A day in the life of Maira PuertasPBI volunteer, Urabá, Colombia Maira is a volunteer on an eight-person team accompanying communities that have been displaced, or have returned home after being displaced and suffer constant threats and harassment. ‘The alarm goes off at 7am. After a shower I begin my phone calls. I’ll be on my own in the office today because my fellow team members are doing accompaniments. A peculiarity of the Urabá team is that we are only together in the PBI house a couple of days a month. Volunteers spend their time with the two peace communities that we accompany. First, I call the police and the army to inform them that we’ll be travelling along the Atrato River and ask them for information on the security situation. This is part of our policy of transparency and visibility. I note the calls and then finish writing a report of an accompaniment the previous day and send it to the other PBI sub-teams in Colombia, to the Project Office in London and our regional representatives in the US, Canada, and Brussels. The phone rings…it’s the two volunteers on a 12-hour river journey asking for the information on the security situation that I got from the police and the military. ‘Everything’s fine.’ I tell them. Generally there isn’t any fighting on this particularly route; if there is, we cancel the trip. The door bell rings, and in comes one of the coordinators of the Communities for Self Determination, Life & Dignity (CAVIDA) who tells me what’s going on in the community and the day’s news stories. The phone rings again: it’s an accompaniment request from the Peace Community to go and fetch one of their members from the airport and accompany them to the Community…and so the day goes on. |
Make a differenceNews from PBIWhat they say"...I, too would like to pay tribute to the work of Peace Brigades International and to the bravery of the volunteers. Through their work, they are able to provide the sort of protection in Choco, Urabá and elsewhere that the armed forces cannot provide." Help PBI protect more Human Rights defenders - donate today... Keep in touch
Sign up for PBI enewsSelect a local PBI enews or chose the International enews. Latest publications PBI Annual Review 2011PBI Annual Review 2011 (pdf 1.6 MB)  MIP 100 January 2012Our Monthly Information Package for January, details the activities of PBI during the month (including all meetings with national authorities, civil society organisations and the diplomatic corp). MIP 100 January 2012 (pdf 241 KB)  Bulletin 24 - 2nd of 2011Pre-trial custody and criminal justice procedures: three people from San Juan Sacatepequez deprived of liberty for almost three years - Follow up to the Community Consultation in Sacapulas, Quiché. Bulletin 24 - 2nd of 2011 (pdf 1.4 MB)  ColomPBIa no 18: Mining in Colombia - At what cost?, November 2011ColomPBIa no 18: Mining in Colombia - At what cost?, November 2011 (pdf 2.5 MB)  Bulletin 31 - Undermining the Land, November 2011Over the previous year, profits for mining rose to 15,474 million US dollars, 51% more than in 2009. Since then, Mexico is also the world’s top producer of silver. These figures are in contrast with the situation of campesino and indigenous communities affected by mining exploitation and exploration activities. In this publication, PBI gives a voice to the human rights defenders who are faced with big economic interests and who are fighting for their right to the land and to a clean environment. Bulletin 31 - Undermining the Land, November 2011 (pdf 4.2 MB)  PBI Nepal Impunity Publication - May 2011The culture of impunity in Nepal related to conflict-era crimes continues and affects present-day access to justice. There is an absence of rule of law in many areas and rising insecurity as a result. Human rights defenders working against impunity or within this environment are made vulnerable. Here PBI-Nepal's partners and volunteers describe the situation and the effects on human rights defenders. PBI Nepal Impunity Publication - May 2011 (pdf 2.6 MB)  ColomPBIa no 17: Gold fever in Northeast Antioquia, March 2011ColomPBIa no 17: Gold fever in Northeast Antioquia, March 2011 (pdf 1.7 MB)  Bulletin 20 - 1st of 2010'States of prevention: a solution or a cause of violence?', 'Women, land and territory', 'Major development projects in Chiquimula' and news from the Guatemala Project. Bulletin 20 - 1st of 2010 (pdf 2.2 MB)  Namaste 06 July 2010 - EnglishIn this 6th issue of Namaste PBI wishes to bring your attention to the topic of discrimination in Nepal. Despite improvements in the Interim Constitution of 2007, discrimination is still present in many laws. Namaste 06 July 2010 - English (pdf 812 KB)  Quarterly Bulletin June 2010Obituary Emmanuel Goo - Introduction to the Jakarta/Papua dialogue - The Jakarta/Papua dialogue; an interview with Muridan Widjojo from LIPI - The Jakarta/Papua dialogue; an interview with Neles Tebay - The Jakarta/Papua dialogue; an article by Matius Murid - The Jakarta/Papua dialogue; an article by Deacon John Djonga- The EU Guidelines for the safety of Human Rights Defenders an Indonesian approach - The implementation of the EU Guidelines for Human Rights Defenders an opportunity and a challenge - A former volunteer returns: an interview with Gerrit Meyer - Staff profile: an interview with the IP International Volunteer Coordinator Quarterly Bulletin June 2010 (pdf 549 KB) |
