ACVC requested PBI accompaniment regularly in 2010, following the release of two of the organisation’s leaders from jail on unsubstantiated charges in late 2009. Despite serious threats – including arrest warrants for 80 peasant farmers – ACVC was active throughout the year. This included organising an event to mark the bicentenary of Colombia with around 7,000 participants as well as winning Colombia’s National Peace Prize and gaining unprecedented recognition for their important work. We provided 162 days accompaniment to ACVC in 2010.

We trained 115 women and men human rights defenders in Mexico in 2010. Through our programmes we share our risk analysis tools, provide practical help and advice tailored to defenders’ specific needs and support them to develop their own long-term security policy and emergency response strategies.

Victor Mambor is a journalist and member of Foker, a regional NGO which provides training and support to grassroots organisations working in many areas including environmental, cultural and land rights issues, women’s rights and health education across Papua, Indonesia. With support from PBI, Victor travelled to Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and France. Victor’s speaker tour raised awareness about the difficult situation for human rights defenders in Papua, particularly those working on environmental issues such as illegal logging. Victor met with parliamentarians as well as government and European Commission officials. He met with international environmental charities including WWF and Greenpeace creating important links and helping inform their strategies on Papua. He was also interviewed by journalists and featured in a news article and documentary.

Local people in the rural community of Zacapa, Guatemala, formed APMG to protect their mountain from logging, monoculture, and large-scale cattle farming. In 2010 eight APMG members faced trumped up criminal charges designed to hamper the organisation’s work. These were dismissed by a judge, but threats and attempts to intimidate and silence members continued unabated. The risks facing APMG and four other accompanied organisations increased dramatically, leading us to activate our support network. We provided detailed information to key audiences including diplomatic staff, parliamentarians, activists and authorities and suggested actions they could take to try to defuse the situation. As a result, representatives of various embassies attended an AMPG press conference and visited the region to show their support for members of AMPG. The Human Rights Ombudsman in Guatemala also expressed concern in a formal letter to the Police Commissioner following pressure from European parliamentarians.