September 6, 2008
U.S. FOREIGN POLICY TOWARDS COLOMBIA. Background, Impact, and Alternatives
A comprehensive US foreign policy analysis by the Church World Services.http://www.churchworldservice.org/pdf_files/EA/ColombiaResource1.pdf
Church World Service
http://www.churchworldservice.org/news/Colombia/index.htmlColombia Free Trade Agreement vote still possible
Joint the Church World Service on its campaign against US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. Go to http://capwiz.com/churchworld/issues/alert/?alertid=11324101&type=COThe AUC killed even more people in Buenaventura than in Urabá, admits ‘ HH’
Ever Veloza, alias HH, the former commander of the Bananero and Calima paramilitary blocs, in his latest versión libre [‘free version’], rendered yesterday morning in Medellín, revealed that the Calima Bloc killed more than a thousand people between 2000 and 2001 in Buenaventura. He is also guilty of the slaughter at Naya River, in April 2001, where over one hundred peasants were murdered.According with an article published in the Colombian Newspaper "El Pais", HH also reveled links between politicians and paramilitaries.
Read the complete article: http://www.afrocolombians.com/pdfs/ElPais-AUC-Buenaventura.pdf
Version en Español: http://www.afrocolombians.com/pdfs/AUC-Buenaventura-Spa.pdf
September 4, 2008
La Diáspora Africana en Colombia esta en la mira de una estrategia de extinción
A view on the current situation of Afro-Colombian communities in the southern region of the Pacific Coast. Spanish. http://www.afrocolombians.com/pdfs/recorridopacifico-v2008.pdfURGEN ACTION! Human Rights situation in Curvarado is worsening
The paramilitary group "The Black Eagles" have been harassing and death threatening members of the Inter-Church Peace and Justice Commission, a human rights organization that works with Afro-Colombian community council leaders to ensure that the collective territories of Afro-Colombians in Curvaradó (Chocó Department) that were violently and illegally usurped by paramilitaries are fully restored to the rightful owners.Community members and Colombian and international human rights defenders that support the land return process have continuously been threatened for defending Afro-Colombian land rights. Paramilitaries have repeatedly attempted to prevent the return of lands to Afro-Colombian communities and tried to intimidate them into accepting the illegal cultivation of African palm oil and breeding of cattle on their ancestral lands.
Take action now. Dial the Capitol Switchboard 202-224-3121 to be connected to their office and ask to speak to the foreign policy aide (if you don’t know the person’s name ask what is it).
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Sample Script for Members of Congress:
Ask for the foreign policy aide by name.
I am calling to bring your attention to the recent death threat and illegal detention of Colombian human rights defender, Yimmi Armando Jansasoy Muñoz from the NGO Inter-Church Commission of Justice and Peace at gunpoint by three men, believed to be members of the “Black Eagles” paramilitaries, yesterday afternoon.
The NGO Justice and Peace is working with Afro-Colombian community council leaders to ensure that the collective territories of Afro-Colombians in Curvaradó (Chocó Department) that were violently and illegally usurped by paramilitaries are fully restored to the rightful owners. Community members and Colombian and international human rights defenders that support the land return process have continuously been threatened for defending Afro-Colombian land rights. Paramilitaries have repeatedly attempted to prevent the return of lands to Afro-Colombian communities and tried to intimidate them into accepting the illegal cultivation of African palm oil and breeding of cattle on their ancestral lands.
I ask that Representative (insert name) please contact the State Department and urge State to:
• Ask the U.S. Embassy to publicly express their support for the land return process in Curvaradó and the work of human rights defenders and Afro-Colombian community leaders in Curvaradó.
• Contact the Colombian Vice President's office and encourage them to take strong action to dismantle the military, economic and political operational structures of the paramilitaries operating in the Bajo Atrato region.
• Encourage Colombian authorities to investigate the recent threats against Justice and Peace and promptly prosecute those responsible.
Thank you.
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If the foreign policy aide is not available, request to leave a message.
Here are some documentation and background on the issue:
http://www.afrocolombians.com/pdfs/CurvaradoCIJP.pdf
http://www.afrocolombians.com/pdfs/FocosdeInteresAugust2008.pdf