CPTnet
11 August 2006
COLOMBIA UPDATE: July 2006
in July, the team continued its presence in the Opón river region where
tensions have run higher since the assassination of a community member last
month and the ongoing presence of the gasoline cartel and guerrillas. Team
members visit families and support local organizing initiatives including
their refusal to support armed groups. Several Florida community members
have left the area because of recent violence and threats.
1 July Carol Tyx and Stewart Vriesinga attended the Regional Victims
Assembly. This meeting built momentum and solidified proposals for the
National Assembly of Victims of Violence that occurred the following week.
With nearly 1,000 participants, this regional conference drew many
representatives of peasant groups as well as leaders from local
organizations. Leaders from CREDHOS, a Barrancabermeja human rights
organization, started out the event with a call for truth, justice, and
reparations. Three working groups spent time constructing proposals that
they shared with the whole assembly:
1) how to challenge and respond to the current policies and practices of
impunity
2) how to open more political space for this issue and
3) how to organize most effectively.
14-15 July
Carol Tyx and Adaía Bernal participated in a two day workshop on the theme
of reparations. Through a variety of presentations and small group
activities, the workshop explored the importance of wholistic reparations,
with attention to both the theory and practice of judicial reparations and
cultural or community reparations. The workshop closed with a powerful
theatrical presentation by community members.
15 July
Noah Dillard and Kim Lamberty attended a meeting with all of the leaders
from the Opón communities and the Development and Peace Program of the
Magdalena Medio (PDPMM) to review the progress of the projects in the
region. In 2006, PDPMM will offer microcredit to all of the members of the
communities. The communities can use the microcredit for crops, for hens,
cattle, etc. For those who choose to participate, PDPMM will help in the
formation of cooperatives and small businesses, and later help look for
markets to buy the products.
18 July
While Stewart Vriesinga and Carol Tyx were visiting the Opón river, the
Ombudsmen of Barrancabermeja visited the Ñieques, Florida and Colorada
communities to learn more about the current, tense situation.
18-31 July
A delegation of individuals from the United States and Canada visited
Bogotá, Barrancabermeja, and Micoahumado to learn more about the Colombian
conflict and civilian initiatives for peace. The group felt a strong
commitment to examine the economic roots of the conflict; they hoped this
understanding would help them organize for changes in international policy
in their home countries.
20 July
Sandra Rincón, Joel Klassen and the international delegation participated
in a public action with the Organization for Conscientious Objection that
followed the military parade on Colombia's Independence Day. "Let's change
this death march into a carnival for life" was written on a banner that
brought up the rear of a group of adults and children. They were dancing
and singing as an objection to the militarization of civilian
life--represented by mourning widows and displaced. CPTers helped to defuse
a potentially tense situation when the police began to stop the group from
marching. Eventually the action continued unhindered.
20 July
In the afternoon, the Popular Women's Organization (OFP) held a public
action to commemorate their thirty-fourth anniversary. They burned
camouflaged clothing and then wove together colored ribbons to represent
the different regions where the OFP works. They concluded the celebration
with dances and folk music. Until late into the evening, Carol Tyx and
Adaía Bernal helped these women rejoice in the birthday of an organization
that continues to empower women and maintains a constant campaign against
war.
21-26 July
Noah Dillard and Kim Lamberty accompanied a delegation of five human rights
lawyers and other organizations to Montes de Maria. See August 8 release:
"CPT Accompanies Human Rights Lawyers" at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cptcolombia/message/124
22 July
The food and beverage union SINALTRAINAL held a public action to expose
Coca-Cola's abuses against union members. Team members and the
international delegation attended and felt profoundly affected by the street
theater that represented the assassinations of union organizers. CPT
Colombia continues its commitment to boycott all Coca-Cola products.
27 July
The international delegation held a public action in the northeast sector of
Barrancabermeja. Their street theatre represented a "funeral for the
truth." As the delegation recited the lies that Colombian society has
accepted, the group responded, "Lies! Where is the truth?" Later, delegates
read the truths that they resurrected and responded, "Long live the truth!"
Then, those present shared stories of their truths, including displacement,
disappearances, and assassinations, with the objective of no longer being
complicit in their silence. The action ended with prayer that committed the
delegation to take what they learned from Colombia to their home countries
with the goal of changing oppressive policies such as Plan Colombia.
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