The People´s Health Movement-Latin America (MSP-LA) and the National Front for Peoples Health - Ecuador express our deep concern about the processes that threaten the rights of peoples, communities and individuals.
These processes include:
1. The acts of criminalization of social struggle which have been highlighted by reports of human rights organizations and the Ombudsman office in Ecuador. The reports show dozens of human rights defenders accused by the government and by private companies, as well as political activists who have trials against them or who were sentenced on 2011.
- The illegal detentions that violate Human Rights and the Ecuadorian Constitution. This last one provides guarantees for the freedom of association and for free thought, as well as the right to protest.
- The use of judicial processes, the attempt to delegitimize social protests and to restrict the rights of freedom of expression and organization, as weapons to stop the fair struggle of the peoples against laws, policies and practices that affect them.
- Violent evictions and practices.
According to the aforementioned situation we:
- Express our support for the criminalized and unjustly detained people in Ecuador, particularly the Luluncoto group leaders, the leaders of Kimsacocha and Shagly and the residents of the community-Muisne Bilsa.
- We demand the government to guarantee the right to previous informed consent for the communities affected by any law, policy or potential measure.
- We urge the government of Ecuador and judicial authorities to drop the unsustained charges and to return the freedom of all the people detained arbitrarily. We urge the government to guarantee the due process and to stop using legal provisions such as terrorism, sabotage or roads obstruction, to punish the legitimate exercise of human rights.
- We demand the government to act in accordance with international agreements that stipulate the obligation of the Ecuadorian State to promote, protect and respect the right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, including protests against policies, laws or government actions. The Ecuadorian government should refrain from delegitimize these claims.
December 10, 2012. International Day of Human Rights.
Dr. Ricardo Ramírez
Frente Nacional
Nidia Solís
MSP-LA (Ecuador)