Private Security Officers “Do the Dirty Work”
Private Security Officers “Do the Dirty Work”
“There is this constant threat from private security firms of illegal reprisals and retaliation. You know what to expect from the police, they are supposed to have badge numbers and things like that. However, most recently, a group that we work with organized an action to protect a forest outside of the capital. The group had been camping there for months, and on one particular day, thousands showed up to protect it. People we thought were police cordoned off an area and then took off their identification, so we actually couldn’t be sure they were police. We didn’t know if these were people in costumes, we didn’t know who hired them, we didn’t know what they were hired to do. They have no paperwork, no work order. What followed were serious attacks, human rights violations, and code of ethics violations. The public prosecutor didn’t do anything.
“In another example, people were protecting mountains from being mined when they were attacked and their camp was completely ransacked. Again, this was done by private security officers with no identification. Informally, we know who these people are. What happens in our country is that you have war criminals, some of them live in a neighboring country and then come across the border, and they have some kind of deal with the government: they are not in prison but they will do the dirty work of the government when it needs to be done. They will come and ruin a protest, for example, or start a fight at a protest.
Credit: Jaime Reimer
What happens in our country is that you have war criminals…and they have some kind of deal with the government: they…will do the dirty work. They will come and ruin a protest, for example.
Vera, artist and environmental activist
Credit: Arnet Xavier
“Police Only Target Activists”
“Police Only Target Activists”
“Most recently, in the middle of the night, machinery at the top of the mountain where the foreign company was engaged in mining was burnt and the protesters’ camp was ransacked. We don’t know who did it; even the protesters said, ‘We don’t know anything.’ Whoever was responsible, the police only targeted the activists. They arrested all of the activists and took them to the police station. Three activists were beaten; one of their mothers was outside and heard this happening. Police threatened to kill one activist while he was being beaten. The activists were without lawyers for nine hours and then were taken to another prison where they were held for 30 days. Now they are out with ankle bracelets and facing charges for vandalism of that one machine. Even if it is true, they are being treated like terrorists. Nobody from the foreign company has been questioned about their role in this event. No company staff went to the police station.
“The police also came to the house of an activist—a woman who was home alone with her many children—and while she was feeding them and putting them to sleep, the police ransacked the house. They didn’t find anything. Nothing was found in the homes of these activists. And they are the only ones who are targeted by the police. There are no fair legal proceedings for activists in my country—none. A friend was in court the other day. Everyone is in court or paying fines.”
Credit: Polina Kovaleva
There are no fair legal proceedings for activists in my country – none. …Everyone is in court or paying fines.
Vera, artist and environmental activist
Credit: Nahmad Hassan