Intimidation of a human rights defender working for The Interchurch Justice and Peace Commission

A few minutes ago, in the Tequendama International Center, in the city of Bogotá, Danilo Rueda was approached from behind by two men.

One of them slapped his head and the other said, “Guerrilla. Death to the members of Justice and Peace.”

The men continued in the opposite direction from the way our defender from the Justice and Peace Commission was going.

This is the fourth incident in fewer than 15 days with members of our Justice and Peace Commission.

For five weeks, we have known that there is a plan against the Curvaradó leaders and members of our Justice and Peace Commission if the businessmen have to go to jail or give back the land.

A week ago, the accompaniment team was forced to abandon the Curvaradó region because of the high risk presented by the plan underway against members of the Commission.

There is still no response from CERREM to the request for additional physical protection measures for all the members of the Justice and Peace Commission.
Nor have the measures approved more than six months ago been implemented.

Bogotá D.C, August 22, 2013


Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz
I
nterchurch Justice and Peace Commission