Bachelet Calls for Dialogue and a more Inclusive Society in Ecuador (almost 2 Months Later)
© Sputnik / Marco Teruggi
Moscow (Sputnik) – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, urged all actors in Ecuador to dialogue to prevent new conflicts and build an inclusive society.
“It is extremely important that society as a whole, with the leadership of the Government, undertake the search for ways that lead to mutual understanding, with a view to building an inclusive, multicultural and peaceful society,” Bachelet said in a statement published in the web of the office that she heads.
Bachelet called to investigate allegations of human rights violations and abuses during the protests that took place from October 3 to 13 in Ecuador.
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She also called for granting victims reparations that include guaranteeing that abuses will not be repeated.
“A comprehensive set of reparations should also be provided to victims. People are not only entitled to the truth, but also to reparation, which includes guarantees of non-repetition . In the absence of these, the feeling of disappointment and injustice will prevail.” she said.
According to the diplomat, discrimination against indigenous peoples “should also be a matter of concern and priority for the Government.”
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Bachelet urged the Ecuadorian authorities to take effective measures to address their problems, and recognize that it is a barrier that hinders the elimination of structural economic inequalities.
In October Ecuador was convulsed by a series of protests against the elimination of the gasoline subsidy of 87 octane and diesel. In several of the protests there have been violent acts and looting in response most of the time to police and military repression.
The indigenous movements and the Government, with the mediation of the United Nations Organization, the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference, and the oversight of the different functions of the State, reached an agreement that ended the protests that kept the nation convulsed.
According to data from the Ombudsman’s Office, between October 3 and 13, eight people died, 1,340 were injured and 1,192 detained, within the framework of the mobilizations. 94 policemen were also injured.
