Resources
Contact Us
|
Latin America Resources
For more information about Latin America issues, see
www.mcc.org/us/washington/issues/latinamerica/,
with a variety of resources and web links.
Colombia
Remembering the Victims and
Rejoicing with the Peacemakers:
Days of Prayer and Action for Colombia
Sunday, May 20 and Monday, May 21, 2007
Mennonites will join many other churches and people of faith from the U.S. and Colombia on May 21 and 22
together calling for an end to the violence in Colombia. On Sunday, May 20, congregations are invited
to pray for a peaceful future in Colombia, standing in solidarity with our Colombian brothers and sisters
who have endured much suffering, and remembering the victims of Colombia's brutal conflict.
Then on Monday, May 21, there will be collective action asking that U.S. policy promote peace and justice
in Colombia rather than military involvement and violence.
For more information, see mcc.org/uswashington/days/ or
PeaceInColombia.org.
For example, there are worship resources [MCC: 2007]
[Ecumenical: 2007]
for May 20th prepared by Mennonite Central Committee and other participating
churches, and information on public policy advocacy
[MCC: 2007]
[Ecumenical: 2007]
for May 21st when the U.S. Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill (the Bush Administration's budget request
for 2008) is expected to reach the floor of Congress. The proposed Appropriations Bill now includes
about $500 million for Colombia, mostly in military aid.
2007 Updates on Plan Colombia
and U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement
June 1, 2007: Although Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe was re-elected by a substantial margin in 2006, his administration
has been linked to the indiscriminate violence in Colombia. More than a dozen current and former members of the
Colombian Congress (mostly members of Uribe's party) are now charged or in jail on charges including conspiracy
and murder linked with para-military groups, and others are under investigation. Also charged are the head of the
secret police, mayors, and former governors.
Also, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee has reported that the head of Colombia's armed forces has
collaborated with the illegal right-wing death squads.
So it is appropriate that Congress is reconsidering Plan Colombia and the U.S.- Colombia Free Trade Agreement,
and that $55 million worth of U.S. military aid to Colombia has been frozen at the request of Senator Patrick Leahy.
- American Friends Service Committee:
Audio Slide Show on Trade and War in Colombia.
- AfroColombians Oppose Free Trade Agreement, May 13, 2007.
Colombia: Other Resources
Other organizations which work in Latin America
For more information about the Peace and Justice Committee, see efpjc.ppjr.org.
|