Because of the poverty,  the child mortality rate in Choco is 70.4 per thousand, which is 10 times the child mortality rate in the United States. The death rate of children before reaching the age of one is 42%. Many of the deaths are due to malnutrition and illnesses that are preventable including malaria. The citizens will continue its protest. The government has responded to the strike by promising to visit the region.

For more information, please see:

Colombia Reports—West Colombia Province Strikes to Demand End to Rampant State Neglect—17 August 20

El espectador—Choco Sigue Firme en el Paro, el Lunes Marcharan mas de 40 mil—21 August 2016  

Colombia Reports—Colombia’s Choco: From a Tropical Paradise to a Jungle Hell—22 August 2016

Telesur—Manifestantes del Choco Esperan Commission del Gobierno—22 August 2016

By Cintia Garcia

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

LIMA, PERU—An unprecedented number of protestors, more than 50,000, marched on August 13th denouncing violence against women. Protestors in Lima marched to the palace of justice while eight other cities across Peru simultaneously held protests. The march was an outcry against lenient sentences given by the court in two high profiled cases of male perpetrators.

Those among the protestors included the newly elected president, Pedro Pablo Kucynski and his wife. He announced his plan of combating femicide: “to ask for facilities for women to denounce violence because abuse flourishes in an environment where complaints cannot be made and the blows absorbed in silence and this not how It should be.” Also present was Victor Ticona, the president of Peru’s judicial system, he stated, “Today, the 13th of August, is a historic day for this country because it represents a breaking point and the start of a new culture to eradicate the marginalization that women have been suffering, especially with violence.” He also announced that a commission of judges would receive the protestors and listen to their demands. Protestors chanted “by touching one, they are touching all of us” and “no more violence nor impunity.”

Peru has experienced a rise in gender violence. According to the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable people, fifty-four women were killed by their partners and another 118 women were victims of femicide attempts. An estimated seven out of ten Peruvian women have been victims of violence. A study conducted by the defender’s office stated that in eighty-one percent of the cases of attempted femicide no measures were taken to protect survivors. Because the state neglected to protect survivors, twenty-four percent of those women were murdered by their male perpetrators. Ana Maria Romero, Peru’s minister of women stated, “our problem is not a lack of legislation, it is how we apply the law. Those in charge of justice need more sensitivity and a better understanding of the rights of the women.”

These protests follow those that have occurred earlier this year in Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico—all under the slogan “Ni Una Mas” coined by the slain poet and activist Susana Chavez.

For more information, please see:

The Guardian—Women in Peru Protest Against Rising Tide of Murder and Sexual Crime—13 August 2016

Telesur—Tens of Thousands March Against femicide in Peru—13 August 2016

Fox News Latino–#Not One Less: Tens of Thousands March in Peru Protesting Violence Against Women—14 August 2016

The Guardian—50,000 March in Peru Against Gender Violence—14 August 2016

By Cintia Garcia

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

LIMA, PERU–The newly appointed president, Pablo Kuczynski, the Attorney General and Office of the Inspector General will open an investigation following accusations that the national police force carried out extrajudicial killings of 27 people from 2011-2015. All 27 victims were Peruvian civilians from Lima, Ica, and Chiclayo. The police considered those they killed a nuisance or a common criminal. Innocent victims are alleged to be among the dead.

Ninety-Six members of the police force, including sixteen highly ranked officials, are among those being investigated. The units within the force being investigated are: Robbery, Intelligence, anti-terrorism, and a unit similar to SWAT. They were all under the command of Enrique Prado Ravines, a highly ranked police commander. The inspector general’s office will head the commission and investigation. The minister of interior affairs, Carlos Basombrio made it clear to the nation that “the authorities are treating the case with utmost seriousness and will have zero tolerance for the police abuses.” He continued to state that it is important to protect the institution from the bad elements. The goal of the investigation is to release a report to the nation within 10 days detailing the situation.

The allegations were brought forth by members of the police force. After receiving the complaints, the inspector general’s office immediately conducted a month long investigation that confirmed the irregularities within the force. The allegations stated that commander Enrique Prado Ravines would pay lower ranked officials to carry out the killings—which his attorney denies. The claims accuse him of creating a plan to lure the victims by using local gang and criminal organizations. These organizations would kidnap the victims and the lower ranked police officers would kill the captive’s execution style. Forensic reports have revealed that all the victims were shot in a downward trajectory most common among death squads. It was stated that Enrique Prado Ravines killed the individuals because he sought personal career advancements and monetary gains.

Such death squads have not existed in Peru since the dictatorship of Fujimori—a president that carried various human rights violations and is currently serving time in prison.

For more information please see:

RPP Noticias—Un Grupo de Policías es Acusado de Ejecuciones—31 Julio 2016

El Comercio—Presunta Ejecución de Delincuentes: en 10 días Emitirán Informe—01 August 2016

El Economista—Peru investiga a un Centenary de Agentes de la Policia por Presuntas Ejecuciones Extrajudiciales—01 August 2016

Telesurtv—Peru Investigates suspected Death Squad in the Police Force—2 August 2016

By Cintia Garcia

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

ASUNCIÓN, PARAGUAY—Skepticism of the Paraguayan justice system grows after the sentencing of 11 farmers to prison following the deaths of 6 police officers in the Curuguaty massacre. The sentences ranged from 4 to 35 years in prison.

On July 18 the formal guilty verdict was read at the Paraguay Palace of Justice. Due to fears of unruliness the government dispatched 1500 police officers to the palace. 500 individuals, including families of the farmers and activists were in attendance to hear the verdict. The guilty verdict comes after a year long trial that solely focused on the deaths of the 6 police officers and disregarded the deaths of several farmers. An investigation in their death has not been opened by the Attorney General despite the demand for an investigation from both families and activists. Since the massacre, several organizations have called attention to irregularities in the investigation. In 2013, the UN Human Rights Committee implored Paraguay to allow an “immediate, independent and impartial investigation.”

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zid Ra’ad Al Hussein, released a statement expressing his concerns by stating, “The conviction of 11 peasants in the Curuguaty case following a trial that allegedly did not respect judicial guarantees is deeply troubling.” He continued by adding that, “I’m also deeply concerned by the fact that, up to now, the deaths of 11 peasants, killed in the same incident, have not been investigated by Paraguayan authorities, nor have the allegations that some were summarily executed after being subjected to torture and other human rights violations.”

The Curuguaty Massacre occurred when police forces were sent to the Morumbi property to evict farmers who were occupying 2000 acres of land. The property was given to Blas N. Riquelme, a politician and businessman during the dictatorship of General Alfredo Stroessner. During his dictatorship, land was given to the military and political elite. Farmers in Paraguay have long voiced their demand for land reform—about 80% of the agricultural land belongs to 2.5% of the population.

For more information, please see:

Fox Latino—Paraguay Police out in Force for Curuguaty Verdict—18 July 2016

Reuters—U.N. Rights Boss ‘Troubled’ by Conviction of Farmers in Paraguay Land Killings Case—20 July 2016

UN News Centre—U.N. Rights Chief ‘Deeply Troubled’ by Conviction of Land Reform Activists in Paraguay—20 July 2016