Rio 2016 Backs Security Measures; Eviction Criticism for Olympic Organizers

Rio 2016 Backs Security Measures

Olympic organizers are praising the recent security work of Rio governor Sergio Cabral.

The vote of confidence followsa week of successful security operations in the 2016 host city, including the nabbing of a top drug kingpin and police seizing the city’s largest slum.

In a statement, the organizing committee congratulated Cabral and the police "for the successful operation deployed to regain territorial control of the Rocinha, Vidigal and Chácara do Céu communities.

"The success of this operation is yet another evidence of the suitability of the Public Security policy and the Rio de Janeiro pacification project, conducted with firm hand by the State government and with full support from the society and, above all, the communities involved.

"Rio 2016 is convinced that the events witnessed on Sunday, November 13, will result in benefits to the residents of Rocinha, Vidigal and Chácara do Céu, as they will pave the way for several actions by the three levels of government – federal, state and city – aimed at definitely integrating these communities into the city.

"The historical events of last Sunday reiterate the commitment undertaken by Brazil of staging the Games in 2016, as well as the test events as of 2015, in a climate of full security for participants, tourists and residents," the statement continued.

With the security achievements, Rio 2016 says the city is closer to achieving one of the "key objectives" of the Games: "a sustainable legacy of social well-being to the current population and future generations."

Eviction Criticism for Rio 2016

AmnestyInternational is appealing to the IOC to stop forced evictions in Rio de Janeiro ahead of the 2016 Olympics.

A letter from Amnesty and other human rights watchdogs was sent to Nawal El Moutawakel, IOC Coordination Commission chair for Rio 2016, claiming the evictions violate Brazilian law.

"Forcing families out of their homes without adequate notice, prior consultation with those affected and without offering adequate alternative housing or provision of legal remedies flies in the face of the very values the Olympics stand for, and violates Brazil's laws and international human rights commitments,"said the organizations.

"The Olympic organizers should use their influence to put an end to this practice now, before it's too late. The IOC must not be complicit with human rights abuses carried out in its name, and should publicly and unequivocally condemn all forced evictions in Rio de Janeiro."

The letter was posted to Amnesty International’s website on Tuesday.

Construction related to Games infrastructure typically causes evictions in Olympic host cities.

What was labelled one of the "gravest" cases involves allegations that authorities arrived without alerting residents that their homes were being destroyed.

Amnesty dubbed the evictions "a pattern of abuse" and claimed they have continued "over the past year" in Rio.

Raquel Rolnik,United Nations Special Rapporteur for adequate housing, called for an end to the evictions earlier in the year.

Written by Ed Hula III.