Marta Rivas was born 29 years ago in a settlement for Salvadoran refugees in Honduras known as “Mesa Grande”, where she lived with hundreds of children who grew up during the armed conflict that took place in El Salvador from 1980 to 1992. She was named after her community: Santa Marta, located in Cabañas department, to the North of her…
Re: Publication of the “Zero Draft” text for the negotiation of a Legally Binding Instrument to Regulate, in International Human Rights Law, the activities of Transnational Corporations (TNCs) and other Business Enterprises. (1) We welcome the recent publication of the “Zero Draft” text for the negotiation of a legally binding instrument on Transnational Corporations (TNCs) with regard to human rights…
Stop the violence against Indigenous People; Recognise and Protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples Every year, since 1995, August 09 is observed as the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples where every person is “encouraged to spread the UN’s message on the protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples.” [1] 23 years on, and states still need…
The Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) held on August 7th a press conference to denounce judicial irregularities in the investigation process that is accusing eight people over Berta Cáceres femicide. The General Coordinator of COPINH, defender of peoples and territories, was murdered on March 2nd, 2016 in La Esperanza. She had been fighting against the…
In an interview with Real World Radio, Mauro Vay, founder and General Coordinator of the Peasant Development Committee (CODECA) said that the kidnapping, torture and murder of Juana Raymundo “is a sign of what we´ve been denouncing for quite some time: we are under a criminal government”. “The Ministry of Government plans extrajudicial killings against all human rights defenders, because…
It´s been a year since Santiago Maldonado disappeared and was subsequently found dead. Maldonado was an Argentinian young man who worked in solidarity with the Mapuche people, struggling to recover their ancestral lands that were acquired by business magnate Luciano Benetton. On August 1st, 2017, Maldonado disappeared after the Argentinian security forces violently repressed demonstrators at the Pu Lof community…
Palestinian teenager Ahed Tamimi, who was detained by the Israeli regime in December in the context of her struggle for the freedom of her country, was released on Sunday, together with her mother Nariman, who had also been imprisoned since then. The teenager, who was 16 years old when she was detained, became an icon of the Palestinian resistance and…
Milieudefensie – Friends of the Earth Netherlands launched a report where they warn that Dutch Banks ABN AMRO, ING and Rabobank have to take responsibility for the disastrous environmental and social consequences of providing finance to the palm oil sector at large scale. These banks should pull out of this sector, demands the organization. "What we wanted to show is…
The National Agrarian Confederation denounces mining officials are “taking over the government”. In March 2018, the Peruvian government granted a concession to mining company Minquest Peru, acquired by Camino Minerals Corporation (Canada), to exploit resources in Siete Colores Mountain and the surrounding areas, in Cusco region, without consulting the people in a prior, free and informed manner. As a consequence…
Israeli forces are forcibly displacing Palestinians as they attempt to demolish the Bedouin village of Khan al Ahmar in the occupied West Bank. Israeli forces are dragging away residents and protesters and attacking people as they resist being forcibly displaced from their homes. The Palestinian Red Crescent has reported 35 people wounded, with four taken to hospital. Our comrades at…
