Distr. GENERAL
E/CN.4/2002/97/Add.1
6 March 2002
ENGLISH ONLY
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Fifty-eighth session
Item 15 of the provisional agenda
Indigenous Issues
Human rights and indigenous issues
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, Mr. Rodolfo Stavenhagen, submitted pursuant to Commission resolution 2001/57
Addendum
Selected summaries of communications examined by the Special Rapporteur in 2001/2002
1. During the six months (August 2001-January 2002) since he assumed his mandate, the Special Rapporteur has received communications, examined numerous documents, and consulted with government officials and delegates, representatives of indigenous peoples and non-governmental organizations. From this material he has drawn a preliminary sample of issues and alleged violations of the human rights of indigenous peoples that are of current concern in numerous countries. The following summaries represent but a small selection of cases to which his attention has been drawn.
2. The alleged facts presented in this addendum are based on reputable and credible sources. The Special Rapporteur has not been able to verify independently the allegations and conclusions reached by the authors of these documents and statements, and withholds any personal interpretation and judgement. The cases are presented for information purposes only, and the Special Rapporteur welcomes additional information that may become available on these and other cases.
(…)
8. Case 5. A more complex situation is that of indigenous peoples in Colombia who are victims of the civil war between the Government of Colombia and revolutionary movements such as the FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia). Their leaders and spokespersons have been threatened, persecuted, arrested and killed by paramilitary groups, guerrillas, or members of the police or armed forces (not to mention in drug traffic-related violence). In this context, the human rights of indigenous communities are widely abused, and urgent protective action has been sought by indigenous and human rights organizations worldwide. The High Commissioner’s report on the human rights situation in Colombia underlines the particularly serious situation of indigenous peoples such as the Emberá who have been victims of kidnapping, murder, forced displacement, threats and other abuses, allegedly committed by paramilitary groups, the armed forces and revolutionary organizations. These persistent and extensive human rights violations have also been documented by the Government’s own human rights defender’s office (Defensoría del Pueblo).
