SOS COLOMBIA. Urgent call to human rights organizations in the face of brutal police repression
From the CLACSO Working Group “Disputed States” We, along with various academic institutions in Latin America, urgently call upon the region's human rights organizations for their prompt and effective intervention in the face of the brutal police repression unleashed in Colombia. As on previous occasions, this is the state's response to the massive popular protests that have unfolded across the country since April 28th against the implementation of tax, healthcare, and pension reforms—regressive measures that undermine social rights. In the first four days alone, more than 940 cases of police violence were reported, resulting in 21 deaths.
Amid the deepening of neoliberalism and an endless war in which some 900 social leaders and 250 former insurgent combatants have been murdered since the signing of the peace agreement with the FARC-EP in 2016, social movements in Colombia have gradually regrouped over the last two decades, becoming powerfully involved in the recent cycle of popular protest that has swept across Latin America since 2019. Following the national strike in December of that year, and the mass protests against police brutality and the hunger crisis exacerbated by the 2020 pandemic, various organizations and groups called for a mobilization in the preceding weeks, which was met with massive support from diverse artistic and cultural expressions. The Iván Duque administration's refusal to withdraw the tax reform bill from Congress was followed by the announcement of the militarization of the country on the night of May 1st. Thanks to popular pressure and the breakdown of parliamentary agreements, the executive branch was forced to cancel the legislative process on tax matters, while the finance minister, Alberto Carrasquilla, has resigned. However, street protests continue because other equally harmful measures are underway, and there is no confidence that a new bill will address the demands and proposals of the people.
To all Colombians mobilizing across the country, we extend our deepest solidarity. We demand that the Colombian government halt the repression and dismantle the Mobile Anti-Disturbance Squadron (ESMAD) of the National Police, which is directly responsible for the current violence against social protest. We invite the entire Latin American academic community to join the plea for help being launched today by social movements in Colombia.
You can send your endorsements to the email address [email protected]
THE VIOLENT STATE REPRESSION AGAINST POPULAR MOBILIZATION IN COLOMBIA MUST NOT STOP!
3 of May 2021th
CLACSO Working Group
Disputed states
This statement expresses the position of Working Group on Disputed States and not necessarily that of the centers and institutions that make up the CLACSO international network, its Steering Committee or its Executive Secretariat.
English version
YOU ARE COLOMBIA. Urgent appeal to human rights bodies to intervene against brutal police repression
The CLACSO «States in Dispute» Working Group, together with various academic spaces in Latin America, urgently calls on regional human rights bodies to promptly and effectively intervene in the face of the brutal police repression that has been unleashed in Colombia. Since April 28, massive popular protest against the implementation of a highly regressive and socially damaging tax, health and pension reforms has swept the country. As on previous occasions, the state's response to this protest has been brutal. More than 940 cases of police violence, including 21 fatalities, were reported in the first four days alone..
Neoliberalism is deepening in Colombia, and an endless war has seen approximately 900 social leaders and 250 former insurgent combatants assassinated since the signing of the peace with the FARC-EP in 2016. However Social movements in Colombia have managed to gradually reorganize themselves over the last two decades, becoming strongly connected with the recent wave of popular protest agreement that has spread throughout Latin America since 2019. After the national strike in December of that year, the mass protests against police brutality, as Well as the hunger situation exacerbated by the 2020 pandemic, various organizations and movements called for a mobilization, which was broadly welcomed by diverse artistic and cultural groups. Duque's government refused to withdraw the tax reform and subsequently announced, on May 1st, the militarization of the country. Popular pressure and the breakdown of parliamentary agreements however, forced the government to cancel the tax reform, and finance minister, Alberto Carrasquilla, resigned. But the mobilization on the streets continues because there are other measures advancing, that are just as harmful, and there is no confidence that a new bill will take up the demands and proposals of the people.
To the Colombians who are mobilizing in every corner of the country, we embrace you in solidarity. We demand that the Colombian government stop the repression and dismantle the Mobile Anti-Riot Squad (ESMAD) police, who are directly responsible for the current violence against social protest. We invite the entire Latin American academic community to join this appeal, which was launched today by social movements in Colombia.
You can send your support to the following e-mail address: [email protected]
STOP THE VIOLENT STATE REPRESSION OF THE POPULAR MOBILISATION IN COLOMBIA!
3rd May 2021
CLACSO Working Group
States in Dispute
This statement was originally written in Spanish. This English translation was provided by TNI staff active in the CLACSO working group.
This statement reflects the position of the “States in Dispute” Working Group and not necessarily that of the centers and institutions that compose CLACSO's international network, its Steering Committee or its Executive Secretariat.
