Urgent Action Appeal
- Details
- Published on Monday, 29 June 2015 10:00
- Written by editor
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Colombian Partner Under Surveillance
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CoDev is concerned for the safety of the director of our Colombian partner organization NOMADESC. Berenice Celeita was under surveillance by unidentified individuals after returning from a visit to Canada and the USA to expose human rights violations in Colombia.
From the evening of June 20th until the early hours of June 21st, a vehicle was parked outside the home of human rights defender Berenice Celeita (sometimes spelled Celeyta) in Bogotá. From her window she saw that the two occupants sitting at the front of the vehicle were taking photographs of her house and she saw a camera flash firing.
Berenice had just returned from a tour to Canada and the USA during which she exposed human rights violations in Colombia that have been on-going throughout the course of Colombia’s long-running internal armed conflict. She focused on the growing violence in the port city of Buenaventura and the importance of bringing to justice international economic interests that have benefitted and played a role in human rights abuses in Colombia.
Berenice called the local police to report the incident and the vehicle immediately drove away.
In the past, human rights defenders who have been under surveillance, including by the security forces, have subsequently been physically attacked.
Berenice Celeita is the director of the Research and Social Action Association (Asociación para la Investigación y Acción Social, NOMADESC). NOMADESC works with communities and social organizations in the southwest region of Colombia including indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, trade unions, women’s groups and student organizations. They work to defend and promote human rights and as a result, are frequently the target of death threats and attempts on their lives (see below for more information). CoDev and our Canadian partners have supported the work of NOMADESC since 2003. Please take a moment to join CoDev in sending a letter to Colombian President Juan Manual Santos to let him know that Canadians are concerned about Berenice’s safety and asking him to take action to ensure Berenice’s safety and well-being.
Colombians often tell us that sending a message of concern to the Colombian authorities can make a difference and helps them defend their space to continue to their work.
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