On Thursday 25 February, Nury Martinez, Chair of the National Agricultural Union Federation (FENSUAGRO), member of La Via Campesina in Colombia, will address the plenary meeting of the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council. She will denounce the systematic violence and repression of peasant organisations in Colombia, as well as the ongoing selective threats against defenders of land and territories.

The representative of Fensuagro, who received death threats last November, will speak after the presentation of the annual report of the Colombian Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Martínez has the support of Friends of the Earth International, CETIM and FIAN International.

In this space, the Colombian peasant representative will denounce the failures to comply with the Peace Accords, which are directly related to state and para-state violence against social leaders, particularly peasants.

Colombia is experiencing critical times. Since 2016, at least 1129 social leaders have been murdered, added to tortures and forced disappearances, such as the recent case of Omar Moreno Ibagué in Nariño. Moreover, 2021 is so far the “most violent” year since the signing of the Peace Accords, as reported by La Vía Campesina: Between 1 to 24 January, one former combatant was murdered every five days.

“The Colombian State has to be held accountable for these breaches and has to respect its national and international human rights commitments, towards a lasting and dignified peace for its people,” stated Fensuagro a few hours before addressing the UN.

 A live broadcast of the sessions of the UN Human Rights Council can be followed here: http://webtv.un.org/live/