CPTnet
October 16, 2004

COLOMBIA POEMS: Impunity I and II

by Irene Erin Kindy

These poems are some reflections on impunity and voice I wrote after the
September 6 assassination of Ancizar Giraldo in the Los Ñeques community
that CPT accompanies.

Impunity I

Oh, my God, what were they thinking?
"Qué pasó en sus corazones?" {What hapened in their hearts?}
Yesterday she had a husband
and today she's taking their four children to his funeral. One of them will
not remember his father. The AUC came through (paramilitaries) bravos "y
porqué?" {angry, and why?} The only ones present except for the man-- un
machetazo y un tiro-- {a machete blow and a shot} were the compañeros
{companions} of the killer(s.)
¡Que berraco! {how tough!}
So, what could anyone investigate?
After much of the community bore
the body to the city
the armed police stood guard
to assure the body would get to the morgue.
What more could they do?
He was already dead (one more number)
and the killers far away,
even if people know who was responsible.
The autoridades {authorities} didn't have to rush out here;
They'd only find
the fear of helpful neighbors.
The perpetrators had moved through again.
This is the face of impunity from another side.
Es complicado. {It's complicated.}
Que tristeza. {What sadness.}
What anger!

I carry this community in my heart.
This will happen again.

Irene
Sept. 8, 2004

Impunity II

The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor
and needy, to kill those who walk uprightly; their sword shall enter
their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. -- Psalm 37:14, 15

The face of impunity from another side is:
The new widow telling us she won't make a denunciation
        because it was dark
        they didn't identify themselves when they asked for lemonade
        she didn't see their faces.
Her neighbors telling us the bloque {bloc} and origin of the armed men,
but some of them leaving in fear.

Because armed men do what they want
because they know they can get by with it,
and they do.

Because the police aren't there
and the witnesses won't speak because they fear for their lives
so the reports are always, "hombres desconocidos," (unknown men)
(All the time!)
And, you can't prosecute them.
The authorities themselves are sometimes implicated--
and that's too messy to prosecute.

So, people stay silent--
        because it might not be worth the risk. And, we stay silent--
        because if we speak wrong it might bring more guns
        into the lives of people we love.
Authorities stay silent--
        because, mostly, they're not there.

And, the men with guns keep speaking with the loudest.
But the OFP puts up billboards that read:
Ni una mujer, (Not a woman)
Ni un hombre, (Not a man)
Ni un peso (Not a peso)
para la guerra. (for war.)
and
Las ideas son (Ideas are)
mas fuertes (stronger)
que las armas. (than guns.)
And, their voice
persists.

Irene
September 26, 2004