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PBI UK Annual Review 2006

Peace BrigadesInternational

PBI envisions a world in which people addressconflicts non-violently, where human rights areuniversally upheld and social justice andintercultural respect have become a reality.

What does PBI do?

PBI has been working to support human rights andpromote non-violence for almost 25 years. We sendteams of international observers to areas of conflictand repression to provide protectiveaccompaniment to local human rights defenderswhose lives and work are under threat. Our work isbased on principles of non-partisanship and non-interference, in the belief that lastingtransformation of violent conflict cannot beimposed from outside but must be based on thecapacity of local people to build a genuine peace.We act only at the expressed request of localpeople and it is they that determine where ourassistance is most needed.

PBI UK, one of 16 country groups aroundEurope, North America and the Pacific, isresponsible for the vital support work which allowsthe field programmes – in Colombia, Mexico,Indonesia, Guatemala and Nepal – to operatesmoothly. Its main areas of work are politicalsupport building, recruitment and training ofvolunteers, outreach and publicity, and fundraising.

Vision and mission

Peace Brigades International UK Section

2 PBI UK Annual Review 2006

Cover photo:

Dominga Vazquez, The MayaFoundation (Fundamaya) Guatemala,winner of the International ServiceHuman Rights Award 2006.

ContentsVision and mission 2

Letter from the Board of Trustees 3

PBI UK: Activities in 2006 4

Fundraising 5

Emergency Support Network 6

Lawyers Event 2006 7

PBI’s 25th anniversary 8

International Human Rights Service Awards 9

Human Rights Defenders 10

Guatemala Project 11

Mexico Project 12

Colombia Project 13

Nepal Project 14

Indonesia Project 15

Democratic Republic of Congo and Proactive Presence 16

Volunteer Profiles 17

Financial Summary 18

In 2006 Peace Brigades Internationalcelebrated twenty-five years’ worksupporting and protecting human rightsdefenders. Over this time PBI has initiated

and refined a very effective strategy – we sendtrained PBI volunteers to the field to protecthuman rights defenders through theirpresence, and to directly observe the situationon the ground. We use our sixteen CountryGroups to ensure that their plight is heardinternationally. When we review our work overthe years we are glad that our strategies forprotecting human right defenders have beenso successful and that they have acted as acatalyst and model for many other effectivehuman rights interventions around the world.Sadly however, petitions from human rightsdefenders for our ‘protective presence’ farexceed our capacity to deliver. The protectionof human rights defenders is needed now asmuch as ever.

All of our work is underpinned by oneobjective – to enable local people where wework (currently in Colombia, Guatemala,Indonesia, Mexico and Nepal) to carry outtheir work undeterred by the threat of, oractual, violence. Our projects are in regionswith prolonged and complex histories ofconflict that has undermined and devaluedwork on human rights. The men and womenwho undertake human rights work in theseregions live in the constant shadow ofviolence against them and those close tothem. Throughout this report you will readabout the extraordinary people PBI

accompanies. It is a real privilege to standalongside these people and provide aninternational support system that canstrengthen their space to continue this work.

The importance of this partnershipbetween PBI and the human rights defenderswe accompany was again recognised inDecember 2006, when Dominga Vásquez, thefirst indigenous female mayor of Sololá and atireless defender of women’s and indigenousrights in Guatemala, and Helen Woodcock, aPBI volunteer from the UK who had accom-panied her, jointly received the InternationalService for Human Rights (ISHR) award forthe Defence of the Human Rights of Women,at a ceremony at the House of Commons.

On his visit in October 2006, Dr ReinaldoVillalba from the José Alvear Restrepo Lawyers’Collective, said of PBI’s accompaniment of theCollective, which has lasted for over 10 years,

that it ‘has allowed us to continue working inColombia. It has prevented us from beingphysically attacked or needing to go intoforced exile. It has opened a space for life andclosed the doors on death. It has permitted usto travel in different regions of Colombia, andto increase our work.’

We have many such testimonies and wehighlight these to show our supporters thatthe work of PBI is truly valued by these bravemen and women. They in turn inspire us tocontinue working on their behalf.

Our sincere thanks go to all of oursupporters – every one makes a difference.We hope in the coming years to bring moreand more human rights defenders to the UKso that we can all hear directly from themabout their work and how valuable yoursupport is to them.PBI UK TRUSTEES

Letter from the Board of Trustees


PBI UK Annual Review 2006 3

I first heard about PBI's work

when I met Reinaldo Vargas, the

brave Colombian lawyer, in

London in October 2006. As a

patron of PBI, I now know very

much more. It deserves the

support of everyone who

believes in the importance of

the rule of law.

Sir Henry Brooke

former Lord Justice

PBI volunteer with the children of the San Jose de Apartado

internally displaced community, Colombia.

Recruitment & training

PBI UK plays a significant rolein the training andrecruitment of volunteers forfield and accompanimentprojects. With theprofessionalism andcommitment of returned fieldvolunteers, PBI UK ran twosuccessful OrientationWeekends in 2006. Thirtyprospective volunteersattended, gaining a thoroughintroduction to PBI’sphilosophy and principles ofnon-violent conflict resolutionand consensus decision-making. Fifteen are nowserving on our field projects.We now have plans toorganise an extra orientationweekend each year. There arealso around twenty volunteerscontinuing to provide vitalsupport to the field projectsfrom PBI UK’s London office.

Outreach & publicity

Public awareness is of vital importance toPBI. Alongside raising the organisation’sprofile and increasing the support network,PBI’s outreach schemes critically informmembers of our work in the field. This areawas given a significant boost in 2006through the work of Lani Parker, a full-timeintern, funded by Quaker Peace and SocialWitness/the Joseph Rowntree CharitableTrust and the Tinsley Foundation. Thisenabled us to carry out a feasibility studyinto universities across the country and, asa result, we have developed importantrelationships with various groups includingcareer services, heads of departments,societies, People and Planet students’groups, and Quaker groups.

Over thirty talks and discussion groupshave taken place across the country in thepast year. Returned volunteers have continuedto support the organisation, giving talks andattending various fairs and conferences.

PBI UK also produced a series ofpublications including its newsletter, 2005

review, an information pack, and a specialpublication to mark the 25th anniversary ofPBI. Our website has also been subject tocontinuous improvements .

Media interest and recognition of PBI’swork has continued to grow. A number ofhigh profile events organised by, orassociated with, PBI UK took place in 2006.PBI UK Lawyers’ Event in October, the PBI25th Anniversary Event and theInternational Service for Human RightsAward Ceremony generated national mediacoverage, including an article in The Times,and three programmes on BBC radio. The25th Anniversary Event was accompaniedby a photo exhibition, which began touringnationwide in 2007. In November, the filmHasta la Ultima Piedra (Until the LastStone, directed by Juan Jose Lozano) thatconcerns the displaced community of SanJosé de Apartadó in Colombia, was screenedat London’s Latin America Film Festival. Itwas introduced by a returned PBI volunteerwho also led a lively discussion followingthe screening.

Speaking tours

Tours by representatives of the organisationsthat we accompany are one of the mosteffective means of conveying the situation intheir countries. The importance of their work,the dangers they face, and their vital need forprotection are essential issues to raise. In2006, PBI UK organised five such tours, withtalks to a variety of audiences – students,lawyers, supporters, the general public – andcovering a range of the countries where PBIhas a presence: from Mexico, Alejandro Cerezoof the Comité Cerezo, who had recently beenreleased from prison; from Colombia, WilsonDavid, one of the leaders of the San José deApartadó Peace Community, Liliana Uribe ofthe Freedom Legal Corporation, together withHenry Ramirez Soler of the Interchurch Justiceand Peace Commission, and Dr ReinaldoVillalba Vargas (see Lawyers’ Event on page 7).Guatemalan Dominga Vasquez, ex-mayor ofthe Solalá Indigenous Community, andNepalese human rights defender KopilaAdhikari, from the Advocacy Forum, bothspoke at the 25th Anniversary Event.



Activities in 2006

Speaking tour public event at SOAS, London. Lani Parker PBI UK (left),

Alejandro Cerezo (centre) and translator, Valeria Luna (right)

None of PBI UK’s activities wouldbe possible without thegenerosity of our donors. In2006, our total income was

£245,609 an increase of over £70,000compared to 2005. This sum was mainly fromcharitable trusts, but there were alsoimportant contributions from individualmembers and other supporters, as well as fromspecial fundraising events. Of the funds raised,£128,625 went into field project operations,£16,895 to PBI’s International Secretariat, andthe remainder to support PBI’s activities in theUK. We would like to thank all of our donorsfor their generosity in 2006.

Key developments in 2006:

l New 3-year grants from three trusts –the Tinsley Foundation, the Bromley Trust andthe Allan & Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust.

l The Sigrid Rausing Trust, a long-standingsupporter of PBI, granted us a further 3-yearcycle of funding.

l The Law Society Charity donated £5,000towards our work protecting human rightslawyers in Colombia, a reflection of ourdeepening relationship with the legalcommunity.

l We made an application to the BBCAppeal, which has now been approved, andwill be broadcast on 14th October on BBCRadio 4 to an audience of around 2.5 millionpeople.

l We secured support from the Charities AidFoundation, in the form of paid professionalconsultancy and financial support to provide anorganisational review and help in developing amore integrated outreach and fundraisingstrategy. It is hoped that in 2007 this willenable us to expand our support base anddiversify our funding sources.

l Prisioners of Conscience Appeal Fundrenewed their support of PBI to continueproviding protection to Mexican HumanRights Defenders Emiliana, Francisco andAlejandro Cerezo.

Fundraising



2006 Trusts

The Sigrid Rausing Trust

Prisoners of Conscience Appeal Fund

The Bromley Trust

The Allan & Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust

Polden-Puckham Charitable Foundation

The Tinsley Foundation

The Law Society Charity

Amnesty International - Americas HumanRights Defenders Program

Appletree Fund

Alistair Berkley Charitable Fund

Garden Court Chambers

AW.60 Charitable Trust

Oakdale Trust

Radley Charitable Trust

S C and M E Morland’s Charitable Trust

The Funding Network

The Rowan Charitable Trust

Charities Aid Foundation

Quaker Peace and Social Witness and J Rowntree

PBI welcomes any innovative ideas forfundraising throughout the year. Thedonations generated by PBIUKvolunteers assisting the Workers BeerCompany at festivals and concertscontinues to be a valued activity, notonly for the money raised, but also forthe publicity generated for PBI.

In 2006 Ruth Cherrington ran theLondon marathon to raise funds forPBI. She said, “Even if I couldn’t be a

volunteer out in Colombia at that

particular point in my life, surely there

was something I could do here”.

Flakito’s pilgrimage

Returned PBI Colombia volunteerFlakito dedicated three months of lastyear to walking 750km across northernSpain along the Camino de Santiago,the ancient pilgrimage route, playingand singing along the way. A two-wheeled customised shopping trolleywas used to tow his accordion.Flakito’s aim was to raise funds for PBIand awareness of the human rightssituation in Colombia. Along the way,he linked up with local AmnestyInternational groups who organisedevents, concerts, talks and photoexhibitions, and had meetings withmayors and interviews with the media.During the walk he also sold CDs of hissongs, that are based on hisexperiences in Colombia, in order toraise funds for PBI. As well as being aunique and inspired way of raisingmoney and awareness, Flakito enjoyedmeeting people from many differentcountries. The simplicity of his lifeduring the pilgrimage made himremember, “the joys I encountered inisolated, rural communities in Colombia, not ruled by cars or TV”.

Diversifying our resource base in order toincrease our financial sustainability was a keyobjective for 2006. While it is important toseek new funders, we are extremely gratefulfor the continued support of our longstandingbenefactors, who have been crucial to PBI’sfinancial stability. These are:

Flakito

Flakito’s CD ‘En camino’

(‘On the Way’)

is available on his website

www.flakito.net or

www.justgiving.com/flakito

Astrong international supportnetwork is essential to PBI’swork. For physicalaccompaniment to be effective,

the volunteer on the ground must serve as aconstant and visible reminder ofinternational attention and the ‘cost’ ofattacking human rights defenders. PBI UK’ssupport network includes parliamentarians,lawyers’ associations, churches, NGOs andindividuals, and is mobilised at times ofcrisis. Members write letters to politicians toraise awareness and the profile of extremehuman rights abuses and call for responsiveaction. In the UK, active participation canalso encourage MPs and Lords to raisequestions in Parliament and bring suchabuses to the attention of the BritishGovernment. Raising awareness and helpingto direct the attention of the internationalcommunity on issues can also substantiallyinfluence governments that are ignoringhuman rights violations within their owncountries. In 2006, our support networkcontinued to expand and become morediverse. PBI UK maintained regular contactwith MPs and members of the House ofLords, including members of All PartyGroups, as well as with Foreign Officeofficials. Several Parliamentary Questionsproposed by PBI were raised in 2006. Fiftyfour MPs and twenty eight Scottish MSPssigned motions marking PBI’s 25thAnniversary and supporting the work of itsvolunteers.

The support network was activated onthree occasions in 2006, for human rightsdefenders in Guatemala, Colombia andMexico. In Guatemala, this was in responseto the assassination in August of CarmenSagastume, a member of CONAPAMG, theNational Council on Marginalised Peoples ofGuatemala, and death threats against oneof her colleagues. The other two activationswere also in response to death threats: inMexico, against Francisco and EmilianaCerezo Contreras, of the Cerezo Committee,and in Colombia, following a generalescalation in threats and other acts ofharassment against a range of human rights organisations.

Strengthening ties and contributing

to international debate

l In October PBI organised a roundtable, Palm Oil Cultivation, Communitiesin Resistance and the EnvironmentalImpact, held in London. The participantswere from a variety of national andinternational organisations concernedwith human rights, the environment andpalm oil. The round table’s aim was tofacilitate the exchange of informationand to explore ways of supportingcommunities affected by the activities ofpalm oil companies.

l PBI UK also continued to play anactive role in existing advocacy andcoordination groups, such as the Britishand Irish Agencies working in Colombia(ABC Group), the Brussels-basedInternational Office on Human RightsAction Colombia (OIDHACO), theEuropean lobbying group CopenhagenInitiative for Central America (CIFCA) andthe UK-based Indonesia Forum.

l PBI members lobbied the 62ndsession of the Human Rights Commissionin Geneva and attended a seminar on theUN Special Mechanisms on HumanRights Defenders and Internally DisplacedPersons.

l PBI was mentioned as a contributorto the review of the implementation ofthe EU Guidelines on Human RightsDefenders. The European Councilapproved the summary analysis andrecommendations of the review in June2006. The recommendations focus onimproving the awareness and training ofEU officials, increasing external publicityof the Guidelines and EU efforts toimplement them, strengtheningcoordination and sharing of informationby EU Missions, and effective support andprotection of human rights defenders.

Emergency Support Network



For further information, see:

http://www.protectionline.org/spip.php?article1610

Given the conditions of great

instability that broke out in

the state, we consider that it

is important to count on an

international presence that

will assist in backing up the

human rights organizations

that have taken on the task of

documentation. We asked

advice from other people in

the field and they

recommended that we invite

you (PBI). It has been a

pleasure to have your

presence which has helped to

facilitate a process that

otherwise would have taken

longer

Sara Mendez, Coordinator,

Oaxaca Human Rights

Network

PBI’s volunteers literally

embody in themselves the

expression of international

concern and support for

human rights defenders on the

front line...their courage and

selflessness express the highest

ideals in the defence

of human rights

Hans Thoolen, Chair of the

Martin Ennals Foundation

Lawyers are crucial to the fight againstimpunity, but, in carrying out theirvital work, they themselves canbecome targets. In October 2006 PBI,

together with the City of Westminster andHolborn Law Society, held an event in supportof lawyers under threat in Latin America at St.Ethelburga’s Centre. It was supported by theLaw Society’s International Human RightsCommittee, The Solicitors’ InternationalHuman Rights Group, the Bar Human RightsCommittee and the Garden Court Chambers.

The main speaker was Dr Reinaldo VillalbaVargas, a prominent human rights lawyerfrom Colombia where, it is estimated,between twenty and thirty lawyers andhuman rights defenders are killed or attackedevery year. The José Alvear Restrepo Lawyers’Collective (CAJAR), to which Reinaldobelongs, has been accompanied by PBI for

over 10 years. The Collective has beeninvolved in numerous high profile cases,including the prosecution of Colonel LinoSanchez for his involvement in the massacreof over thirty people in the Colombian villageof Mapiripán in 1997. It has brought casesbefore the Inter-American Commission forHuman Rights (IACHR) and the UN. This highprofile work has meant that the Collective

has been the target of threats, harassment,and worse, in the form of attacks. One of itsfounders, Eduardo Umaña Mendoza, wasassassinated in 1998. Two of the nine lawyerson its current governing body are inpermanent exile and a number have beenforced to flee the country temporarily. Thesystematic persecution of the Collective ledthe IACHR to grant precautionary measuresof protection.

In his speech, Reinaldo explained that thecurrent process of demobilisation ofparamilitary groups in Colombia encouragedimpunity for thousands of crimes againsthumanity. He outlined serious deficiencies inthe Colombian legal system in which militarycourts hear cases of grave human rightsviolations and the independence andimpartiality of the judiciary is consistentlyundermined. The Director of Public

Prosecutions is chosen from a shortlist drawnup by the President, and prosecutions arethus subject to inconsistency and theinterests of each government. The ColombianGovernment has publicly questionedjudgments which it considered inconsistentwith its policies and, as a result, members ofthe judiciary have themselves beenimprisoned and subjected to arbitrary legal

proceedings. Human rights lawyers aresubjected to stigmatisation, with PresidentUribe accusing them of being ‘politiciansserving terrorism’. Senior civil servants andparamilitary groups have echoed such beliefsand enhanced the hostile climate in whichhuman rights lawyers work.

Reinaldo said of PBI’s accompaniment ofthe Collective that it ‘has allowed us tocontinue working in Colombia. It hasprevented us from being physically attackedor needing to go into forced exile. It hasopened a space to life and closed the doorson death. It has permitted us to travel indifferent regions of Colombia, and to increaseour work.’ He stressed the importance ofinternational support to the Collective andthe value of the solidarity of lawyers fromaround the world.

Other speakers at the event were SarahLucy Cooper, Head of the South America sub-committee of the Bar Human RightsCommittee, who talked of the threats tolawyers world-wide, and recently returnedfield volunteer Louise Winstanley whooutlined PBI’s work in Colombia. The eventwas considered a great success by those whoattended, and it helped to further strengthenour relationship with the legal profession, arelationship that we greatly value. Sir HenryBrooke attended the event, had lunch withReinaldo and subsequently became a patronof PBI UK. Peter Roth QC also attended theevent and has since become a PBI UK patron.PBI was actively engaged in the organisationof this event and thanks go out to all thosewho participated, supported, and attendedthis important meeting.

No peace without justice,no justice without lawyers



PBI is a relatively modest

organisation – but its

contribution has been

remarkable. It has shown how

‘protective accompaniment’ by

unarmed international

volunteers can bring security

and support to those

courageous defenders of human

rights in places where this is

most needed.

Peter Roth QC

Reinaldo Villalba (CCAJAR), and interpreter Mark Williams (left) at the PBI lawyers event 2006.



Since its foundation in 1981 PBI’sfield volunteers have provided aninternational protective presence forhundreds of people defending

human rights around the world. Our physicalaccompaniment backed by networks ofinternational support has proven extremelyeffective in enabling them to continue withtheir vital work.

In 25 years of operations PBI hasexpanded across multiple spheres. Successfulaccompaniment throughout the countries inwhich PBI operates has ensured that we havedeveloped considerable linkages and trustingrelations with local grass-roots organisationsthat strive for the protection of human rights.In the UK, PBI has expanded its outreachprogramme and now actively engages with anincreasing membership base. As a result, PBI’sprofile has been raised and support fromvarious political and legal sources hasexpanded. Our volunteer recruitment andtraining has continued to evolve with greatsuccess. Within the global arena PBI has alsoenhanced its network base and incorporatedimportant contacts with various international

organisations such as the United Nations andAmnesty International. PBI UK is now one of16 country groups throughout the world thatprovides critical direct and indirect support,financing, and training to our fieldprogrammes.

In December 2006 PBI celebrated its 25thanniversary with an event dedicated to thework of women human rights defenders andtheir pivotal role in the struggles for justice.

By using the experiences of numerousspeakers, the event sought to underline andcelebrate their important work andrelationships with PBI. The evening wasinformative and inspiring, displaying thecontinued value of PBI accompanimentsacross the world. Human rights lawyer KopilaAdhikari from Nepal’s Advocacy Forumtravelled to the event. Her accounts of themultiple illegal detentions and extra-judicialkillings throughout Nepal reaffirmed thenecessary continued presence of bothAdvocacy Forum and PBI accompaniment inthe country. The anniversary was marked bythe fantastic news that Mandira Sharma,Executive Director of Advocacy Forumreceived Human Rights Watch’s highesthonour that year (see page 14 on AdvocacyForum and PBI accompaniment in Nepal).

Dominga Vasquez, the first elected femaleindigenous mayor of Sololá, Guatemala, alsospoke at the event. She is a prominentmember of the indigenous rights groupFUNDAMAYA (Maya Foundation), who hasmade a name for herself opposing thedestructive expansion of mining. She was invited to the UK to receive theInternational Service Human Rights Awardalong with one of her PBI accompaniers,Helen Woodcock. Current patron of PBI UK, Baroness D’Souza, chaired the event and representatives of AmnestyInternational and PBI also gave powerful,well-received speeches.

25th Anniversary

There are always people on the

street corners spying on us to

watch our movements. So

when they see that

internationals are physically

entering our offices, this helps

us tremendously.

Aura Elena Farfari,

Guatemalan Families

of the Disappeared

There is more need than ever

for them (PBI) to continue to

expand their work

Susan Lee, Director of

Amnesty International’s

Americas Programme

The work of the international

brigades is very important for

the work that we do

Dominga Vasquez

Kopila Adhikari, human rights lawyer for Advocacy Forum works

against illegal detentions and extra-judicial killings in Nepal



The work of PBI received high-levelrecognition when DomingaVásquez, the Guatemalan defenderof women’s and indigenous rights,

and Helen Woodcock, who had accompaniedher as a PBI volunteer, jointly received theInternational Service for Human Rights (ISHR)award for the Defence of the Human Rightsof Women at a ceremony in the House ofCommons in December 2006. The ISHR is aninternational NGO that supports, encourages,and facilitates the work of human rightsdefenders.

Dominga works in an environment wherethe rights of women, peasants and indigenouscommunities are rarely upheld despite beingenshrined in Guatemalan law. Withwidespread illiteracy and lack of access toeducation few are fully aware of their rightsand even fewer able to fight for them in thelegal and political arena. With great courageand commitment, Dominga has worked,through her Association of IndigenousWomen, to raise awareness of the rights ofindigenous women in the town of Sololá. Shehas also campaigned against miningoperations, and their attendantenvironmental, economic and social costs.Dominga has refused to be intimidated,despite the threats of violence andimprisonment she has received because ofher activities.

Public appreciation of Dominga’s hardwork was recognized when she was electedthe first female indigenous Mayor of Sololá,occupying the post until the beginning of2006. When performing her Mayoral duties,Dominga applied Mayan vision and traditionalapproaches to conflict resolution.

PBI began accompanying Dominga in herwork in February 2005 and it was throughthis partnership that she met HelenWoodcock. As one of the PBI volunteers,Helen accompanied Dominga from theoutset, allowing her to continue in heractivities with greater assurance for her andher family’s safety. Helen says,“accompanying Dominga Vasquez was anamazing experience. She is an inspirationalwoman in a very male world – with a realvision for a just Guatemala and adetermination to struggle for it even in the

face of so much aggression.” The awardcelebrates this physical and moral partnership– between human rights defender andinternational accompanier – which reflectsPBI’s belief that a lasting transformation ofconflict and respect for human rights must bebased on the will and capacity of local peopleto build a genuine peace. Alongside such aimsis recognition that the internationalcommunity has the ability and responsibilityto aid and encourage this process.

A New PBI Publication:

Metal Mining and Human Rights in

Guatemala - The Marlin Mine in San Marcos

Mining operations have been associated withhuman rights abuses in Guatemala fordecades. After a lull in activity in the 1980sand 1990s, the issue came to prominenceagain in 2003 when the Marlin silver- andgold-mining project was set up in themunicipality of San Marcos by the Americancompany, Glamis Gold Ltd. Asenvironmentalists and grass-roots leaders,such as Dominga Vásquez, raised

increasing concerns about the potentialenvironmental and social consequences ofthis project, threats against them mounted,leading to requests for accompaniment fromPBI. Having obtained funding from Trocaire inSeptember 2006, PBI researched andpublished a report that drew on its andothers’ local experiences in the region inrecent years. It provides a background tomining in the country, including its historyand legal framework, the establishment of theMarlin project, and its impact so far on thelocal inhabitants and civil societyorganisations. As well as Dominga, PBIaccompanies a number of other human rightsdefenders and organisations working on theissue of mining in Guatemala – Fundamaya,an indigenous organisation defending Mayanrights; Madre Selva, an environmentalmovement; and ASALI – Friends of Lake Izabalwhich works for the conservation andprotection of Lake Izabal which is threatenedby mining operations.

A Partnership for Peace

To read the full report

visit:http://www.peacebrigades.ch/upload/sitebuilder

/doc/publications/gp_mineriayddhh_en.pdf

Award for the Defence of the Human Rights of Women, 13th December 2006. Joint winners Dominga

Vasquez (Guatemalan Women’s Rights Activist) and Helen Woodcock (Peace Brigades International

UK volunteer). Photograph of the ceremony attended by Jon Snow and other award winners.

In her 2006 report to the second sessionof the UN Human Rights Council, HinaJilani, UN Special Representative of theSecretary General on Human Rights

Defenders, focused on economic, social andcultural rights. She described how localactivists working on upholding these rightsoften had difficulty having their activitiesrecognised as ‘real’ human rights work. Suchnegative labeling has often jeopardizedproductive political responses to protecteconomic, social and cultural rights. This wasthe case despite the people trying to defendthese rights being subject to similar andsometimes evengreater levels ofpersecution as thosewho work to defendcivil and politicalrights. According tothe report, humanrights defendersworking on land rightsand natural resourcesare one of the groupsmost at risk ofsuffering threats andassassinations. Thesituation isparticularly serious inLatin America and Asiaamongst indigenousand minority groups.PBI accompanieshuman rights defenders who have beenpersecuted because of their vital work for therights enshrined in the ICESCR.

Communities of Jiguamiandó and

Curbaradó

In Colombia’s Chocó province communities ofpeople displaced by conflict are seeking torecover their territories by setting upHumanitarian and Biodiversity ReservesZones. In their absence, their lands wereillegally planted with African palm. Palmproduction is expanding rapidly in Colombiato meet the growing demand for biofuels.However, this monoculture is threatening the

tropical forest in one of the world’s mostbiodiverse regions. The community, in seekingto peacefully recover land which is legallytheirs, is finding itself threatened by the palmcompanies as well as the Colombian armyand paramilitaries. The work of theInterChurch Commission of Justice and Peace(Justicia y Paz) and the Corporation forJudicial Liberty (CJL), who are bothaccompanied by PBI and giving support tothe communities, is also threatened. One ofthe community leaders, Orlando Valencia,disappeared and was later murdered inOctober 2005. The threats increased in 2006,

as the community established two newHumanitarian Zones. In February of that year,Justicia y Paz revealed that a legal case wasbeing brought against members of thecommunity who were accused of beingsupporters of the guerrillas. The case was laterdropped due to a lack of evidence.

WALHI (Wahana Lingkungan Hidup

Indonesia, Friends of the Earth Indonesia)

WALHI is the largest forum for grassrootsNGOs in Indonesia – grouping 450 of them.Its focus is diverse and includes defending therights of the forest communities whose liveshave been endangered by the destructive

planting of palm oil. PBI began accompanyingWALHI in 2005, after it suffered continuousthreats and harassment for supporting localpeople in their peaceful opposition to awaste-processing site in Bojong, near thecapital city Jakarta. WALHI has experiencedconsiderable growth and provides aparticipative voice in Indonesianenvironmentalism.

Organisation of Women Ecologists in the

Sierra de Petatlan (OMESP)

The Sierra de Petatlán, in the state of Guerreroin Mexico has suffered from aggressive andoften illegal logging. OMESP, under theleadership of Celsa Valdovinos, has undertakena successful reforestation campaign, developeda system of sustainable organic gardening forlocal families, and carried out educationalcampaigns to prevent local air and waterpollution. Recognising the importance of self-organisation to defend land rights and ensuretheir families are fed, the work of thesewomen is expanding across the country toother rural communities. The success of thiswork has brought with it threats from themilitary and logging groups and the wrongfulimprisonment of Celsa’s husband andcampesino ecologist, Felipe Arreaga Sanchez, in2004. Having been declared a prisoner ofconscience by Amnesty International in 2005,Felipe was released after 10 months unlawfulimprisonment. In 2005, Celsa was awarded theChico Mendez prize by the Sierra Club, theoldest and largest environmental organizationin the Americas, in recognition of “the vitalimportance of her work and the risks she takesin a dangerous climate”. It is all the greater atribute given that, in her work, she has had toface double discrimination – that of beingindigenous and a woman.

Defending Economic,Social and Cultural Rights



The ideal of free human beings

enjoying freedom from fear can

only be achieved if conditions

are created whereby everyone

may enjoy his economic, social

and cultural rights, as well as his

civil and political rights

International Covenant on

Economic, Social and Cultural

Rights (ICESCR)

Helen Woodcock accompanying Dominga Vásquez

in Sololá, Guatemala, in April 2005

2006 marked the 10th anniversaryof the signing of the Peace Accords,designed to bring about a ‘firm andlasting peace’ after 36 years of

brutal civil war. However, the legacy of civilwar has not ended and violent deaths in2006 numbered 5,885, the highest in the last10 years, which according to the GuatemalanMyrna Mack Foundation, is the ‘equivalent tothe bloodiest period recorded during thehostilities’. After a visit to the country inAugust 2006, Philip Alston, the UN SpecialRapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary orArbitrary Executions stated that “theimpunity, the lack of investigation andconvictions make all of these violent deathsthe responsibility of the state”.

The MNDH (National Human RightsMovement) reported a total of 278 attacks,including 14 murders, against human rightsdefenders and social activists in 2006, anincrease of almost 25% over the previousyear. Moreover, it reports that the number ofattacks during the three years of thepresidency of Oscar Berger, at 629, alreadyrepresents a 65% increase over thosecommitted during the four years that hispredecessor, Alfonso Portillo, was in power.

Despite this depressing situation, therewere important developments in the fightagainst impunity in 2006. Six Guatemalan

military officers and two civilians werecharged in the Spanish courts with carryingout genocide, terrorism, torture, murder andillegal detention between 1978 and 1986. Inaddition, in December 2006, the UN and theGuatemalan government signed anagreement to establish the InternationalCommission Against Impunity in Guatemala.

PBI helps Guatemalan organisations intheir fight against impunity. As well ascontinuing to accompany CONAVIGUA, theGuatemalan war widows’ association, weprovided protection in 2006 on a short-termbasis to three other organisations - the Sectorde Mujeres, (Women’s Sector-see case studybelow), CHRLA (the Centre for Human RightsLegal Action), after the murder of one of itsworkers and threats to his family, and OASIS.

OASIS is an organisation supportinghomosexual and transgender rights andfighting the spread of AIDS, which became thetarget of threats after working on behalf ofZulma, who had witnessed the murder of atranssexual and had been wounded herself inthe attack.

Regarding human rights and globalisation,PBI continued to provide protection to arange of environmental organisations. We alsobegan accompanying the leader of theNational Front of Market Vendors and theInformal Economy (FENVEMEGUA), Erwin

Orrego, after he was abducted in July 2006by armed men who identified themselves asthe police, held for two hours, and subjectedto torture.

PBI’s emergency support network wasactivated in mid-September for CONAPAMG,the National Council on Marginalised Peoplesof Guatemala, after Carmen Sagastume, oneof its members, was shot 13 times on herdoorstep and killed. This was followed bydeath threats against general coordinator,Roly Escobar Ochoa, and other members ofthe organisation. CONAPAMG works foraccess to housing and land rights, an issuewhich, according to the UN, continues to be agreat source of social conflict in Guatemala.

Sector de Mujeres (Women’s Sector)

In Guatemala, two women are murdered perday on average, in attacks frequentlyinvolving sexual violence. While the murdersseem to have no single direct cause, theattacks and the almost total indifferencewith which these women have been metreflect the low status often given to womenin Guatemala. The Sector de Mujeres(Women’s Sector) is an umbrellaorganisation of associations that has beenspeaking out against violations of women’srights for the last 13 years. It has played aprominent role in calling for an end to theimpunity for these murders, and hasprovided legal advice and support in manycases of violence against women. PBIprovided accompaniment to thisorganisation after its office was broken intotwice in 10 days, in May and June 2006. Thefirst time, the perpetrators took telephonesand money, and left blood stains on thewalls. The second time, they destroyed thefurniture, searched through files and left apiece of bloodied glass on one of the desks.Since then, the organisation has reportedother strange incidents around its offices. Bydisplaying international support to theSector de Mujeres, PBI accompaniment hassought to provide a deterrent to theseattacks and encourage the continuation oftheir crucial work.

Guatemala:Working Towards a True ‘Firm and Lasting Peace’



Women’s march by the Peasants Committee of the Highland

(Comite Campesino del Altiplano), Guatemala 2006

Significant political changes have takenplace in Mexico over the past year.Both national and regional shifts andwidespread unrest in the state of

Guerrero posed new challenges for the work ofPBI and the organisations it accompanies in thefield. In a climate of change and at the desiresof local communities, PBI has grown andeffectively adapted in Mexico. Exemplified bythe recent opening of an office in Mexico Cityin 2006, PBI has enhanced its monitoringcapacities of human rights and establishedstronger linkages with officials. Consistent withPBI’s interests in empoweringlocal organisations, PBIaccompaniment has ensured thatcases such as that of the Cerezobrothers (see page 6), are beingrecognised by the Mexican CNDH(National Human RightsCommission). Alongside havingestablished direct advocacy linkswith the Mexican government andhelping to counter previousgovernment scepticism towardscivil organisations, PBIaccompaniment has enablednumerous organisations toestablish links with somedomestic policy groups and, thus,lessen their isolation. PBI hasdeveloped trusting relations withlocal communities in Guerreroand empowered localorganisations to act withconfidence in their protection ofessential human rights.

PBI is actively engaged inparticipative dialogue withvarious sectors throughoutMexico and the internationalcommunity. Its advocacy work and theestablishment of an effectivecommunications network have proven highlybeneficial to the organisation’s work. Backedby the UK Embassy in Mexico, in 2006 PBIwas successful in meeting with militarypersonnel and various governmental officialswho are instrumental for the protection ofhuman rights in Guerrero. Without such

active and engaging advocacy theseachievements would have been significantlyharder to obtain. These meetings havedeveloped strong foundations for futurerelations between PBI, its accompanyingorganisations and state departments.

The accompaniment of OMESP(Organisation of Women Ecologists in theSierra Petatlan) displays how PBI has apositive, popular role within Mexico. Workingto counter violence perpetrated againstwomen and the continuation of intensivelocal deforestation through various

agricultural, reforestation and educationprogrammes, OMESP has experiencednumerous threats in Guerrero. OMESP’seffective operations (symbolised by its SierraClub, Chico Mendez Award in 2005 forexcellent environmental work) have beenconsiderably aided by PBI accompanimentand the confidence and empowerment thisbrings. Similar positive impacts have been

derived from PBI’s work with OPIM(Organisation of Indigenous Me’phaa People),an organisation defending indigenouscommunities facing human rights violations.Based in Ayutla de los Libres, Guerrero, OPIMhas successfully expanded its membershipand activities, and has begun implementingeducational programmes concerningcommunities’ human rights. PBI’s protectiveaccompaniment has sought to ensure theseprogrammes can continue and expand in asecurer environment of reduced threats.

In 2006 PBI also expanded the nature ofits accompaniment, establishing a new short-term scheme for specific events. This newmeans of accompaniment has already hadpositive impacts, enhancing flexibility andresponsiveness to immediate crises. PBIundertook two short-term accompanimentsin 2006. The first, in June, accompanied thepetition of the Oaxaca Human RightsNetwork that is made up of regionalorganisations concerned with the forcedremoval and security of striking teachers inOaxaca. The second accompaniment of theCivil Observation Mission (Misión Civil deObservación) took place in September. TheMission is made up of over 50 Oaxacanorganisations whose purpose is directlyconcerned with the documentation of humanrights violations. Both accompaniments havealready had positive impacts by enhancinginternational exposure to Mexican humanrights violations, drawing together multipleorganisations and empowering them to act inan environment of reduced threats.

Mexico: Progressivestrides in changing times



In a context like Guerrero’s

(Mexican state), where the law

is worthless to the authorities

and violence is the main

characteristic, the presence and

accompaniment of Peace

Brigades International is

essential in order to carry out

our work as a human rights

organisation.

Abel Barrera Hernandez,

Director of Tlachinollan

Mountain Human Rights

Centre, Guerrero, Mexico

Volunteer Pilar Romero accompanying Francisco Cerezo in

Mexico City during a march in commemoration of the

massacre of Corpus Christi of 10 June 1971 (10 June 2006).

In 2006, President Álvaro Uribe won asecond term in office, having changed theConstitution to allow him the possibilityof running again. Congress was rocked by

numerous scandals concerning alleged linksbetween the political elite and paramilitarystructures, and various politicians werearrested and several imprisoned. JorgeNoguera, head of the DAS, the Colombianstate’s main security department, was arrestedfor links with paramilitary chiefs.

The formal paramilitary demobilisationprocess is now complete, and totals some31,6711 demobilised combatants. Despite this,paramilitary groups continued to operate,many in new forms. This was particularlyevident in Barrancabermeja, where the AguilasNegras (Black Eagles) group intimidated localNGOs – including CREDHOS (RegionalCooperation for the Defence of Human Rights)and the OFP (Women’s GrassrootsOrganisation) which PBI accompanies -through surveillance, death threats andphysical abuse. According to the Colombia-Europe-United States CoordinatingCommittee, Colombia is currently experiencinga period of paramilitary consolidation in allsocial, economic and political spheres. Guerrillaforces increased their activity in the secondhalf of the year, and negotiations for aHumanitarian Accord between theGovernment and the FARC (RevolutionaryArmed Forces of Colombia), which aimed tofree imprisoned guerrilla combatants andkidnapped civilians, collapsed due to a bombexplosion at the military academy in Bogotá.

In 2006, according to the Observatory for

the Protection of Human Rights, Colombia hadthe highest reported global number of cases ofrepression against human rights defenders –cases including death threats, detention andassassinations. Despite these inhibitingconditions, local human rights organisationscontinue to carry out their invaluable work.

In Medellín, PBI intensified itsaccompaniment of CJL (Corporation forJudicial Liberty), after they presented evidenceof an increased number of extrajudicialexecutions allegedly carried out by theColombian Army in the East of Antioquia. PBIaccompanied CJL more than thirty times ontheir trips to four towns in the region, in orderto guarantee their safety during human rightsworkshops and to help the group avoidlimiting its work because of the increasedsecurity threats.

The Community of Self-Determination,Life and Dignity of Cacarica (CAVIDA), is acommunity of Afro-Colombians originallydisplaced in 1997 from Cacarica, who live inhumanitarian zones on the Cacarica river basinin the northern Chocó region. In 2007 PBI willhave been accompanying the community for

ten years. The Colombian army has apermanent presence in the river basin and hasallegedly attacked and threatened members ofthe community. Despite these pressures, andby its example, CAVIDA has encouraged othersto create associations or Biodiversity ReserveZones, a new, broader concept for theprotection of civil society and theenvironment. Establishing and marking outtheir lands is an important step in therecuperation of community areas. PBIaccompanied CAVIDA to numerous meetingsin 2006 and their relationship continues to bestrengthened throughout the region.

Although the number of field volunteerswas reduced from 40 to 32 for financialreasons, we continued to accompany 12organisations and 3 communities in Colombia.PBI also established an accompanimentagreement with CALCP (Luís Carlos PérezLawyers’ Collective), formalising a relationshipbuilt throughout 2005. CALCP’s activitiesinclude important work on behalf of thethreatened indigenous Motilón Bari people inthe Catatumbo region.

Manuel Cepeda Foundation

The Foundation, set up by Iván Cepeda, and hiswife, Claudia Girón, is named after Iván’sfather, the assassinated Congressman andPatriotic Union leader. Its aim is to opposeimpunity and strive to keep victims’ memoriesalive. They are also leading members of theNational Movement of Victims of Crimes ofthe State, an umbrella organisation whichfulfils an essential role in the search for truth,justice and reparation. For example, in February2006, PBI accompanied Iván to San Onofreand the capital of the Sucre region, Sincelejo,for an event to set up the Victims’ Movementin a region which has at least 2000 bodiesburied in shallow graves at the paramilitaryfarmlands of El Palmar. After many years ofterror and repression by illegally armed groups,the people of these towns were empowered tospeak for the first time of the atrocitiessuffered, without immediate fear ofpersecution. PBI intensified its accompanimentof Iván and Claudia at the end of 2006because of increased threats and harassmentas a result of this work.

Colombia: Complex Accompaniment



To the People of PBI I sendexpressions of affection and ofgratitude for the invaluablesupport that they give to thoseindividuals and organisationswhich have to face insecurity inthe course of their work. Notonly has the accompanimentoffered a certain level ofprotection to life and limbs, butalso, and above all, it hasprovided great moral support.Jaime Prieto, Comite deSolidaridad con Los PresosPoliticos (Political Prisioners’Solidarity Committee), Colombia

1 High Commissioner for Peace, www.altocomisionadoparalapaz.gov.co/desmovilizaciones/2004/index_resumen.htm

Girl amidst the environmental destruction in

Chocó, Colombia. Destruction of the rain

forest is being caused mainly by logging and

palm oil companies.

After over a decade of conflict and13,0002 deaths, 2006 marked atransformative year in Nepalesepolitics with the signing of a peace

agreement between the government andMaoists, and the establishment of an interimgovernment under the Seven Party Alliance.However, protests and violent reprisals, bothlast year and this, have ensured that PBI’sprotective accompaniment remains essential inNepal. Although Nepal’s human rightssituation improved in 2006, the UnitedNations Office of the High Commissioner onHuman Rights in Nepal has highlighted a lackof accountability on the part of both the statesecurity forces and the Maoists for past humanrights violations. Both groups of actors arefrequently inhospitable to human rightsactivists and continueto limit human rightsorganisations’operations. PBIaccompaniment hasaided the protectionof groups seeking tolegally rectify pastinjustices, and ensuredtheir struggles againstimpunity can continue.Uncertainty surroundsthe future of Nepal in2007. In the south,conflicts have arisenover governmentalrepresentation of theMadhesi population,while recent changes in the interimconstitution and reforms in the timing ofconstitutional assembly elections have led touncertainty and instability in the country.

Following extensive prior research andconsultation, in 2006 the PBI Nepal Projectbegan the implementation of its Security,Protection and Advocacy programme in Nepal.In providing International Protective Presencefor human rights advocates and organisations,and facilitating the Nepal Support Networkfor Peace and Human Rights Activists (NSN),PBI has been welcomed by the human rights

community in Nepal. Having formallyestablished an office of 5-6 field volunteers inKathmandu, in 2006 PBI Nepal developed anextensive communications network thatincludes the Nepalese government, local andinternational NGOs and civil society, thediplomatic community, and the UnitedNations Office of the High Commissioner onHuman Rights in Nepal.

In August 2006 the Nepalese NGO,Advocacy Forum formally requested protectiveaccompaniment from PBI in light of threatsagainst the continuation of its work. Promotingthe rule of law and seeking to upholdinternational human rights standards in Nepal,Advocacy Forum has faced opposition fromboth Maoist and government security relatedsources seeking to avoid accountability for

past atrocities. Embarking on a potentiallydangerous legal strategy to spearhead casesagainst torture, disappearance, and extra-judicial killings. Advocacy Forum has received multiple threats. Their effectiveaccompaniment throughout Nepal and theireffective operations were recognised in 2006by Human Rights Watch’s Human RightsDefender Award for Advocacy Forum’sExecutive Director, Mandira Sharma.

Throughout the political battles of 2006,PBI’s protective presence in an establishedHuman Rights Home in the capital ensured

the safety of many human rights activistsduring periods of repression. Fearing for his life,Gopal Siwakoti, the executive director of thehuman rights organisation “HimRights”, tookrefuge at the Home. Not only a safe haven, theHome provided a secure location in whichGopal was able to continue his work andcoordinate with colleagues. During the 2006People’s Movement, COCAP, a coalition of civilsociety organizations working for peace andhuman rights in Nepal, suffered severeintimidation and threats. PBI accompanimentwas of fundamental importance during thistime as it ensured COCAP could continueworking on and monitoring the country’shuman rights situation.

Due to extensive work throughout lastyear and new requests for accompaniment, PBIhas developed additional relationshipsthroughout Nepal. In February 2007 PBI beganaccompanying the Conflict Victims’ Committeeof Bardiya District in a region that has beenseverely restricted and disrupted by prolongedconflict and a very high presence of landmines.

In January 2007, a further volunteerselection and training process took place inNew Delhi. Volunteers from countriesincluding, France, Germany, India, Netherlands,South Africa, USA and UK will be deployedthroughout Nepal in the coming year. Pastvolunteers have often continued working withPBI, helping to raise the profile of their workand facilitate open, active discussion andrecognition of events inside Nepal.

Nepal: Continuity and growth in a changing climate



When we have threats, we tell

PBI who activates their own

internal mechanisms—the alert

network, or meetings with

ministers, ambassadors, and

giving us protection on our trips

to speak with victims and

authorities where we have to

raise the issue of human rights

violations. The PBI volunteers

don’t intervene or do our work,

rather they give us international

moral support.

Nepali Human Rights Lawyer

PBI volunteer, Jenny Brav with a Nepalese HRD

2 http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/11/02/nepal14398.htm 04/06/07

Since arriving in Indonesia in 2000,PBI’s work in Indonesia has expandedand evolved. The peace agreementbetween the government and GAM

(Free Aceh Movement) has not ended themilitary’s central societal role in Aceh and PBIaccompaniment remains crucial throughoutthe country in regions such as Papua.Alongside accompaniment and having

received governmental “foundation status” in2005, the Indonesia Project took on newresponsibilities in 2006. In coordination withexisting Protection Service teams,Participatory Peace Education programs havebegun in Aceh and both Jayapura andWamena, Papua. PBI worked with numerouslocal community groups and various nationaland international NGOs in establishingcontextually sensitive approaches to peaceeducation. Rather than imposing any universalconstruct of peace education, PBI seeks toprovide opportunities and guarantee a securespace for local communication and dialogue.Emphasis on participation and mutual learningare core features of these programs that seekto ensure individual recognition of theavailable alternatives to violence. In line withbeliefs of empowerment and sustainability,PBI began developing resource centres for thecontinuation of accessible peace education forthe long-term. The focus of its education hasalso been broadened to encompass not only

public, group interactions but also to counterpressing concerns over domestic violence.Through a variety of workshops, peaceeducation activities, and continuousparticipatory communications, PBI’s aim ofmaking space for peace is being establishedwithin Indonesia.

At the request of the Indonesiansthemselves, PBI also expanded the number ofgroups it works with in 2006. PBI has begunworking with LP3BH, an NGO based inManokwari, West Irian Jaya, which received theRights and Democracy 2005 John HumphreyFreedom Award.

Perhimpunan Bantuan dan Hak

Asasi Manusia Indonesia

PBHI (Perhimpunan Bantuan dan HakAsasi Manusia Indonesia), anorganisation that seeks to give legaltraining and assistance to victims ofhuman rights abuses has an activepresence in Indonesia. PBIaccompaniment of PBHI and itslawyers has ensured that many casesof human rights violations havereached the permanent Human RightsCourt in Makassar, South Sulawesi.Retaliations to an attack on a localpolice station in the Abepura districtof Papua in 2000 were allegedlyreported as extreme and unjustifiable;two people died and multiple beatingsand detentions occurred despite noevidence linking the victims to theinitial attack. Although the trial ofmembers of the Indonesian securityforce led to their acquittal in 2005, PBIaccompaniment has importantlyempowered local actors to seek legalmeans of compensation for pastinjustices. Two people died andmultiple beatingsand detentionsoccurred. No evidence was foundlinking the victims to the initial attack.

Indonesia: Educational empowerment



“Frankly, we feel more

comfortable if there is

accompaniment from PBI. We

really need PBI on these trips.

Khairani Arifin, Coordinator

Relawan Perempuan untuk

Kemanusiaan/RPuK (Women

Volunteers for Humanity in

Aceh) Aceh, Indonesia.

Because of my work as a human

rights activist, I have been

intimidated, terrorised and

detained. I had to be evacuated in

a freight plane and even thought I

had to leave the country. Since

PBI has protected me, I feel a lot

safer. I can work more self-

confidently and openly. I don’t

have to hide anymore.”

Matius Murib, Kontras Papua

Megan Ciotti (UK volunteer) accompanying

Yan Christian Warinussy, from LP3BH (Yayasan

Lembaga Penelitian, Pengkajian dan

Pengembangan Bantuan Hukum, The Institute

for Analysing, Investigation and Development

of Legal Aid) in Manokwari, Papua.

For an account of PBI’s work in

Indonesia and the experience of

our volunteers see:

http://www.peacebrigades.org/

etp/reports/pakhabar_jan07.pdf

Despite a cease-fire in 2003,the Democratic Republic ofCongo (DRC) has remainedembroiled in certain

conflicts orientated around issues ofterritory and natural resources. Humanrights organisations operating in theregion have received little governmentalsupport or security and are subject tocontinual threats. Their work isconcerned with various issues includingsexual violence, child soldiers, humanrights education, and detainees’ rights.Following extensive research from theDRC, Rwanda and Burundi from 2004,PBI-BEO (Brussels European Office)began work in the DRC in 2006. Initialmanagement and security trainings thatbegan in 2004 have continued and newcontacts with both local andinternational authorities and humanrights defenders have developed. Theseprogrammes have occurred incooperation with Frontline, a Dublin-

based human rights organisation, theBelgium and German Foreign Ministriesand some elements of the Swiss localgovernment.

In 2006 PBI-BEO developed anAction Plan with the aim of raisingnational consciousness of the value ofprotecting human rights and HRDsthroughout the country. This Planincluded the objective of creating analert process in which human rightsviolations are reported.

For further information about PBI-BEO’s Mainstreaming ProtectionProgramme (MPP), please visitwww.protectionline.org/

Mainstreaming Protection Programme in DRC



Proactive Presence:

Field strategies

for civilian protection

by Liam Mahony

In 2006 PBI's International Councilmember, Liam Mahony, and theCentre for Humanitarian Dialogue(Geneva, Switzerland) published theabove titled book. Having workedextensively in the field of humanrights, including within the UN,Liam's publication casts anenlightening perspective on the roleof civilian protection. Considerableresearch and field trips, including aten-year assessment of PBI's workin Colombia, have gone in to thispublication and it is recommendedto all those considering work in the field.

http://www.hdcentre.org/Proactive%20Presence

Participants in a PBI workshop on

Security in the Democratic Republic

of the Congo.

Volunteer’s Accounts



My experience as a PBI

Guatemala team member

Silke Gatermann

First, when I arrived in January 2006, Iremember being very impressed by therange of contacts the team had, rangingfrom very local human rights activists tohigh level human rights lawyers ormembers of international organisms, andthe respect that these people have for PBI’swork. To have access to such a wide varietyof experts, who so willingly share theirknowledge with PBI because of the well-known respectability and integrity of theorganisation, is a privilege and provides aninvaluable base of information from whichthe team can make its decisions. Thesecontacts are the result of 23 years ofexperience and respected work in the field.

An average week can includeaccompaniments in and outside GuatemalaCity, meetings with national andinternational organisations and authorities,article and report writing, internal teammeetings, attending conferences, receiving(announced and unannounced) visitors atthe PBI office and house, and, of course,cooking and cleaning. It isn’t unusual ofcourse to have a whole carefully plannedweek turned upside down after anemergency phone call requiring immediateaction. The Project Coordinator andCommittee, its members situated in 5countries around the world, are also on call24 hours a day, and are there to provideconstant advice and support on everydaymatters and in emergencies.

Through PBI I have had the chanceto meet some of the few people whostill believe change for the better ispossible, who believe in a better future,in a more just and equal Guatemala.These human rights defenders face deaththreats, intimidation and surveillance,but are prepared to risk their lives inorder to achieve what they believe in.Through the accompaniment of PBI theyare able to continue campaigning andcontinue being an inspiration toeveryone who has the fortune of cominginto contact with them.

2Attending project-specific

regional training

Each country project runs periodic

regional training courses lasting 7-10 days. The

training covers the history and current political

situation of the project country, the causes of

the conflict and the role of PBI in the country,

together with the kinds of situations team

members may have to address. At the end of the

training, candidates will be informed of their

suitability to join the project.

1Attending the Orientation Weekend

In the UK, we organise Orientation

Weekends several times a year to

introduce potential volunteers to the

principles, philosophy and work of PBI, and

guide them through a process of self-

evaluation. On the basis of the trainers’

recommendations and the self-evaluation

of the potential volunteers, the PBI UK

decides on the suitability of candidates to

attend a regional training.

VOLUNTEER TRAININGBefore joining a PBI project potential volunteers undergo a period of training to assess theirsuitability for the challenges of fieldwork and enable them to decide if PBI is right for them.

Indonesia Project 2006

Mike Bluett

At the 2-week training course I wasimpressed by PBI’s experience and methods. 4months later I moved to Indonesia. I’m nowhalf way through a year’s field service with aPBI field team in Wamena in the CentralHighlands of Papua, Indonesia. If, like mebefore I got here, you’ve never heard of it,google it, – you’ll soon read somethingamazing! There are many local individuals andgroups working for peace and human rights.They all tell us it is important for their workthat PBI are here, especially as there are veryfew international organisations in the area.

Our peace education partners in theHighlands include local NGOs working forpeace through promoting indigenous culture,women’s groups and active individuals. Thepeace education program allows local peopleto explore their own experiences of conflictand identify their own strengths in resolvingit. PBI relates with the local communitythrough various film screenings, discussionson human rights issues, community activitiesand workshops. The peace libraries inWamena and Jayapura have proven popularlocations.

PBI volunteers may sit outside the officeof a client who is being threatened andmonitored by unknown groups, accompany aclient organisation to a village in theHighlands where they are carrying outtraining for survivors of human rights

violations, or travel with a human rightsinvestigator in a six-seated plane to a remotemountain area where armed conflict betweenrebels and government soldiers has justdisplaced 3000 people from their homes. Ihave been lucky enough to do all of these.PBI’s protective accompaniment provides anunquantifiable mix of real physical protectionand moral support for local human rightsdefenders to continue their struggle in theface of intimidation and attack.

Although it’s been a big commitment forme personally and financially, I wouldwholeheartedly recommend volunteering forPBI. The support for volunteers is good and Ihave high hopes for exciting professionalopportunities abroad following my experiencein Papua.

Mike Bluett accompanies KONTRAS

(Komisi Untuk Orang hilang dan Korban

Tindak Kekerasan,The Commission for

Disappearances and Victims of Violence)

in the Central Highlands of Papua

Summary statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 December 2006

2006 2005

£ £

Incoming resources

Grants receivable from trusts and companies 218,200 149,785

Donations and other income 27,409 22,283

245,609 172,068

Resources expended

Charitable activities (210,327) (138,310)

Cost of generating funds (23,969) (27,451)

Governance costs (8,549) (7,439)

(242,845) (173,200)

Net incoming resources for year 2,764 (1,132)

Funds brought forward 41,734 42,866

Funds carried forward 44,498 41,734

Summary balance sheet as at 31st December 2006 2006 2005

£ £

Fixed assets 453 0

Current assets 87,751 49,209

Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (33,706) (7,475)

Net current assets 54,045 41,734

Total assets less current liabilities 54,498 41,734

Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year (10,000) 0

Total net assets 44,498 41,734

Unrestricted funds 44,498 38,592

Restricted funds 0 3,142

Total funds 44,498 41,734

(Charity registration number 1101016, Company registration number 3912587)

Financial Summary



Board of Trustees statement

These summary accounts are not thestatutory accounts but a summary of theinformation which appears in the full financialstatements which have been subjected to anindependent audit and given an unqualifiedreport. The Board of Trustees approved thefull financial statements on 4th June 2007and a copy is to be submitted to the CharityCommission. The summarised financialstatements may not contain sufficientinformation to allow for a full understandingof the financial affairs of the charity. Forfurther information, the full financialstatements including the auditor's report maybe obtained from the charity's registeredoffice.

Auditor's statement on the summary

accounts

We have examined the summary accountsset out alongside.

Respective responsibilities of the

trustees and the auditors

The summary accounts are the responsibilityof the Trustees. It is our responsibility toreport to you on their consistency with thefull accounts. Our report on the full accountsof Peace Brigades International UnitedKingdom Section includes information on theresponsibilities of the Trustees and theauditors relating to the preparation and auditof the accounts and on the basis of ouropinion on the full accounts.

Opinion

In our opinion the summary accountsare consistent with the full accounts ofPeace Brigades International UnitedKingdom Section for the year ended 31 December 2006.

Critchleys, Chartered Accountants,

Registered Auditors 7th June 2007



Governance costs4%

Funding to PBIMexico Project

11%

Funding to PBIColombia Project

29%

Funding to PBIIndonesia Project

4%

Funding to PBIGuatemala Project

5%Funding to PBINepal Project

4%

Advocacy & project support

6%

Outreach & publicity

16%

Field volunteerrecruitment & training

4%

Fund raising10%

Funding to PBI InternationalSecretariat

7%

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

250,000

200,000

150,000

100,000

50,000

0

Donationsand otherincome

Grants fromTrusts andcompanies

Total incoming resources by year

How the funds were spent in 2006

Peace Brigades InternationalUK Section expresses itsthanks to all volunteerswho contribute their timeto its many activities. It is not practicable atpresent to quantify thevalue of the many hundredof unpaid hours theycontribute each year butthis time is crucial to theeffectiveness of theorganisation’s work.

PBI Country Groups

Aotearoa/New ZealandAustraliaBelgiumCanadaFranceGermanyItalyLuxemburgNetherlandsNorwaySpainSwedenSwitzerlandUnited KingdomUnited States

Associate Groups

AustriaPortugal

Current PBI Projects

Colombia (founded 1994) Guatemala (re-established 2002)Indonesia (founded 1999)Mexico (founded 1999)Nepal (founded 2005)

Board of Trustees

Christopher ChapmanSusan CosgroveJoanne HoldenAndrew KendleBen Miller

Staff

Susi Bascon (full time coordinator)Anna Jones (part time fundraiser)Lani Parker (full time outreach worker)Keith Smith (part time finance worker)

PBI Field Volunteers 2006

Indonesia project

Naomi BairdMike Bluett Megan Ciotti John HampsonNicholas Loc Catherine MotaEdd Wright

Colombia project

Chizom Ekeh Alice GarsideJune Holmes Paul Mukerji Anna MusgraveAlice ShirleyLouise Winstanley

Guatemala project

Mary ScottSilke Gatermann

Nepal project

Lucy Carver

Office volunteers

Arul Aram Tehneyat W. Asif Mitzi Bales Rachel Beck Richard BennetMonica BergosPhili Bird Stuart BowmanDaniel Carey Santi Carballo Isabel Carlton Jonathan Cheethamp Deryn CollinsSanti Cortinas Irene Costelo Hanna CoughlamAlex De Cata Nikkie Evans

Matt FawcettSophie Fosker Helen Gilbert Lidia GreatexRuth Halstead Yasmine HashenAndrew Hickman Louise KellermanLibby KerrValeria Luna Emma Marshall Natalie Mercier Mia MoilanenSian Morgan Stuart MortonPaul MukerjiLaurie Munslow Gregor PetersonGabriela PollardJill Powill Eleanor OpenshawEleanor RosengreenEvrim SanalJames Savage Eva Szokol-Humay Katherine TolymsonFlakitoMark WilliamsAnn Wright Helen Woodcock

With thanks to Thomas Baconfor writing and editing thispublication

PBI UK Office

Peace Brigades International (PBI) UK Section1b Waterlow Road, London N19 5NJ

Tel / Fax 020 7281 5370

email [email protected]

web www.peacebrigades.org

peace brigades international · peace brigades international uk section pbi uk annual review 2006 3...

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