An indigenous leader from the southwest of Colombia has received death threats from paramilitaries, reported local media Sunday. The leader from the Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca (ACIN), Feliciano Valencia, was alerted by indigenous authorities Saturday that a group of paramilitaries claiming to be the officially-demobilized AUC (United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia) made threats against his life.
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The Committee for the Integration of the Colombian Massif (CIMA) denounces -- before regional, national and international human rights organizations -- the assassination of Luz Eneida Gómez. Ms. Gómez was 35 years old and the wife of community leader Oscar Díaz. Mr. Díaz is a member of the CIMA, as well as the Committee of Coffee Producers of the La Sierra Municipality, Cauca Department (province). FACTS:
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The neo-paramilitary network Aguilas Negras (Black Eagles) issued pamphlets on Friday threatening “FARC symphatizers” with “social cleansing” in Colombia’s southwestern Cauca department. “The time for social cleansing in northern Cauca has come,” began the pamphlet distributed in the Cauca municipalities of Miranda, Caloto and Corinto. The three municipalities are considered to be strongholds of left-wing FARC rebels.
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Day of action organizers speak out about repression, connections, solidarity by SANDRA CUFFE The Dominion - http://www.dominionpaper.ca
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“We are not going to hurt anybody, but we will use the force of our united community, our words and our rights to gain back our territories.” The social, union and human right organizations that have signed below express before the national and international community our solidarity and support for the indigenous communities of Cauca department (province), who have demanded the demilitarization of their ancestral territories. “We do not want to hear a single shot. Wherever we hear one is where we will go,” said Minga for Life, a community organization.
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Why a Week Against Prisons? History of Prisoners'justice day Calendar Sunday August 12th 2012Street Festival - Freedom for All Political Prisoners organized by Tadamon and PASC 1pm-6pm Square Phillips, corner of St. Catherine and Union Metro McGill
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President Juan Manuel Santos announced the arrival of 28,000 troops Tuesday in Colombia's southwestern Cauca department, where a recent surge in violence has forced thousands from their homes. The new arrivals will become part of the Southwestern Joint Command comprised of soldiers from the army's Third Division and special forces from Colombia's Air Force and Navy. The Colombian defense minister said he hoped military forces continued their collaboration with the department's police to combat illegal armed groups.
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In recent months, Canadians have been infuriated to hear that their government is subsidizing profitable overseas mining operations by channelling international aid money into corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects of companies like Barrick Gold. But this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the political and economic support that the Canadian government provides to promote Canadian corporate interests abroad.
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(Bucaramanga, Colombia) Late last week, the World Bank Group accepted a complaint and will evaluate its investment in Eco Oro Mineral’s Angostura mining project, a proposed large-scale gold mine located in a fragile, high-altitude wetland called the Santurbán páramo, which provides water to over 2.2 million Colombians.
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The organizations listed below would like to call the following situation to the attention of national and international human rights organizations and the public. Over the past months, in the municipality of Tiquisio, in the department of Sur de Bolívar, paramilitary groups have increased their presence. This has had grave consequences for local residents. Facts:
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