Organization of American States denounces murder of human rights activist in Colombia
Organization of American States denounces murder of human rights activist in Colombia
posted by Steven Cohen
Sep 26, 2013
An international human rights organization has denounced the assassination of a human rights activist who opposed a controversial damming project in Colombia. The autonomous human rights commission of the Organization of American States (CIDH) published an official statement Wednesday, denouncing the assassination of activist Nelson Giraldo in Colombia’s Antioquia department, and calling on the Colombian government to take more proactive steps in assuring the safety of the human rights community, as well as using whatever resources necessary to bring the killers to justice
Giraldo, founder of the Living Rivers Antioquia social and environmental action group, was a longtime vocal opponent of the Hidroituango Dam, a controversial project that protesters say will displace thousands of local residents and destroy the regions ecosystems.
Just over a week after a departmental court gave the Antioquia government six days to assign the special protection units being asked for by Giraldo and other protesters faced with repeated death threats, Giraldo himself was found dead, with his throat slit and bullet wounds in his chest and legs.
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Giraldo was captured and murdered on September 17th, after temporarily leaving protests to tend to his wife and children in the Ituango municipality, located 106 miles from Medellin. His death is believed to be related to his prominent activism, and to the various death threats he had received in the weeks and months preceding his murder. The threats are thought to have come from right-wing neo-paramilitary organizations still active in the area, but no group has accepted responsibility for the attack.
More:
http://colombiareports.co/organization-american-states-denounces-murder-human-rights-activist-colombia/