Colombia

Over the past several years, the US and its multinationals and Uribe's government have sunk Colombia further into a hell of displacement, murder, paramilitarism, and economic violence. Colombia's peoples have resisted with courage and imagination, no one more than the Nasa indigenous of Northern Cauca. All along they have been building their own autonomous project while calling the country to mobilize for change.

For more than 515 years we have been condemned to solitude.

By Justin Podur and Manuel Rozental

“Les juzgaremos conforme a las acciones masacrándoles en plazas públicas para que el pueblo conozca la justicia social que se merecen los traidores a la patria.” Carta de Amenaza de: Colombia Libre de Comunistas. Brazo Político Armado de las AUC. Febrero 5 de 2007.

We are very pleased to report the following news. The maximum authority of the indigenous territories of Northern Cauca, the Indigenous Tribunal, has found, after the report of its Investigative Commission that worked for a year and four months on the investigation, that the accusations against Manuel Rozental are entirely unfounded, without evidence or merit, and that the accusations represented an attack on the indigenous movement.

We republish the following from our counterparts in Chicago, Chicagoans for a Peaceful Colombia.

Manuel Rozental
Pueblos en Camino
Toronto, 2006-03-24

A partir de unos hechos recientes en Ecuador y en Colombia, se presenta una interpretación general y unos desafíos globales. Considero que los hechos reclaman una capacidad de reconocimiento y de reacción mayor y mas apropiada de la que existe en la practica, sin las cuales, los pueblos que resisten se quedan solos en sus actos heroicos y el imperio y sus agentes mienten, roban y matan a nombre de la justicia, la libertad y la democracia desde el inmerecido pedestal de la respetabilidad y el reconocimiento que, por criminales no merecen. Desde el clamor de los hechos de hoy y frente a responsabilidades y decisiones concretas, la historia de estos momentos nos llama para que la lucha digna no se ahogue en la soledad y para que la indignidad no siga avanzando impunemente. Examinar lo que venimos haciendo, lo que hicimos o dejamos de hacer en estos días, lo que podemos y debemos cambiar requiere de tomar las decisiones necesarias para tener la capacidad de reconocer la dimensión y magnitud de lo que los hechos representan y la responsabilidad individual y colectiva que nos corresponde para afrontar el horror y defender la dignidad.

Official reports called it a “comfortable” victory for President Alvaro Uribe. Of the 100 contested seats for the Colombian senate, Uribe’s supporters obtained 61 seats while those counted as opposition (Liberals and the leftist Polo Democratico Alternativo) obtained 29 seats, while “Independent” parties obtained the remaining 10 seats. At the Chamber of Representatives, the seats went 91 for Uribe, 45 for opposition and 30 for independents of the total 166 seats. In practical terms, this means that Uribe counts with an absolute majority for the upcoming legislative agenda which includes ratification of the recently signed Free Trade Agreement with the USA and a number of reforms that will facilitate corporate control over wealth, resources and territories, as well as savings, investments and cheap labor.

The Honourable Anne McLellan
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

The Honourable Joe Volpe, P.C., M.P.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 1L1

Minister@cic.gc.ca

Open Letter from Pueblos En Camino to the Government of Canada regarding Amparo Torres.

We write this letter out of concern for due process and the protection of the rights, freedoms,life, and safety of Amparo Torres, a permanent resident in Canada.

As Canadians and Colombians we are concerned that the alleged evidence gathered in this case has not been made available to the public. While we do not know if the information has been made available to Ms.Torres and her counsel, we believe that Ms.Torres's due process rights are at risk and that she is at risk of being expelled from Canada.

Mother Earth Forces Uribe to Step Back

Today, November 18th 2005, day 37 of the Freedom for Mother Earth struggle from the Japio Hacienda and from the other 15 haciendas in the Cauca Department, we are proud to annnounce our victory on behalf of the Colombian Popular Movement. The Government of President Uribe was forced to recognize the legitimacy and the strength of the indigenous and popular struggle, thanks to the presure of more than 10.000 people who fight for freedom from this corner of the planet called Cauca.

The Government had to take back what it had said about indigenous peoples owning too much land, that we are infiltrated by terrorists, that it would not negotiate under presure (a condition that applies only to unarmed civilians) and aknowledge the justice of our demands not only because of our actions but because of the solidarity expressed in Colombia and the World.