The Strength of Wayuu Women movement with the indigenous Wayuu reserve of
Zahino denounces nationally and internationally to the institutions of the
Colombian State, Public Ministries, Non-governmental organizations, and
different social organizations, the recent human rights violations being made
to different leaders and human rights defenders in times of peace.
Facts: At 18:49 on December 13th, Ms. Jakeline Romero
Epiayu, an indigenous Wayuu woman from the indigenous reserve of Zahino,
received a death threat aimed at her and her family through a text message on
her personal cell phone number.
“Do not get involved in things that are not your business, avoid problems,
your daughters are very beautiful and think of them, *profanity* avoid problems
because I will even make your mother disappear if you continue to talk…”
The harsh words from an unknown sender, just a cell phone number that sends
the texts.
These acts occur during the victim´s participation in a working group for
indigenous organizations, State entities and international cooperation in the
city of Cartagena in a multi-sector dialogue regarding the right to prior
consultation.
These acts have been notified to the Attorney General as well as all the
other pertinent official entities in order to conduct an investigation. None
the less it is very worrying these acts against indigenous women and human
rights defenders in the south of the Guajira.
It is very worrying that in these times where indigenous peoples and
especially women are making historical contributions in the construction of
peace in different territories, that these heinous acts continue to occur and
are increasing this year in the most vulnerable regions of the country.
It is worth recalling the prior systematic threats that the victim´s family
has received since 2005 by paramilitary groups. In the year of 2012 direct
threats were made to the victim and her sister and in 2014 the victim´s under
age daughter Genesis Gutierrez, being the target of these threats. All of these
situations have been denounced before all the competent entities and to date
all of these acts remain in impunity. The Strength of Wayuu Women has continued
to denounce these acts as well as the threats to other members before the
competent state entities.
It is urgent to take necessary precautions regarding the vulnerable situation of the Wayuu women, leaders within their indigenous community, that have been targeted because of openly denouncing in public debates the different situations where the rights of the Wayuu People and Mother Earth have been violated, the situation of the Wayuu victims of the armed conflict, the conditions of impoverishment of the communities, the corruption that impacts Wayuu children and women, and other situations that have put people’s lives and wellbeing at risk.
Based on the above acts, the Strength of Wayuu Women and the indigenous Wayuu reserve of Zahino in the municipality of Barrancas in the South of La Guajira rejects these threats made against the life and wellbeing of the leader Jakeline Romero Epiayu and her family. We demand immediately that:
1: All the official, competent
entities of control and investigation, such as the attorney General have been
presented the denouncements regarding the acts. For these entities to conduct
an immediate and urgent investigation of the origin of the threats made against
Jakeline Romero Epiayu to find out the intellectual and material authors of the
threats.
2: To the National Government
of Colombia so that thought the Ministry of Interior and Justice and its
program of protection, activate the necessary urgent measures for the
collective protection of the members of the Strength of Wayuu Women, who have
denounced threats in other moments yet continue to remain in imminent danger.
3: To International human
rights organizations such as the High Commission of the United Nations for
Human Rights in Colombia to follow its own mandate and demand that the
Colombian State take the necessary measures to protect indigenous women and all
human rights defenders.
4: We make a fraternal call to
the National and international human rights organizations, the diplomatic
missions and entities accredited in Colombia, to manifest themselves rejecting
these acts and equally demanding that Colombian authorities for the immediate
protection of the life of Jakeline Romero Epiayu and a permanent monitoring of
the situation of Wayuu women who find themselves in a situation of imminent
threat.
5: To the National Unity of
Protection, to make effective as soon as possible all the necessary protection
measures for the protection of Jakeline Romero Epiayu, taking in regards the
Decree Law 4633 of 2011, the Decree 4912 of 2011 and the orders emitted by the
Constitutional Court in the Auto 004 of 2009 and all other related autos.
6: To the National Unity of
Protection to analyze the levels of risk being faced by our organization, the
Strength of Wayuu Women and the indigenous Wayuu reserve of Zahino in the
municipality of Barrancas in the south of La Guajira in framework of the
process of the defense of territorial rights and the violations made to human
rights and international humanitarian rights that have impacted the Wayuu people
and to examine the possibility of granting protective measures in the context
of grave risk being present.
7: To the Unity of Attention
and Integral Reparation to Victims, so that in frame of its competencies and in
following with the Decree Law 4633 of 2011, at the municipal and departmental
level conduct all the necessary actions and the necessary measures to
guarantee the rights and the personal integrity and wellbeing of Jakeline
Romero Epiayu, that has been leading a process of inclusion for the indigenous
Wayuu reserve of Zahino in the Register of Victims and recognition as
collective subjects of reparations.
8: To the Public Ministries
(Ombudsman’s Office, Public Defender, Attorney General and Municipal entities)
to direct all the necessary efforts to guarantee that all corresponding
entities and institutions direct the efforts to conduct with utmost diligence
the necessary actions to protect the wellbeing and personal integrity of
Jakeline Romero Epiayu and her family.
9: The Presidential Program
for Human Rights to formulate a strategy and actions for the integral
development of the indigenous peoples of Colombia, within the range of their
functions so that competent entities in the present case address the impacted
by the above mentioned actions.
10: The Constitutional Court
to take the present report and examine it within the framework of Auto 004 of
2009, and recognizing the constant increase of victimization and clear
violation of individual and collective rights of the Wayuu People.
11: To the international
agencies and other social and civil society organizations that stand in
solidarity with indigenous peoples facing these violations and attacks, to
direct from their entities and organizations spaces and generate visibility,
denouncement and solidarity regarding the present situation and demand
that the Colombian State take the necessary actions to guarantee and protect
the rights of those who have been threatened.
Indigenous Peoples, especially women, birth
humans for the creation of peace in the world.
