
Geneva, 22
December 2016 (OMCT) - A lawyer by training, Gustavo Gallón was drawn into human
rights work as a response to injustice, inequality
and authoritarianism
taking place in the name of counterinsurgency in war-torn
Colombia.
“Being a human rights defender is more a
way of life than a profession,” he said. “My motivation stems from an urge to
do something to address the ills I witnessed in society.” A feeling that has
driven him for the past 30 years.
Defying
death and stigmatization
The situation of Colombian human rights
defenders has for many years been one of the worst in the world, in a context
characterized by extreme levels of violence and massive human rights
violations.
In recent years, the peace talks between the
Government and the FARC guerilla have led to a decrease
in violence related to a conflict that has left more than 250,000
dead, 60,000 forcibly disappeared, 27,000 kidnapped and nearly seven million displaced
from their homes. Yet, murder rates,
attacks and threats against defenders have paradoxically continued to rise. In 2016,
at least 52
defenders were killed in the country, and dozens of others
have been attacked or stigmatized as criminals or guerrilla sympathizers,
notably for their work in support of peace.
Mr. Gallón himself has not been exempt
from the dangers of speaking out against State abuses. As founder and Director
of the Colombian Commission of Jurists,
one of the oldest and most prominent human rights organization in the country, he
has been the target of threats and acts of intimidation, including smear
campaigns and illegal surveillance. His family has also been monitored.
Human
rights: a cornerstone for lasting peace
Continuous State-sponsored attacks and campaigns
against defenders have successfully swayed public opinion against the
legitimacy of their work.
“One of the main challenges we face is to overcome the
difficulty to understand why human rights matter, even amidst a bloody armed
conflict,” Mr. Gallón said. “Despite recent progress, many still do not get why
it is important to defend human rights.”
Although abuses continue unabated, he is hopeful for the future of Colombia after the country recently
moved a step closer to ending its 50-year conflict with the ratification
on November 30 of a revised peace agreement.
The role of human rights defenders in
building sustainable peace based on democratic values, justice and respect
for human rights in Colombia is essential. “If this
agreement doesn’t work we’ll have to work on another agreement. But above all,
we have to insist on the need for the Government to take their human rights commitments
seriously… This peace agreement is a very important opportunity to make
progress in that direction.”
This
article is part of a series of 10 profiles to commemorate International Human
Rights Day, 10 December, and to recognize the vital role of human rights
defenders worldwide.
To see the
campaign video, please click here.
OMCT wishes to
thank the Republic and Canton of Geneva and the OAK Foundation for their
support. Its content is the sole responsibility of OMCT and should in no way be
interpreted as reflecting the view(s) of the supporting institutions.

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