International organizations call on US, Colombia to protect Afro-Colombians
International organizations call on US, Colombia to protect Afro-Colombians
Feb 21, 2014 posted by Maren Soendergaard
Following a series of brutal attacks, death threats and murders, several international organizations have called on US and Colombian authorities to condemn ongoing violence against Afro-Colombian leaders and their communities.
The organizations are urging Colombia’s National Protection Unit (UNP) to employ security measures to protect the victims of these communities and have called on the Vice President’s Office to openly condemn the targeted violence.
“Despite the fact that Colombia has come to the US and said that they are advancing, despite the fact of (…) a hearing where they said they were advancing on these measures, its been almost a year without measures, and threats continue to take place,” Gimena Sanchez of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) told Colombia Reports.
“While the rhetoric of Colombian authorities regarding the human rights of Afro-Colombians has changed, the reality on the ground remains the same or worse for Afro-Colombian leaders and their communities,” according to the WOLA and other groups that sent the letter.
More:
http://colombiareports.co/international-organizations-call-us-colombia-protect-afro-colombians/