MEDELLIN, Colombia -- Gen. Mario Montoya has for years been a trusted caretaker of the sizable aid package Washington provides Colombia's army, leading helicopter-and-commando teams that eradicated drug crops and helping orchestrate this summer's dramatic rescue of hostage Ingrid Betancourt and three captured U.S. defense contractors from Marxist rebels.

For the past two years, residents of San Juan Sacatepéquez have been demanding the right to be informed and take part in decision-making processes related to the construction of a cement plant and quarry.

5 reasons why spurious criminal charges against human rights defenders amount to persecution:

· In the space of 2 hours, indigenous na savi, me´phaa, nahua and amuzgo people put forward 10 cases of human rights violations.

· They ask for an end to militarization and to the criminalization of social movements and they demand that due respect be paid to the indigenous peoples and their human rights

· Louise Arbour offers to share the testimonies in the places that she visits.