CAFOD’s Colombian partners win prestigious international human rights awards

Peace award winners *

Each year the EU and Diakonia – an international development agency with Christian values – honour organisations and individuals who have worked tirelessly to promote human rights, democracy, and peace in Colombia. This year the prize was awarded to Father Alejandro Angulo Novoa, SJ, for his lifelong contribution to human rights in Colombia.

Father Alejandro dedicated his award to all the people who have to confront the harsh consequences of the armed cct in Colombia on a daily basis.

He has devoted his life to research and uncovering human rights abuses and was one of the founders of CAFOD partner, CINEP. Father Alejandro is currently the co-ordinator of CINEP’s internationally renowned human rights database which records violations of international humanitarian law.

Islena Rey also won the Human Rights Defender of the Year award, in recognition of her tireless work as founder and director of the Civic Human Rights Committee in Meta – a regional human rights organisation that receives legal support from CAFOD partner CODACOP.

Islena has received continuous threats from paramilitary groups in Meta and was forced to flee her home in 2009 when she was shot while travelling down river in a canoe.

CAFOD’s head of Latin America, Clare Dixon said: “These are much deserved awards and CAFOD is very proud of the work of Father Alejandro and Islena Rey. Their tireless pursuit of the truth at great risk to their own lives has meant that those who have suffered during Colombia’s years of conflict are not forgotten.”

Colombia is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a human rights defender. In 2012 alone, there were 357 attacks against human rights defenders, up from 239 attacks in 2011 and 174 attacks in 2010.

Alongside the Catholic Church in Colombia, CAFOD welcomes the peace negotiations with the FARC guerrillas, while recognising that they are the start of a long-term process. The Colombian Church is calling for greater involvement of grassroots organisations in negotiations and, in particular, for fairer representation for women.

CAFOD will shortly be starting a new programme to improve protection of human rights defenders in four dioceses in Colombia that are working on protecting the rights of those affected by the conflict and land restitution with funding from the European Commission and the Scottish Catholic Charity, SCIAF.

• Picture shows: Islena Rey Rodriguez; Orlando Naranjo - AFAVIT (Asociación de Familiares de las Víctimas de los Hechos Violentos de Trujillo); Father Alejandro Angulo Novoa, CINEP; Representative from GIDH