By Brendan Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

LIMA, Peru – In an effort to curb the rampant violence against women experienced in Latin America, the Executive branch of the Peruvian government is proposing legislation in order to expand the definition to further protect its population. The submitted bill will amend the countries Law on Protection against Domestic Violence (LPDV) expanding the definition of violence to include coercion via sexual, physical, psychological and economic means.

According to independent estimates in Peru, 50% of women in urban areas have experienced at least one instance of physical or sexual violence, with that number rising to 69% in rural areas, and with 30 percent of women suffering some sort of psychological abuse as a result of their partners.

This new bill is just the next step that President Ollanta Humala’s fight to bring Peru into the 21^st Century. The National Parliament of Peru approved a bill that would modify the National Plan of Reparation in order to include compensation for survivors of sexual violence. This would allow those forced into prostitution, sexual slavery, survivors of sexual abuse and kidnappings that occurred in Peru’s violent wartime past. These victims will be allowed to seek compensation for any sexually based crimes that were forced upon.

The initiative to amend the LPDV would mean that any act or omission, directly or indirectly, produced between household members that could result in any type of impairment of physical, sexual or psychological or economic detriment would be punishable. Earlier domestic violence was hard to identify, with only immediately view able situations or evidence such as bruises was domestic violence easy to punish. Domestic violence has been known to affect not just the abused, but the health of children within violent households. Peruvian children whose mothers suffered from domestic violence tend to weigh less and are more likely to suffer from disease. Seeing as nearly 50% of women in Peru have reported some type of violence, these results have widespread meaning.

Economic violence would be classified as any attempt to coerce the autonomy a household, which would cause financial or property damage through loss, conversion, theft or destruction property of the partnership or owned by the victim.

The reasoning behind the amended bill works under the theory that actions of a sexual nature committed against someone against their consent or during times of duress, even without penetration constitutes a violation of human rights and an offense to human dignity.

With Peru’s less than impeccable past concerning women’s rights, this represents at least an attempt to curb the epidemic of gender inequality that haunts the Latin American country.

For more information, please see:

Gestion – Executive Proposes To Expand The Legal Definition Of Domestic Violence – 10 February 2013

Eval Central – Development That Works: The Costs Of Crime And Violence In Latin America And The Caribbean – 5 February 2013

Womankind – Peru Moves To Bring Justice For Women Survivors Of Sexual Violence During Conflict – 5 June 2012

United States Institute of Peace – Sexual Violence And Justice In Postconflict Peru – 1 June 2012

By Brendan Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

SANTIAGO, Chile – Discomfort rocks the already uneasy relations among in the South American continent. The Chilean government has felt the sting of embarrassment as a video surfaced early Wednesday morning of Chilean Marine Cadets jogging through town chanting what is being called, a ‘xenophobic’ chant. “Argentinos kill, fusilare Bolivian, Peruvian killeth,” the video echoes, or translated as “Kill Argentines, shoot Bolivians and slit the throats of Peruvians.”

The posted video was recorded by tourists visiting the coastal city of Las Salinas. Nearby the Naval Polytechnic Academy was busy, training the new batch of Chilean marines and technical soldiers for the new age. Late in the afternoon a group of ‘apprentices’ began trotting by in formation, led by a superior, chanting as they made their way to the city’s main attraction – a large flower clock tower – before returning to base.

Upon the videos dissemination via the internet the Navy immediately began the process of identification and within hours was able to identify all participants.  According to the Chilean Secretary of State, the event took place on January 28, at about 1600 hours. The Navy was almost immediately able to identify the 27 apprentices from the Academy Polytechnic, including the sergeant who was acting as an instructor.  According to reports, many of the 27 were engineering students, second year apprentices training in the mechanical field for senior technical positions before graduating as a marine. The Navy and Secretary of State were quick to denounce the apprentices actions emphasizing that “these practices are far from their doctrine” and believed that the songs were improvised to move along with the normal military marching songs.

But according to Internet users from twitter and social media, this may not have been a singular instance. While some came to the Academy’s defense, claiming that this was merely the isolated incident, others including a former graduate from the Polytechnic Academy explained that these chants are sung every day during their physical training. Another user managed to quote an allegedly missing line: “and we’ll drink their blood.”

Reeling back from the controversy, the secretary of state was quick to point out that while sanctions and punishments were to be leveled, it is currently unclear where blame should be associated with. Merely the recruits jogging and chanting, or their sergeant. Either way, the State Department will has stated that they establish an administrative inquiry within 20 days to determine possible sanctions.

For more information, please see:

La Nocion – The Chilean Navy Already Plans Xenophobic Chants Sanctions – 8 February 2013

Noticias Terra – Argentina Expressed “Discomfort” With Chilean Sailors Xenophobic Chants – 7 February 2013

Noticias Terra – Government And Xenophobic Chants: “Lyrics Are Offensive” – 7 February 2013

Latercera – Navy Report On Video Identifies Higher By Apprentices And Sets 20 Days To Assess Penalties – 7 February 2013

BBC – Chile Navy Investigates ‘Xenophobia’ In Video – 6 February 2013

By Brendan Oliver Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Colombia – Peace talks have not stifled the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and as leaders continue to hammer out a peace agreement with the Colombian government in Cuba, loyalists soldiers have stepped their insurgent activities. Since the unilateral cease-fire ended last week, FARC armed forces have continued hit and runs strikers and begun kidnapping soldiers and contractors throughout the country.

Last April in a motion of good faith the FARC claimed to have released all government forces under its control. However this past effort seems to have ended, along with the oil contractors captured, FARC rebels have re-begun their efforts and started taking members of the armed forces as “prisoners of war.” FARC rebels vowed to keep capturing armed forces and started seizing military and armed forces, and begun by seizing two police patrolmen, the first in FARCs storied history of kidnapping dozens of politicians, police officers and armed forces.

These new resurgence of kidnapping could harm the FARC peace talks. While some lawmakers speculated that should the peace talks go successfully, they may take part in the national elections next year. However governmental terms require that they lay down their arms permanently, a feat that is unlike going to happen until the peace talks have concluded.

Even if there is peace with the FARC rebels, their reintegration into society is likely to be a sore sport for many civilians. Many still feel the sting and continue to be victims of these paramilitary groups as they integrate themselves within civilian society. Looking back many still cringe as members of the M-19 rebel group won 19 seats and the mayor ship of Bogota after they disarmed after an assault on the Palace of Justice.

Since in the end of the ceasefire FARC has started targeting military structures, oil infrastructure and the contractors associated with them. After a tense standoff on Thursday which left 6 insurgents and 5 soldiers dead, FARC agreed to release 3 oil workers they had kidnapped earlier that week. Of the actions President Juan Manuel Santos claimed “They’re increasingly weak. They Increasingly have to resort to acts demonstrating their weakness, to terrorist acts, and now to kidnappings.”

Despite these new kidnappings Colombia’s Chief negotiator, Humberto de la Calle claims that they would not stray from their negotiations.  However the possibility that the conflict will continue is a constant threat, de la Calle continued “We’re going to Havana to end the conflict, that is what we agreed. And if it’s not like that, they should tell us at once, so as not to waste the time of the government nor the Colombians.”

For more information, please see:

Semana – Crisis In Havana – 2 February 2013

Reuters – Colombia Rebels Free Oil Workers, 11 Killed In Combat – 31 January 2013

Reuters – Colombia Rebels Seize Three Oil Workers, Blow Up Energy Tower – 31 January 2013

Reuters – Colombia Sets Hurdles For FARC Rebels To Join Politics – 31 January 2013

Reuters – FARC Rebels Vow To Keep Capturing Colombian Security Forces – 30 January 2013

By Brendan Oliver Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

CARACAS, Venezuela – 57 prisoners were killed in one of the bloodiest prisoner riots to strike Venezuela.in a routine and peaceful inspection prison guard met armed resistance from irate prisoners in the Uribana prison in Venezuela’s Lara province.

Early Friday prison guards and the National Guard planned an operation in an attempt to disarm prisoners from the violent prison facility. Sparked by a surge of prison violence earlier in the week as internal gangs battled for control, the guards had hoped for a peaceful inspection. Instead, as the sun rose Guardsmen were met with gunfire from an entrenched inmate position. When the dust settled and the National Guard had quelled the riot Nearly 60 people were dead, with another 120 wounded. While the official reason for this uprising is being investigated, human rights experts note that Venezuelan prisoners are notoriously overcrowded and filled weapons and drugs that have been smuggled in by corrupt prison guards and gang ‘mafias.’ Beyond the dead inmates, two protestant pastors and one soldier was killed in firefight.

Originally designed in 1997, the model prison of Uribana was built to hold 850 prisons, however when violence erupted the 23,500 square meter penal colony was holding 2,400.

Criticism has been levied on the nature of the inspections and the administration itself. Humberto Prado, leader of the activist group Venezuelan Prisons Observatory stated “It’s clear that the inspection wasn’t coordinated or put into practice as it should have been. It was evidently a disproportionate use of force.” He continued that while necessary, they should not be carried out in the warlike attitude that they have been.

Since peace has been restored, the surviving 2003 male and 132 female inmates have been moved to nearby prisons, and while another 49 inmates were discharged, 46 prisoners remain hospitalized.

The National Assembly has since begun investigating the causes of the riot at Uribana and what protocol steps can be taken in the future.

With allegations from abuse from prisoners, Correctional Service Minister Iris Varela has officially denied any allegations that inmates were run over by the National Guard, or that the population was naked while the National Guard was hitting them. Henrique Capriles, opposition leader against President Chavez’s levied heavy criticism on the administration. Stating that the vice-president ordered an investigation and then went to summit in Chile in contrast to President Rousseff of Brazil cancelled his trip. Taking advantage of the situation Capriles continued “Here, they go away to a summit. They dispose of it as if it were one more matter, one more little problem.”

For more information, please see:

Venezuela Al Dia – Parliament Began Research On Violent Events In Uribana – 28 January 2013

El Universal – Uribana Was Designed As A Model Prison – 28 January 2013

US News – Inmates Moved After Bloody Venezuela Prison Clash – 27 January 2014

El Nacional – Varela Announced That 58 Prisoners Were Killed By Violence In Uribana – 27 January 2013

CNN – Report: Prison Riot Kills Dozens In Venezuela – 26 January 2014