Prioritize Afro-Colombian and Indigenous Rights and Tackle Racism in Colombia: Message by 16 U.S. Co
12 AUG 2021 | NEWS
Prioritize Afro-Colombian and Indigenous Rights and Tackle Racism in Colombia: Message by 16 U.S. Congressional Representatives to Secretary of State Blinken
On August 10, U.S. Representative Hank Johnson (D-GA) led 15 other members of the U.S. House of Representatives* in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, once again urging the U.S. Department of State to prioritize ethnic rights and to more forcefully denounce police brutality in Colombia. Over 36 U.S and Colombian civil society organizations** including human rights, labor, religious, and ethnic organizations endorsed this call to action.
In the absence of strong U.S. actions to curb the violent repression of protests in Colombia, more abuses continue to occur. NGO Temblores has documented over 4,285 incidents of police violence, including physical altercations, improper use of weapons, arbitrary detentions, disappearances, sexual violence, and 43 recorded homicides. The racialized aspects of this violence escalate with practices of racial profiling and territorial exclusion, all of which deepen the discrimination against Afro-Colombian and Indigenous peoples.
The Members of Congress want the State Department to temporarily withhold security assistance until Colombian security forces—particularly the national police and anti-riot police (Escuadrón Móvil Antidisturbios, ESMAD)—cease its disproportionate use of force, misuse of crowd control weapons, and abuses against rightful protestors. These cases of abuse must be investigated and brought to justice, and Colombia must undertake a comprehensive reform of its police forces.
More:
https://www.wola.org/2021/08/prioritize-afro-colombian-indigenous-rights-tackle-racism-colombia-16-us-congressional-representatives-secretary-blinken/
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