Precautionary Measures


PM 255-11 - Nasa people of Toribio, San Francisco, Tacueyo, and Jambalo Reservations, Colombia

On November 14, 2011, the IACHR granted precautionary measures on behalf of the members of the Nasa people of Toribio, San Francisco, Tacueyo, and Jambalo Reservations, in Colombia. The request for precautionary measure claims that the members of the Nasa indigenous people in these four adjacent reservations are facing high levels of risk because of the armed conflict in the north of Cauca department, and that they have suffered murders, forced disappearances, and other acts of violence. The application further states that although the authorities have acknowledged the risks facing the Nasa people, the appropriate measures necessary to protect them have not been adopted. The Commission asked the State to take the steps necessary to ensure the lives and persons of the members of the Nasa people of Toribio, San Francisco, Tacueyo, and Jambalo Reservations, to agree on the measures to be adopted with the beneficiaries and their representatives, and to report back on the actions carried out to investigate the facts that gave rise to the adoption of this precautionary measure.


PM 368-10 - María Tirsa Paz and others, Colombia

On July 29, 2011, the IACHR granted precautionary measures on behalf of María Tirsa Paz and others, in Colombia. The request for precautionary measures alleges the existence of a situation of risk affecting 27 Afro-Colombian women and their families displaced from the municipalities of El Charco, Barbacoas, and La Tola in the department of Nariño. According to additional information provided by the applicants, the risks remain in place in the communities to which they relocated. In particular, they reported that in June 2011, in the neighborhood where four of the beneficiaries live, four youths were killed and another six were wounded in clashes between illegal groups. The Commission asked the State to take the steps necessary to ensure the lives and persons of the 27 displaced Afro-Colombian women and their families, to agree on the measures to be adopted with the beneficiaries and their representatives through talks, with due account taken of their particular situation, and to report back on the actions carried out to investigate the facts that gave rise to the adoption of this precautionary measure.

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PM 359-10 - Members of Justice and Dignity Corporation, Colombia

On June 28, 2011, the IACHR granted precautionary measures on behalf of members of Justice and Dignity Corporation, in Colombia. The request for precautionary measures claims that over recent months, there has been a worsening in the threats, harassment, and tailing to which they have been subjected, on account of which they were forced to relocate from Santiago de Cali. It also notes that the authorities have been informed of the situation but have provided no security measures to counter the risk. The Commission asked the State to take the steps necessary to ensure the lives and persons of Alexander Montaña, Sofía López, Walter Mondragón Delgado, and Homero Montaña, to agree on the measures to be adopted with the beneficiaries and their representatives, and to report back on the actions carried out to investigate the facts that gave rise to the adoption of this precautionary measure.


PM 150-11 - Sandra Viviana Cuéllar, Colombia

On June 22, 2011, the IACHR granted precautionary measures in favor of Hildebrando Vélez. According to the information received, Hildebrando Vélez has received threats on account of his involvement in the search for Sandra Viviana Cuéllar. The Commission asked the State to take the necessary steps to protect the life and personal integrity of Hildebrando Vélez, to agree on the measures to be adopted with the beneficiary and his representative, and to report back on the actions carried out to investigate the facts that gave rise to the precautionary measure. On June 22, 2011, the IACHR expanded this precautionary measure to cover Sandra Viviana Cuéllar, in Colombia. The precautionary measure request reports that Sandra Viviana Cuéllar is disappeared and that her alleged disappearance was a consequence of her environmental protection work in Valle del Cauca. Given the seriousness and urgency of the alleged facts and the lack of information on the whereabouts of the suspected disappeared, the IACHR granted precautionary measures to ensure the beneficiary's life and person. The Commission asked the State for the immediate adoption of the measures necessary to determine the situation and whereabouts of Sandra Viviana Cuéllar and to protect her life and person, and it requested that the State report back on the actions carried out to investigate the facts that gave rise to the adoption of this precautionary measure.


PM 150-11 - Sandra Viviana Cuéllar, Colombia

El 13 de junio de 2011, la CIDH otorgó medidas cautelares a favor de Hildebrando Vélez. Según la información recibida, Hildebrando Vélez habría recibido amenazas debido a su involucramiento en la búsqueda de Sandra Viviana Cuéllar. La Comisión solicitó al Estado adoptar las medidas necesarias para garantizar la vida y la integridad física de Hildebrando Vélez, concertar las medidas a adoptarse con el beneficiario y su representante, e informar sobre las acciones adoptadas a fin de investigar los hechos que dieron lugar a la ampliación de esta medida cautelar. El 22 de junio de 2011, la CIDH amplio esta medida cautelar a favor de Sandra Viviana Cuéllar, en Colombia. La solicitud de medida cautelar alega que Sandra Viviana Cuéllar se encuentra desaparecida, y que la presunta desaparición habría sido realizada como consecuencia de su labor en defensa del medio ambiente en el Valle del Cauca. En vista de la gravedad y urgencia de los hechos alegados y la falta de información sobre el paradero de la persona presuntamente desaparecida, la CIDH otorgó medidas cautelares con el fin de garantizar la vida e integridad personal de la beneficiaria. La Comisión solicitó al Estado que adopte, de forma inmediata, las medidas que sean necesarias para determinar la situación y paradero de Sandra Viviana Cuellar y para proteger su vida e integridad personal, e informar sobre las acciones adoptadas a fin de investigar los hechos que dieron lugar a la adopción de esta medida cautelar.

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PM 355-10 - 21 Families of the Nonam Community of the Wounaan Indigenous People, Colombia

On June 3, 2011, the IACHR granted precautionary measures for 21 families of the Nonam community of the Wounaan indigenous people, in Colombia. The request for precautionary measure alleges that the families have been subject to acts of harassment on the part of the armed forces and illegal armed groups. It indicates that they were forced to move from their territory, and as a result have had serious problems with access to food, housing, and medicine. It also alleges that the families have not received consistent and effective medical and humanitarian care in the nine months since they were displaced, even though a protection order was issued in their favor. This situation allegedly led to the death of an 11-month-old girl from tuberculosis, on May 12, 2011. The Inter-American Commission asked the State of Colombia to adopt necessary measures, agreed upon with the beneficiaries, to guarantee the life and physical integrity of the 21 families of the Wounaan indigenous community; provide humanitarian assistance and medical care to the beneficiaries in a situation of displacement; and guarantee their return to the Guayacán Santa Rosa Indigenous Reserve in conditions of dignity and security.


PM 61-11 - Members of the Awá Indigenous People of the Departments of Nariño and Putumayo, Colombia

On March 16, 2011, the IACHR granted precautionary measures for the members of the Awá indigenous people of the departments of Nariño and Putumayo, Colombia. According to the request for precautionary measure and information from various sources, the Awá people have been the target of numerous attacks, murders, and threats in the context of the armed conflict in Colombia. The information indicates that clashes between the Army and irregular armed groups have taken place recently in territory of the Chinguirito Mira indigenous reserve and of the community of La Hondita, leaving members of the Awá people caught in the middle of the crossfire. The request indicates, moreover, that in 2011 three accidents have reportedly taken place involving antipersonnel landmines planted in Awá ancestral territory by participants in the armed conflict. The Inter-American Commission requested that the State of Colombia adopt measures, agreed upon with the beneficiaries, to guarantee the life and physical integrity of the members of the Awá indigenous people of the departments of Nariño and Putumayo, including landmine removal their ancestral territory and landmine risk education for the members of the Awá people.