Colombia

One of Colombia's major magazines, Cambio, published a story quoting from the magic laptops that survived bombing in the Ecuadorian jungle and were retrieved after the Colombian government assassinated Raul Reyes just about a year ago (March 3/08). This particular story concerns my friends Hollman Morris and Manuel Rozental.

Indigenous people in Colombia are fighting their perpetual struggle against the militarization of their communities. In a horrific incident earlier in February, Colombia's guerrillas (the FARC) massacred dozens of Awa indigenous people in Narino. FARC claimed the massacre was a reprisal for Awa's cooperation with the military, who came earlier and coerced some people to cooperate with them.

Below a press release for an event on November 14. Please attend if you're in Toronto.

November 05 /08 For immediate release

Ceremonial Solidarity Arts Celebration
-Through rituals, music, dance, poetry and video...

Friday, November 14th 2008

Native Canadian Centre www.ncct.on.ca
16 Spadina Ave. (1/2 block north of Bloor St. W)

7:30pm - 9:30 pm

On my choice for civil resistance
Hector Mondragon
September 7, 2008

by Justin Podur

I would have preferred to do some kind of letter to the editor, but it won't work. The need to react precisely precludes writing in Spanish, the need to write quickly precludes finding a translator, and the need to explain a great deal precludes the writing of a short letter. This article concerns the recent articles in el Tiempo, Colombia's national newspaper, on the FARC in Canada.

by Justin Podur, Dawn Paley, and Manuel Rozental

A New York Times article by Simon Romero on August 15 suggested that the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo was going to investigate the FARC in Colombia, and its connections to other countries. In the 12-paragraph article, one paragraph (the 10th) noted that the ICC would also look at paramilitarism:

WE REJOICE, WITH THOSE LIBERATED, THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS AND CALL
THEM TO USE THEIR FREEDOM TO ACHIEVE THAT OF ALL COLOMBIANS

Colombia's Minister of Defense has just announced that former
Presidential Candidate Ingrid Betancur, together with three American
Soldiers
and 11 members of the Colombian Armed Forces held by FARC have been
rescued unharmed in a successful operation carried out by Colombian
intelligence disguised as representatives of a "fake" NGO who were to
transfer them under the orders of FARC's Secretariat. As this note is written,

A piece on Canada-Colombia FTA: Manuel Rozental interviewed by Stu Neatby on rabble.

Legalizing terror: Canada-Colombia "free trade"

An interview with Manuel Rozenthal about the proposed Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.

>by Stuart Neatby
January 3, 2008

I know it's been a while since we've posted here but it's time to get moving again... Listen to this audio interview on Colombia by En Camino member Justin Podur - the failed humanitarian accord, the Canada-Colombia FTA, and more.

More material on the Canada-Colombia FTA to follow!

Interview with Manuel Rozental, Recorded July 27-2007
By Maria Olaya
Produced by Cailey Campbell
Far Too Canadian, Friday mornings from 7-9am on CFRU 93.3 FM in Guelph
www.cfru.ca

AUDIO OF THE INTERVIEW WITH MANUEL

AUDIO OF AN INTERVIEW WITH MAURICIO

Maria: We have with us on the line Manuel [Rozental] and going to talk with us about what is going on in Colombia and specifically in the North of the Valle of Cauca with the Nasa community marching [to] Bogota.