COLOMBIA: Bittersweet freedom for three ACVC leaders
May 1st, 2008
in:
CPTnet
1 May 2008
COLOMBIA: Bittersweet freedom for three ACVC leaders
by Pierre Shantz
"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me" Matthew 5: 10- 11.
Six months after the Colombian authorities imprisoned them on false charges of rebellion, Oscar Duque, Mario MartÃnez and Evaristo Mena were released for lack of evidence. They are leaders of the Asociación Campesina del Valle del RÃo Cimitarra ACVC (Campesino Association of the Cimitarra Valley), with whom CPT-Colombia has a working relationship. Right wing paramilitary groups and government forces have threatened and assassinated members of ACVC because they cry out for just land reform and sustainable development in rural areas.
Lately, the Colombian government has been mounting an intensive campaign of prosecuting social leaders who speak out against abuses and injustices throughout Colombia. Under Colombian law, the state can detain people for six months while it investigates charges against them, after which it must release the accused or bring them to trial.
The release of Duque, Martinez and Mena is bittersweet because they left behind the prison bars three other friends in the struggle: Andrés Gil, Miguel Huepa and Ramiro Ortega. The authorities imprisoned the latter two on 19 January 2008. Andres Gil has now completed the preliminary six months and his case will come to trial.
So, with our released brothers we celebrate their freedom, and with all those imprisoned because they work for a better and just world we continue to struggle.
1 May 2008
COLOMBIA: Bittersweet freedom for three ACVC leaders
by Pierre Shantz
"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me" Matthew 5: 10- 11.
Six months after the Colombian authorities imprisoned them on false charges of rebellion, Oscar Duque, Mario MartÃnez and Evaristo Mena were released for lack of evidence. They are leaders of the Asociación Campesina del Valle del RÃo Cimitarra ACVC (Campesino Association of the Cimitarra Valley), with whom CPT-Colombia has a working relationship. Right wing paramilitary groups and government forces have threatened and assassinated members of ACVC because they cry out for just land reform and sustainable development in rural areas.
Lately, the Colombian government has been mounting an intensive campaign of prosecuting social leaders who speak out against abuses and injustices throughout Colombia. Under Colombian law, the state can detain people for six months while it investigates charges against them, after which it must release the accused or bring them to trial.
The release of Duque, Martinez and Mena is bittersweet because they left behind the prison bars three other friends in the struggle: Andrés Gil, Miguel Huepa and Ramiro Ortega. The authorities imprisoned the latter two on 19 January 2008. Andres Gil has now completed the preliminary six months and his case will come to trial.
So, with our released brothers we celebrate their freedom, and with all those imprisoned because they work for a better and just world we continue to struggle.
