Peace and justice in conflict in Colombia

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Tue, Sep. 27, 2005

Peace and justice in conflict in Colombia

BY GARY MARX
Chicago Tribune

SAN ONOFRE, Colombia - (KRT) - One by one, the grief-stricken mothers shuffled silently into the local prosecutor's office to provide a DNA sample to help identify more than 70 bodies unearthed from secret graves in this cattle-ranching region.

The victims were shot, beaten and hacked to death by Colombia's outlawed paramilitary fighters, who are suspected of hundreds of killings in this one region alone but are now being given lenient treatment by the government in exchange for disarming.
(snip)

Human-rights advocates and other experts say the new law fails to guarantee that militia commanders fully detail their crimes or relinquish vast tracts of land and other wealth gained through violence or purchased through drug trafficking.

"We call this law the law of impunity," said Gladys Avila, an official at the Bogota-based Association of Families of the Detained-Disappeared. "This law protects the victimizers and not the victims."

But Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos argued that disarming up to 15,000 illegal fighters would prevent countless deaths in the future.
(snip/...)

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/world/12752773.htm

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LIBRARY AMERICAS SOUTH AMERICA COLOMBIA
AI Index: AMR 23/031/2005 23 September 2005


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URGENT ACTION

Colombia: Fear for safety/Death threats
PUBLIC AI Index: AMR 23/031/2005

UA 250/05 Fear for safety/Death threats 23 September 2005

COLOMBIA José Onofre Esquivel Luna (m), member of the National Union of
Food Industry Workers (Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Industria de
Alimentos, SINALTRAINAL)
Other SINALTRAINAL members

Killed: Luciano Enrique Romero Molina (m)
Amnesty International is seriously concerned for the safety of José Onofre
Esquivel Luna, leader of the Bugalagrande Branch of the National Union of Food
Industry Workers trade union (Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la
Industria de Alimentos, SINALTRAINAL) in Valle del Cauca department. In recent
weeks his home has been under surveillance by unknown armed men. Concerns for
his safety are also raised following the recent killing of Luciano Enrique
Romero Molina, another SINALTRAINAL member in Valledupar, Cesar department.

In the past, trade unionists have been kept under surveillance in advance of
attempts on their lives by army-backed paramilitaries. On 12 September, a white
car was seen driving around José Onofre Esquivel’s house. A week later, on 19
September, an armed man was seen prowling around the house in the municipality
of Bugalagrande. His neighbours have also reportedly been asked about his
whereabouts on a number of occasions by people he did not know.

José Onofre Esquivel has previously been declared a military target by
army-backed paramilitaries from the Centre of Valle Cauca Bloc (Centro del
Valle del Cauca Bloc) of the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia
(Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia, AUC). On 11 October 2003, he found a written
death threat in his locker at the company where he works. The death threat was
addressed to José Onofre Esquivel and his trade union colleagues, Rogelio
Sanchez, Alfonso Espinosa and Freddy Ocoro. Fearing for his safety, Freddy
Ocoro had to flee the country.

Concerns for the safety of SINALTRAINAL members have been raised in Colombia
following the recent killing of one of its leaders. On 11 September, Luciano
Enrique Romero Molina's body was found with his hands tied and more than forty
stab wounds, in the La Nevada neighbourhood of Valledupar, Cesar Department.
The area is reportedly under the control of army-backed paramilitaries.
(snip/...)

http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR230312005

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

1. But but but but

AI is only to be quoted if it supports right-wing arguments! Otherwise they're damn filthy comies!!!11!1!! :sarcasm:

[bemildred]

2. Colombian Rebels Accept Venezuela's Peace Talk Offer

For some reason, this story got very little coverage.

Colombia's second-largest rebel group has accepted an offer from neighboring Venezuela to facilitate peace talks between the guerrillas and the Colombian government.

The National Liberation Army, the ELN, said in a statement dated September 16 but released Friday, that it accepts the offer from Venezuela's government and people. There was no immediate comment from officials in Bogota, but the government of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has shown an interest in opening talks with the ELN.

Earlier this month, Colombia agreed to temporarily release jailed ELN rebel leader Francisco Galan to allow him to negotiate with civil society leaders about launching talks with the Uribe government.

The ELN and a larger rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, are mired in a long-running civil war that also involves rightist paramilitaries and the government. The conflict leaves thousands of people dead each year.

http://www.truthnews.net/daily/2005090132.htm

[John Q. Citizen]

3. Columbia is America's secret war. We support Uribe who

supports the right wing paramilitaries.

Major Corporations like Coka Cola and Nestles turn a blind eye as the paramilitaries kill off union activists who work in and organize in the Corporation's factories and plants.

There is currently a growing boycott of Coke products in the US and around the world to protest Coke's complicity in the violence and union busting.

http://www.colombiasolidarity.org.uk/cocacolacampaign.html

http://www.colombiaactionnetwork.org/boycott.html

http://www.laborrights.org/press/coke_112403.htm

http://www.caja.org/campaigns/coke/index.htm

[John Q. Citizen]

4. Kick!