Strength of Wayuu Women- Sütsüin Jiyeyuu Wayuu (FMW-SJW) DENOUNCE Stigmatization, persecution and threats

DENOUNCE

Stigmatization, persecution and threats

This time the threats have been directed directly to our movement and to the people who are a part of it. We have completed 14 years of tireless work in which our only weapon has been The Word we raise in defense of what we consider just for the protection of Wounmainkat - Our Mother Earth, Our Rights, and the right to live in peace.

We denounce and repudiate the new strategies of threats that have been carried out this time by the "Águilas Negras - Bloque Capital DC" through the creation of false profiles on social media networks, on April 29 at 3:50 PM, they published a pamphlet in which we are persecuted, stigmatized and threatened.

We allow ourselves to mention the facts in detail that demonstrate a new collective threat against our movement, Fuerza de Mujeres Wayuu - Sütsüin Jiyeyuu Wayuu (Strength of Wayuu Women), which specifically mentions the names of several people in our movement:

THE FACTS

1. Several of the people that make up our movement began to receive messages through social media from people close to us alerting us to the news that a pamphlet was circulating on social media in which we were threatened.

2. Approximately at 4 pm on April 29, 2019, through a profile of the social network Facebook with the name of "Pedro Lastra", two images were published and shared: one corresponded to threats of 2018 in which the logos of our organization appeared next to logos that represent the Wayuu Nation Movement, the Wayuu Araurayu Organization and the ONIC (National Indigenous organization of Colombia); the second image, specifically contained the logos of the Strength of Wayuu Women, as well as directly mentioning the names and surnames of 6 of its members: Karmen Ramirez, Miguel Ramirez, Jakeline Romero, Deris Paz, Luis Misael Socarras and Dulcy Cotes.

3. The publication of the profile "Pedro Lastra", is accompanied by a comment in which he mentions and tags two more people: Carlos Daniel Hernández and Rosa María Cano.

4. When looking over the social network site of Facebook to try to get more information about "Pedro Lastra" - around 9 PM the profile had already been deleted.

It is not the first time that misogynistic and hate-filled campaigns have targeted the Strength of Wayuu Women; we have also have had to face death threats and persecution which has even forced people of our movement to have to flee the territory. Despite the denouncements and accusations we have raised to the competent institutions, they have never given results that assure us that our work for the defense of peace, our rights, the rights of Wounmainkat and our own lives are not in danger.

In a determined way, we the people who make up el Movimiento de la Fuerza de Mujeres Wayuu - Sütsüin Jiyeyuu Wayuu declare to us:

1. In permanent defense of the rights of Wounmainkat - Our Mother Earth.

2. In permanent defense of Peace that we have helped to build from our struggles.

3. In defense and permanent struggle for water, territory and life itself.

Desde las amenazas proferidas en nuestra contra el 10 de octubre de 2018, no ha habido resultado alguno a nuestras denuncias.  Responsabilizamos, una vez más, al Estado Colombiano, por cualquier hecho que atente contra nuestro trabajo o nuestras vidas y hacemos una vez más, las siguientes  

Since the threats made against us on October 10, 2018, there have been no results to our complaints. We once again hold the Colombian State, for any fact that threatens our work or our lives and we do once again, the following

DEMANDS

1. We request the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to grant precautionary measures to the Movement of the Strength of Wayuu Women- el Movimiento Fuerza de Mujeres Wayuu - Sütsüin Jiyeyuu Wayuu, so that we can continue our work for the defense of Wounmainkat - Our Earth, Winkat - water, Kataa o'ui - life, and Anajirra A'in -Peace.

2. We ask the current government to initiate an immediate plan of action to guarantee compliance with the jurisprudence issued by the Constitutional Court in favor of indigenous peoples to prevent the extermination of our peoples because of the war. In addition, we ask that we be given priority due to our condition of serious risk in which we find ourselves in order to protect our lives.

3. We summon a Diplomatic Mission and Corps with accreditation in Colombia to monitor the delicate and vulnerable situation in which we find ourselves as defenders of the human rights in the Wayuu People. We also request that the current government be required to comply with the Peace Agreements, as well as with the internationally acquired commitments regarding human rights, especially those that have to do with the rights of indigenous peoples and human rights defenders.

4. We urge the National Protection Unit (UNP) to reevaluate the measures of the protection plan of the FMW-SJW as well as to reinforce protection strategies from a holistic vision, which contemplates spiritual protection as part of the program that allows us to guarantee not only work in our territory, but also the protection of life.

Wajira - Wounmaikat

April 30, 2019