Read below the summaries of the communications sent by the Rapporteur to various countries from December 2010 to last May. To read the complete version of each communication, click on the summary title.
To read the complete report, including communications from all the other rapporteurs, click here. The communication was presented this month at the 18th session of the UN Human Rights Council, in Geneva.
(Brazil) Alleged forced evictions in the framework of the 2014 Football World Cup preparation, the 2016 Olympic Games, as well as urban reforms. According to the information received, cases of evictions were reported in several cities. In Belo Horizonte, the improvement work in the ―Anel Viário‖ had threatened the housing situation of almost 2600 families. In Curitiba, in the framework of the construction of a new area of the airport Alfonso Pena, more than 1000 persons had been under threat of eviction. In Fortaleza, more than 500 families had been under threat of eviction in the framework of work undertaken in the Via Expressa in view of the World Cup. In Natal, several families received eviction notices in the framework of the construction of a new airport and related works. In Porto Alegre, more than 1300 families had been threatened of eviction due to the construction of the road Avenida Tronco. In Recife, several families had been under threat of eviction due to the construction of the Via Mangue. In Rio de Janeiro, on 17 and 18 December 2010, several families were allegedly evicted from their houses located in Av. Das Américas in the framework of the construction of two BRTs (bus lanes). In São Paulo, more than 50,000 families had been under threat of eviction in the framework of mega-projects
(Morocco – Text in French) Allégation de torture et de mauvais traitements par les forces de sécurité. Selon les informations reçues, des forces de sécurité marocaines seraient entrées dans le camp Gdeim Izik situé au Sahara occidental où quelques milliers de tentes ont été dressées par des personnes sahraouies afin de protester contre leurs conditions sociales et économiques. Le 8 novembre 2010, les forces de sécurité marocaines auraient démantelé le camp, ce qui aurait conduit à un affrontement violent dans la ville d‘El-Ayoun entre les résidents du camp et les forces de sécurité. Cet affrontement aurait entraîné la mort de 11 membres des forces de l‘ordre et de 2 civils. Quelque 300 personnes auraient été détenues. Des personnes sahraouies auraient fait l‘objet d‘actes de torture et de mauvais traitements lors du démantèlement du camp, durant leur arrestation et leur détention.
(Guatemala) Alleged cases of eviction of twelve communities in Polochic Valley. According to information received, on March 15, 2011, the National Civil Police and members of the armed forces evicted the community residing in Miralvalle. Shots were fired. As a result, Antonio Beb Ac died and Federico Caal, Emilio Xol Yat, Hugo Leonel Caal and Concepcion Tut Coy were wounded. On March 16, the Agua Caliente community in Telemán received a one-hour notice of eviction from their houses and plantations. On March 17, two other communities were evicted. Members were arrested, intimidated and threatened. On the same day, the residents of the Bella Flor community were evicted and Manuel Xuc Cucul de Panzos was arrested by the police. According to information received, the communities are holding talks to solve land conflicts. (Original text in Spanish). To read the country government’s response to this communication, click here (in Spanish).
(Russia) Alleged threat of eviction of internally displaced persons.According to the information received, on 3 March 2011, 14 families residing in former military barracks in the Ingush city of Nazran received requests from local authorities to vacate the barracks within ten days. These families belong to the ethnic Ingush group and were internally displaced following the 1992 conflict between Ossetians and Ingush which destroyed their homes. As a result of the conflict, they had not been able to return home. The local administration had allegedly threatened to call in the police if the families refused to vacate the barracks. Local government authorities had reportedly indicated their intention to evict more people in the region with no alternative accommodation offered. To read the country government’s response to this communication, click here.
(Great Britain) Alleged threat of eviction of Romani and Irish Traveler families. According to the information received, Dale Farm is the largest Romani and Irish Traveler community in England. The settlement with about 1000 residents extends onto land owned by the community. Approximately one third of the Dale Farm community (86 families, approximately 300 people, including 110 children) faced a threat of forced evictions, following the decision of the Basildon District Council on 14 March 2011. Previous decisions of eviction of the Dale Farm community were the subject of an earlier communication (see A/HRC/16/42/Add.1, para 65).
(Uganda) Alleged abuses by the police and the military forces. According to the information received, on 18 May 2011 journalists Messrs Stephen Otage, Sulaiman Mutebi, Ivan Mukasa and Umar Kyeyune were covering an eviction of Lubigi wetland, which was reportedly carried out by military police and Uganda Police Force. Lubigi wetland is located along Hoima road, about 15 kilometres North West of Kampala. Reportedly, while the eviction was taking place, some of the persons being evicted were taken by the police and military forces, severely beaten and undressed. Security forces reportedly used tear gas and live ammunition during the eviction. The four journalists mentioned were covering the events, taking pictures of the alleged abuses, when they were reportedly also beaten by the police and their cameras were confiscated. To read the country government’s response to this communication, click here.
(India) Alleged evictions and demolitions of informal settlements and slums in New Delhi. According to the information received, New Delhi witnessed evictions and demolitions of informal settlements and slums in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games that took place from 3-14 October 2010 in the capital city. Most of these evictions were apparently carried out to construct roads, bridges, stadiums and parking lots, or to beautify the city. In addition, beggars and homeless persons were allegedly rounded up, arrested and arbitrarily detained under the Bombay Prevention of Beggary Act 1959 in preparation for the Games. To read the country government’s response to this communication, click here.
(Mexico) Alleged construction of hydroeletric dams. Since 2004, the Special Rapporteurs have been exchanging communications with the Mexican government about the La Parota Hydroelectric Project. According to new information received, throughout 2010, new court rulings ordered the temporary suspension of the hydroelectric project as a precautionary measure. In particular, on April 11, 2010, Agrarian Unitary Court 41 granted a precautionary measure to prevent the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) and any other entity from developing work aimed at the construction of this hydroelectric project. It has however been alleged that, despite the court rulings, the Federal Congress (House of Representatives) has authorized the budget for construction of the dam. The director of the CFE also publicly stated that next year the construction of Parota hydroelectric power plant will be tendered.(Original text in Spanish).
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