July 12, 2024
The Latin America Working Group (LAWG) strongly condemns the attack on Javier Rojas Uriana, a human rights defender, leader and member of the Shipia Wayúu Association in La Guajira Department. The attack involved an explosive device targeting Mr. Rojas on July 2. This act is part of an ongoing campaign of disinformation, persecution, coercion, threats, and other forms of retaliation against him for his unwavering defense of indigenous rights. Mr. Rojas received the Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award from the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) in 2016 in recognition of his outstanding work.
Javier Rojas Uriana has been a resolute leader in raising awareness about the humanitarian crisis in La Guajira, marked by severe shortages in basic services such as water, food, and medical care due to government neglect. In 2015, the Shipia Wayuu Association successfully petitioned the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to issue Precautionary Measures MC-5115, initially aimed at protecting Wayúu children and later expanded to include pregnant mothers and the elderly. However, successive governments ignored these demands and recommendations from the Commission, leading the Constitutional Court to declare a State of Unconstitutionality in La Guajira due to the systematic violation of constitutional rights of Wayuu children. Despite the orders issued in ruling T-302/17 to protect the rights of the Wayúu people, the community continues to suffer due to the governmental neglect, corruption, and inefficiency in implementing effective measures.
LAWG is extremely concerned about the high levels of violence and the lack of guarantees for human rights defenders in Colombia. According to the IACHR, Colombia continues to lead the region in the number of murders of defenders in 2023. Despite expectations regarding peace policies and efforts by the Petro government, as well as its stated political will, progress has not been sufficient to ensure the necessary conditions to protect the work of human rights defenders.
The NGO Somos Defensores documents this critical situation in its report ‘Puntos Suspensivos’, where defenders continue to face various forms of violence, including murders, threats, attacks, forced displacements, forced disappearances, theft of information, arbitrary detentions, kidnappings, unfair legal proceedings, torture, and sexual violence. According to the report, human rights defenders and social leaders suffered 765 aggressions in 2023, a slightly lower figure compared to the previous year but not significant change in the trends of aggressions.
In response to this crisis, LAWG urges the Colombian State to implement immediate measures. First, the State should conduct a prompt and thorough investigation to identify and sanction those responsible for the attacks against Javier Rojas Uriana. Secondly, the government must abide by the Inter-American Human Rights Commission ‘s ruling to guarantee the protection of the lives and personal integrity of the Wayúu people.
Third, it is imperative to strengthen existing protection mechanisms and implement effective policies that guarantee the life, integrity, and security of all human rights defenders in Colombia.
These measures should include, analyzing the Emergency Plan for the protection of social leaders, human rights defenders, and signers of the peace accord; convening the National Roundtable on Guarantees (Mesa de Garantías) immediately with the full participation of high-level officials responsible for related policies to create consensus and momentum on the protection of human rights defenders; and reengineering the National Protection Unit (Unidad Nacional de Protección, UNP). To maximize success in the development and implementation of these actions, the active participation of Indigenous, human rights platforms and civil society organizations is crucial.
LAWG also urges the international community to work with the Petro government and civil society organizations to bring awareness to the humanitarian crisis in La Guajira and implement solutions.
LAWG deeply values the fundamental role of Indigenous and human rights defenders in democratic societies. As guardians of human dignity, they courageously confront challenges and risks to ensure that we all live in more equitable, sustainable and inclusive societies. Their commitment inspires and strengthens our efforts towards a world where the rights of every individual are respected and protected.
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