An
association of cattle ranchers and foresters has attacked the offices of a non-governmental
organisation that represents indigenous and peasant farmers seeking their land
rights, and threatened to burn lawyer Cliver Rochas alive.
Amnesty
International believes his life is in grave danger.
Cliver
Rochas works for the Centro de Estudios Jurídicos e Investigación Social (CEJIS), Centre for Legal Studies and Social
Research, which offers legal aid to indigenous and peasant communities on land
issues in the north of the
country.
He heads the CEJIS office in the town of Riberalta, Beni department.
On
5 January about 30 armed men, led by leaders of the Asociación Agroforestal de
Riberalta (ASAGRI), Association of Ranchers and Foresters of Riberalta, stormed
into the CEJIS offices, destroying and looting the office equipment and
burning
documents related to land ownership in the street. The group gave CEJIS 48 hours to abandon the area, and threatened
to burn Cliver Rocha alive if he returns to Riberalta.
On
8 January ASAGRI circulated a "Public Statement" (Manifiesto
Público), justifying the attack on CEJIS and accusing the organisation of
"creating confrontations between us and our peasant and indigenous
brothers" (enfrentarlos con los hermanos campesinos e indígenas). Reportedly,
ASAGRI has also threatened another three NGOs working on development and land
issues, telling them to leave the region before the end of January 2005,
"or we will be
compelled
to take action" (nos veremos obligados a tomar acciones de hecho).
ASAGRI
has also warned the indigenous Tacana people in the Miraflores area of Beni to leave the communal land that was
officially granted to them in 2002, saying that otherwise they will be evicted
by force. CEJIS has represented the Tacana in several disputes over land rights
The
local authorities reportedly refused to give protection to CEJIS in Riberalta
after the attack, suggesting instead that they close the offices until 13
January, when a national commission is expected to arrive to solve the land
problems affecting the indigenous community of Miraflores.
Cliver
Rocha has represented Tacana interests for some years. In April 2003, was
attacked and threatened by a local businessman who was claiming Tacana land.
(See UA 1129/03, AMR 18/005/2003, 2 May 2003 for details.)
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as
possible, in Spanish if fluent, otherwise in your own language:
-
expressing concern for the safety of members of CEJIS in Riberalta, who were
attacked on 5 January by an armed group led by members of the Asociación
Agroforestal de Riberalta;
-
expressing concern for the safety of lawyer Cliver Rocha, whom the group
threatened to kill;
-
urging the authorities to take immediate and effective action to protect Cliver
Rocha and members of CEJIS so that they can perform their legitimate work
without fear of attack or harassment;
-
calling for a full and impartial investigation into the attack on the CEJIS
office in Riberalta and the threat to burn Cliver Rocha alive, with the results
made public and those responsible brought to justice;
-
urging the authorities to arbitrate promptly in land disputes to reduce the
risk of violence.
APPEALS TO:
President
Excmo
Sr. Presidente de la Republica de Bolivia
Sr.
Carlos Mesa Gisbert
Palacio
de Gobierno, Plaza Murillo, La Paz, Bolivia
Fax: +5912 220 3303
Email: webmaster@presidencia.gov.bo
Salutation:
Sr. Presidente /Dear President Mesa
Minister
of the Presidency, Justice and Human Rights
Sr. Ministro de la Presidencia e
Interino de Justicia y Derechos Humanos
Sr. José Antonio Galindo
Palacio de Gobierno, Plaza Murillo,
La Paz, Bolivia
Fax: + 5912 2 220 0383
e-mail: correo @presidencia.gov.bo
Salutation:
Sr. Ministro/Dear Minister
Beni
Authority
Sr.
Prefecto del Departamento del Beni
Dr. Fernando Ávila Chávez
Plaza
Ballivián acera Sur s/n, Trinidad, Beni, Bolivia
Fax:
+5913 465 2157
Salutation:
Sr. Prefecto / Dear Prefect
Email:
despachopref@coteautri.net.bo
COPIES TO:
NGO
CEJIS - Santa Cruz
Alfredo
Jordán No. 79
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Fax: + 591 3 535169
E-mail:
cejis@scbbs-bo.com
National
Ombudsman
Sr.
Defensor del Pueblo
Dr. Waldo Albarracin
Calle Colombia 440, La Paz, Bolivia
Fax: +5912 211 3538
Email: delpueblo@defensor-bo.net
Newspaper
El Deber
Av. El Trompillo 1144 entrada Av. San Aurelio
Santa
Cruz, Bolivia
Fax:
+ 591 3 536637
and
to diplomatic representatives of Bolivia accredited to your country.
BOLIVIAS
AMBASSAD
S.
KUNGSVÄGEN 60
181
32 LIDINGÖ
FAX
08-767 63 11
e-post:
embolivia-estocolmo@telia.com
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
AI Index: AMR 18/001/2005 13 January 2005
Bolivia: Fear for safety/death
threats
PUBLIC AI Index: AMR 18/001/2005
13 January 2005
UA 09/05 Fear for safety/death
threats
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