Another Displaced Leader Killed
News from Colombia |
on: Monday, 25 July 2011
Colombian human rights organisations have reported the assassination of yet another human rights activist representing displaced people. 31 yr old mother of three Keila Esther Berrio Almanza was a member of the League of Displaced Women in Turbaco, Bolivar department. The League was founded by her mother in 1999, and has received threats since 2001. In 2009 Keila’s brother, the leader of the League’s youth wing was assassinated. Following his murder the Berrio family was granted Inter-American Human Rights Commission precautionary measures in November 2009, but despite repeated requests the Colombian state did not provide them with any protection. Since then the League as a whole has been granted IAHRC precautionary measures, but no protection has been provided by the Colombian authorities.
In recent months the League has received threats from the Black Eagles and ERPAC paramilitaries. The League has blamed the Colombian state for neglecting to fulfil its obligation to protect it and has denounced the impunity with which crimes against human rights defenders and other social activists are met. The League of Displaced Women is recognised in the region for its work defending the human rights of displaced people.
