The Peruvian government should act to prevent the unlawful use of lethal force by security forces during crowd-control operations, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to President Ollanta Humala. Fifteen civilians were killed during protests, allegedly by security forces, in the first year of Humala’s presidency. A Human Rights Watch investigation into one of the most recent cases - involving the shooting deaths of four civilians during a protest in Celendín, Cajamarca...

The Mexican blog reported today that its founder, known as Ruy Salgado or “El 5anto”, has been missing for the past six days. "Salgado’s disappearance may be voluntary, but he may have been kidnapped or worse and every day that passes without his reappearing rightly increases the concern about his fate," Reporters Without Borders said. "If he disappeared voluntarily, he would not be the first person to choose temporary silence. More and more journalists are...

HAVANA (Reuters) - Prominent Cuban dissident Marta Beatriz Roque began a hunger strike on Monday along with 22 others to bring attention to what she described as the government's persecution of its opponents. She accused the government of conducting a vicious campaign of attacks and harassment against dissidents that has worsened in recent months. Roque, who is 67, vowed to refuse medications and to only drink water, which could bring a quick death, she said, because she suffers from...

Fourteen indigenous organizations issued a statement where they communicate that since 2009 they have been reporting to the Venezuelan authorities the presence of illegal Brazilian gold miners in the Alto Ocamo area (Amazonas state, Alto Orinoco municipality, on the southern Venezuelan border with Brazil), and that these illegal gold miners allegedly massacred a Yanomami community in July 2012. According to the statement, unauthorized Brazilian gold miners had committed "physical...

DAY 1 (August 12, Sunday, San Diego) California Dreaming as Friendship Park launch on Sunday was magical with Aztec Dancers and music in San Diego/ Tijuana, Enrique Morones of Border Angels, Congressman Bob Filner and Senator Juan Vargas and community welcome all to San Diego, then Javier Sicilia shares the importance of Caravan For Peace with Justice and Dignity with hundreds of supporters on both sides of wall and dozens of international media folks. (caravanforpeace.org) At USD's...

The Chilean authorities should carry out a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation into the alleged unlawful use of force by police against members of the Mapuche indigenous community, Human Rights Watch said today. Officers found responsible for any unlawful use of force should be held to account and the injured civilians ensured an effective remedy. In two incidents on July 23, 2012, Caribineros police shot rubber bullets at members of the Ignacio Queipul community of Temucuicui, in...

Yale economics professor and former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo has become a legal headache for the United States. Zedillo has been accused of perpetrating the 1997 Acteal massacre when he was president by relatives of the victims. Plaintiffs are demanding $50 million in damages. The infamous Acteal massacre was a political and religious assassination of 47 Maya Indian women and children in the hamlet of Acteal, Chiapas. Even after the alleged culprits spent 10 years in prison, it is...

Caravan for Peace off to incredible start with Mexican Poet/activist Javier Sicilia as hundreds gather yesterday @ historic Friendship Park, thanks all ! After an incredible launch with Javier Sicilia at Friendship Park the Caravan headed to a beautiful Mass @ USD's Founders Chapel (music by Francisco Herrera and Ray Castillo). Next stop on same campus was David Shirk of the Trans-border Institute delivering a shocking report on the 65,000 people that have been killed in Mexico since 2006...

The Peruvian authorities should carry out a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation into the killing of five civilians during violent protests against mining activities in the Cajamarca region. The authorities should also investigate the circumstances surrounding the arrest of an environmental activist, Marco Arana, and his treatment in detention. Three civilians died from gunshot wounds on July 3, 2012, in the city of Celendín during a confrontation between protesters and...

Outrage and surprise greeted the 5 July arrest of the investigative journalist Sanjuana Martínez, who works for the newspaper La Jornada and is noted for her campaigns on behalf of abused women and children. The official reason given for her arrest, in Monterrey in Nuevo Leon state, was that it was part of divorce proceedings between the journalist and her husband, the Spanish judge Carlos Castresana. Martínez was finally released on 7 July. Reached by Reporters Without...