Peace and Justice for Colombia

Comrades, organisers and those attending the Conference in Solidarity with Latin America 2009, Melbourne Australia, August 28-29 2009

I have had two opportunities to participate in the conference of solidarity with Latin America and the Asia Pacific organised by yourselves and I can say with an awareness of these matters that it is more than the simple realization and attendance at an event. From my experience I can say that it has been a valuable tool for building bridges for communication, to exchange experiences of resistance, to strengthen ties of fraternity and solidarity and to launch concrete initiatives between the organisers, attendees and the organisations from the countries participating.

In the case of my country, Colombia, the existence of a prolonged internal social and armed conflict, results in it being less attractive for many solidarity activists. In the space of this conference we can make known our reality, our struggle and resistance, our dreams and hopes. We also have the possibility of strengthening our previous relationships between the political, social organisations and unions in your country and ours. And it was also from our participation in the conference that we saw the birth of the solidarity organisations with our country called Peace and Justice for Colombia and the International Network in Solidarity with Colombian Political Prisoners.Furthermore, you are arranging new and important visits of delegates from various organisations from your country to their counterparts in Colombia. And it is through these conferences delegates from social and political movements of countries that are geographically so distant find common struggles and agendas. Continue reading »

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Dear friends and supporters of Peace and Justice for Colombia, PJFC in Australia and the world,

Due to the implications of the attempts to criminalize international solidarity we forward this public denunciation issued by the Permanent Campaign in Solidarity with the Colombian political detainees.

We are concerned about the information received that the Australian Federal Police, appear to have breached the rights of Colombian trade unionist and human rights campaigner Liliany Obando unjustly held at the “El Buen Pastor” women’s prison in Bogota, Colombia.

Yours in solidarity,
Peace & Justice for Colombia, PJFC Continue reading »

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by Li Rong

BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) — A U.S. deal on military bases in Colombia is pitting Bogota against many neighboring countries, which feared the bases would threaten their national security and heighten regional tension.

Venezuela, which borders Colombia to the north, is the most vehement opponent of the plan. Its president Hugo Chavez instructed the foreign ministry to get prepared to sever ties with Bogota.

Bolivian President Evo Morales proposed Wednesday that South Americans vote in a continent-wide referendum on the issue. Others,including Uruguay, Ecuador, Argentina and Brazil supported the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) to intervene in the case. Continue reading »

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