MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th June, 2023) A prominent international human rights organization on Monday called on members of the Organization of American States (OAS) to address the suppression of civil rights in the Americas, end repressive policies and respond to the social demands of people in the region.
In an open letter to heads of state attending the 53rd OAS General Assembly in Washington from June 21-23, Amnesty International has outlined key human rights concerns in the region that require urgent attention.
"The region cannot continue down the path of repressing protests, militarizing borders and public security, environmental destruction and failing to protect historically marginalized communities, such as Indigenous peoples and human rights defenders. The heads of state in the Americas must change course and seek solutions to create a freer and safer continent, with full respect for the human rights of all," Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International, was quoted as saying in the watchdog's statement.
Amnesty International said it was concerned about the excessive use of force to suppress social protests seen in several countries in the region and most recently in Peru. The watchdog therefore urged states in the Americas to ensure that individuals can exercise their right to peaceful protest.
The organization also called on states in the Americas to end arbitrary detentions, unlawful killings and other forms of abuse that are common in much of the region.
The watchdog added that there is an urgent need to address the issue of human mobility and the need for international protection in the Americas. Specifically, the organization cited cases of people fleeing human rights crises in countries such as Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.
According to Amnesty International, the Americas remain the most dangerous region for human rights defenders, and urgent action is needed to protect them.
The statement added that countries in the Americas have not done enough to guarantee the rights of indigenous peoples in the region. The organization said that in the past year it has documented cases of killings of indigenous leaders in countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico in the context of conflicts over land.
Violence and discrimination against women, girls and LGBT people is another historic problem that urgently requires a concerted response, the statement said. The organization noted that states in the region continue to fail to adequately address very high levels of gender-based violence, including feminicides, and that some states have adopted measures that undermine people's sexual and reproductive rights.
The OAS brings together 35 independent states of the Americas and has granted permanent observer status to 70 states as well as the European Union. The organization focuses its discussions on democracy, human rights, security and development.
