South America

Prison Riots Leaves 57 Dead In Overcrowded Venezuelan Prison

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.

The National Guard taking action against rioters in Venezuela’s Uribana prison. (Photo Courtesy of CNN)

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

Colombian Ceasefire Ends, Hostilities Escalate

By Brendan Oliver Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTÁ, Colombia – After months of negotiations, and two months of a ceasefire, Colombia’s FARC Marxist resistance army has taken up arms again. While talks have not broken down between FARC leadership and the Colombian government, the ceasefire initiated by the FARC ended on January 20th after the Colombian government refused to lay down their arms.

Colombian negotiators address the media concerning the end to the FARC ceasefire and public concern of the negotiations.  (Photo Courtesy of the BBC)

Generally the Colombian government believed that FARC had complied with their ceasefire, President Juan Manuel Santos stated “The fact is that the number of operations carried out by the group decreased significantly, the number of police and soldiers killed or injured decreased,” showed compliance with the self-initiated cease-fire. While the military registered at least 52 violations of the truce, it was unclear if whether the guerrillas were attacking or defending themselves.

As the ceasefire ended Ivan Marquez, chief negotiator for FARC told the press “With heartache again we must admit the return of the military phase of the war, which nobody wants.” A short time later FARC rebels reignited hostilities. Within hours FARC rebels began assaulting municipalities in Tarra (near the Venezuelan border) with mortars and machine guns. The first assault left 3 soldiers wounded, while the second attack claimed the first FARC attributed death since the ceasefire ended.

Beyond assaults on military targets, Guerrillas have targeted and blew up two oil pipelines in Southern Colombia and attacked a coal train. These attacks are indicative of the FARCs attempts to disrupt the economic infrastructure of the Latin American country.

Some have criticized for not following suit and agreeing to a bi-lateral ceasefire, the government argued that historically the rebels would use the opportunity to rearm. A decade ago when the Colombian government entered into peace talks with the FARC rebels, they agreed to a bilateral military ceasefire. The rebels used this opportunity to rearm and launch a new offensive which took the Colombian military by surprise. This lead to a ten year offensive which has since displaced an additional 600,000 civilians and whittled the Rebels forces from over 16,000 fighters to under 9,000.

While the ceasefire has ended, peace negotiations continue. However until everything is agreed upon, nothing will be solved. Until the government of Colombia and FARC can agree on kidnapping compensation, the political nature of FARC, Redistribution of land , drug trafficking and end to the conflict, the negotiations will continue.

The two sides have been fighting since the formation of the FARC as a communist movement in 1964 in what is now Latin America’s longest-running insurgency.

For further information, please see:

Noticias Terra – FARC Attack Pipelines And Bomb Throwing Coal Train – 22 January 2013

Colombia Reports – FARC Kills 1st Soldier After Temporary Truce Comes To End – 21 January 2013

BBC – Colombia Farc Rebels End Unilateral Ceasefire – 20 January 2013

Yahoo – Colombia’s FARC Rebels End Ceasefire – 20 January 2013

Al Jazeera – Colombia Refuses To Extend Farc Ceasefire – 20 January 2013

BBC – Farc Ceasefire ‘To End’ As Peace Talks Resume In Cuba – 14 January 2013

Expected Confrontation Between Ecuadorian Tribe And Oil Company Delayed

By Brendan Oliver Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America 

QUITO, Ecuador – On January 15th, the state sponsored Oil Company Petroamazona was set to begin excavating the small island of Sani Isla, a tropical rain forest attached to the nearby Yasuni National Park. However the inhabitants of this bio-diverse forest announced their intentions to fight the oil company to the death. The indigenous Kichwa tribe stated they defend their territory and “stand should to shoulder to prevent anyone from passing.” Human rights activists feared a slaughter as the oil-company has the backing of a private security force and the might of Ecuadorian army. However January 15th, came and went with the Oil Company refraining from landing on the island and beginning their exploration.

Yasuni National Park sits on top of $7.2 billion dollars worth of oil and is the target of oil expansionists. (Photo Courtesy of the Guardian)

The Kichwa Indians one of the last isolated and nomadic tribes left in Ecuador backed up their promise by arming themselves. While only decades ago still using blow guns to fight illegal loggers, they indigenous tribe has since assorted a cache of machetes and machine guns with the intent on using them against anyone they deem to be trespassing illegally on their land. They promised that while they would not initiate the hostilities, they would defend their ancestral home from the oil company’s’ expansion.

Petroamazona claims that they have a legitimate claim on the land. According to the Guardian early offers from the oil company included a new school, increased healthcare and university spots for the villages children. But it seems a vocal minority within the tribe pushed the deal through, with 80% of the 400 villagers resisting the deal. The deal that Petroamazona is relying on was a contract signed by the chief of the village, despite having no authorization to grant the rights. In 2009 the Kichwa community delivered a document to Petroamazonas stating they would never hand over the Sani Isla land for development, a document that would be legitimate under indigenous law. However the Ecuadorian government has claimed that due to changes in the national constitution has rendered it invalid.

Kildar Gualinga, the community’s secretary has stated that “People think its dishonest and the oil company is treating them like dogs. It does not respect the land or the planet. There is no deal, nothing is agreed. The people do not want the oil company. They’re very upset and worried”

While Petroamazonas did not press their confrontation on Tuesday, they are still trying to secure exploration rights to $7.2 billion dollar oil reserves hidden under the rain forest.

For further information, please see:

First Peoples – Kichwa Community’s Fight To The Death On Hold, For Now – 18 January 2013

The Guardian – Ecuadorian Tribe Gets Reprieve From Oil Intrusion – 17 January 2013

Digital Journal – Kichwa Amazon Tribe Fights Big Oil To Keep Rainforest Safe – 16 January 2013

The Guardian – Ecuadorean Tribe Will ‘Die Fighting’ To Defend Rainforest – 13 January 2013

Brazil To Force Drug Treatment On Users In Cracklands

By Brendan Oliver Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, Please See:

BRASILIA, Brazil – In the mid-morning air they emerge, staggering and glassy eyed, no real sense of direction as they shamble in dirty clothes. This is a “crackland” in Brazil, a gathering of hundreds of users of the narcotic ‘crack’ the cocaine derivative that plunged the United States in the 1990’s into a crisis that fueled today’s modern drug war. Now in Brazil something similar is happening, but wider and less hidden. Daily, hundreds of users gather in these ‘cracklands’ to openly use and sell drugs, either oblivious to the police watching or uninterested, another black eye on the South American country still reeling from the escalation in violence and murders in Sao Paulo.

Crack use has become painfully public in many Brazilian slums. (Photo Courtesy of AP)

Considered to be the world’s top consumer of crack cocaine with over a million users, Brazil says it’s ready to crack down on the crack epidemic. Before the World Cup arrives in 2014, officials have pledged to clean up the streets, and that means violent sweeps by Brazilian police officers.

The sometimes violent sweeps reignited debate as to whether or not there are better ways to clean up the Brazilian streets. Early January 10 a ten-year old addict was living in a ‘crackland’ when police arrived and scattered the mass of addicts. The boy was already a casualty of the cruel drug, his father dead and his mother an addict he left home days before to consume crack in the makeshift shanty towns. His older brother found him, but was unable to convince him to return home. During the raid he was trampled by the fleeing addicts, with his name added to the list of casualties claimed by the drug.

But sweeps and dismantling of these makeshift areas are not a permanent solution, and to continue in its fight against the addicts of the city Sao Paulo, officials and police will begin rounding up addicts and forcing them into treatment centers, with their consent or without. Rio de Janeiro and a few other cities have already been doing this with minors, a program heavily criticized by Human Rights Organizations. The plan set to be enforced is not said to be widespread however. Justice Secretary of Sao Paulo, Elois de Sousa stated that “These are extreme cases, and we cannot just let people die,” explaining that the forced treatment program will only be used for the worst cases, and for individuals whose requested they be brought in and cleaned up.

For further information, please see:

France 24 – Sao Paluo To Force Treatment On Crack Addicts – 11 January 2013

Reuters – Boy’s Death Highlights Brazil’s Raids On “Cracklands” – 10 January 2013

NPR – Brazil’s Drug Epidemic: Welcome To ‘Crackland’ – 1 January 2013

Huffington Post – Crack In Brazil: Authorities Debate Treatment Options For Crack Epidemic – 30 December 2012

Falkland Exchange Leads To Increased Troop Deployment

By Brendan Oliver Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America 

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – What began last week as a simple diplomatic barrage of propaganda between Argentina and Great Britain has seemingly escalated between the two nations as the British have begun growing their armed garrison in support of the Falkland islands.

Argentina dismayed by UK’s Assertion of Falklanders Independence. (Photo Courtesy of Falklands)

President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner reignited Argentina’s claim on the Falklands Islands with a strongly worded letter posted in British newspapers early last week.  Whether she believed that the United Kingdom (UK) would budge is irrelevant as Prime Minister Cameron David immediately responded with a resounding NO, standing by their resolve to protect the Falklands, for as long as the islanders wished to remain a part of the UK.

Despite the simple diplomatic statement made by the Prime Minister, ‘The Daily Mail’, a popular British tabloid responded with scathing article in a Buenos Aires newspaper summed up with the with simple message “Hands Off!”

While most would think this simple exchange would be nothing new in the thirty years since the British-Argentinian War, there has been no real decision on with the Islanders Sovereignty. The Argentinians maintain a claim to the islands and an “end of colonialism”, The UK has maintained their position that they have a legitimate claim, and the backing of the islanders.

Many believe that oil is the main reasoning behind the Kircheners push. With the Argentinians economy at a decade low, with only 2% growth, a staggering inflation growth, wand large scale riots and work stoppages many believe that this new national push is a distraction from their domestic issues.

The Daily Mail article seems to have stirred up trouble, and individuals and business on both sides have taken the bait. Argentinians hurled insults and verbal abuse at cruise line passengers attempting to disembark at Buenos Aires, with many activist burning the Union “Jack” Flag. In response, numerous European cruise lines have stopped servicing the area harming the countries tourism.

While Britain already keeps a garrison of about 1,2000 troops, this increase has already been meet with a weary statement by President Kirchner  “We ask Mr Cameron not to use our legitimate and peaceful claim … as an excuse to maintain the weapons industry,” citing the belief of Britain militarizing the South Atlantic.

Prime Minister Cameron responded with a statement concerning the Islanders, “They’re holding a referendum this year and I hope the president of Argentina will listen to that referendum and recognize it is for the Falkland Islanders to choose their future, and as long as they choose to stay with the United Kingdom they have my 100 per cent backing.”

For more information, please see:

Pagina 12 – Britain Will Send 150 Soldiers To The Falklands – 9 January 2013

Marti Noticias – London and Beunos Aires Again Battling Over Falklands – 9 January 2013

The Telegraph – Argentina Condemns David Cameron’s ‘military threats’ Over Falklands – 7 January 2013

The Telegraph – David Cameron: We Would Fight A Falklands Invasion – 6 January 2013

The Telegraph – Falklands: Argentines Abuse Cruise Line Passengers In Buenos Aires –  5 January 2013