24th January 2025 Communiqué from OIDHACO and its members Regarding the Recent Events in Catatumbo and the Humanitarian Crisis[1] in Colombia The International Office for Human Rights in Colombia (OIDHACO) and its members express their deep concern over the recent events in the Catatumbo region. Located in the northeast of Colombia, in the department of
International civil society organizations working on behalf of Colombia express their gratitude for the invitation by the European Union’s External Action Service to participate in the collection of inputs and information for the Human Rights Dialogue between Colombia and the European Union (EU), which will take place on 2 July 2024. We deeply appreciate the
The “Alianza de Organizaciones Sociales y Afines por una Cooperación Internacional para la Paz y la Democracia en Colombia”, the “Coordinación Colombia Europa Estados Unidos, CCEEU”, and the “Plataforma Colombiana de Derechos Humanos, Democracia y Desarrollo, PCDHDD”, condemn the armed attacks against the Nasa community in the municipality of Toribio, Cauca. In particular, are repudiated
Oidhaco and European civil society organisations from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, welcome the visit of the Security Council to Colombia at a time when it is necessary to strengthen the processes that promote peace. We ask that the Security Council during its visit to Colombia, holds meetings with
On 28 June 2023, a shadow human rights report on Colombia, prepared by an ad hoc coalition of 67 international organizations, coordinated by the International Human Rights Office – Action Colombia (OIDHACO) was published in Brussels ahead of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for Colombia. The report was delivered to the Office of the High
Brussels, 19 April 2022 President of the Republic of Colombia, Ivan Duque Marquez Office of the President of the Republic of Colombia, Casa de Nariño: Carrera 8 No. 7 – 26, Bogotá D.C., Colombia We are writing to express our concern about the risk situation for women leaders and women human rights defenders in Colombia.
Colombia remains the country with the highest murder rate for human rights defenders in the world. The record of serious human rights violations has even been recognized by the Colombian Government, and there was an alarming escalation just in early 2022, with at least 19 massacres and 22 social leaders murdered. In this regard, the
Oidhaco and the signatory organisations below wish to express our serious concerns about the deterioration of the security situation in Colombian regions, and the increase in attacks against social leaders and political candidates in the pre-electoral period.
The international civil society organizations signed on to this statement alert of the serious humanitarian situation and human rights crisis affecting the civilians of Arauca department. The crisis has exacerbated in recent days, but social organizations have denounced the situation in the region for several years now.
On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, the undersigned organizations urgently call on the European authorities to speak out about impunity in cases of enforced disappearance in Colombia.
We are deeply concerned about all victims of armed conflict, repression and violence around the world — from Sudan to Syria, including the persecution of the Rohingya and so many other crises that often receive less international attention than they deserve. Each of these situations calls for solidarity, remembrance, justice and action.
However, we have decided to specifically highlight the message ‘Stop Genocide in Palestine’ because what is happening in Palestine represents not only a human tragedy of enormous magnitude, but also a direct challenge to the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law and to the rules-based international system itself. The indifference and complicity of much of the international community in the face of the apartheid regime imposed by the Israeli government on the Palestinian people represent one of the greatest moral and political contradictions of our time.
The persistent violation of essential norms — such as the protection of the civilian population, the prohibition of collective punishment and respect for proportionality in the use of force — not only has devastating consequences for the Palestinian population, but also erodes the global mechanisms designed to limit the power of states and prevent abuses.
When these rules are repeatedly breached without any effective consequences, the framework that protects all populations in conflict situations, anywhere in the world, is weakened. Therefore, speaking out in this case does not mean ignoring other forms of suffering, but rather emphasising the urgency of defending an international order which, if it collapses, leaves everyone in a more vulnerable position.
Drawing attention to this situation is, therefore, an act consistent with the universal values we uphold: the protection of life, human dignity and respect for international law, without exception.