Listserve Post Jan 19 2008, 4:42 pm
Hi everyone! This is my very first time using an internet cafe. One more step into the technological world. I´ll type as long as I have time for, not much.
CPT was correct in saying that our time would be intense, and we´re still in Bogota. We´ve spoken with a variety of peace & human rights workers, adults, children, long-time pacifists and former FARC, ELN, & paras (meaning the guerrilla groups and the paramilitaries), an NGO to ban landmine use (and care for victims), and more. Having read up on this before I came, much of the information I´m getting is not new, yet the impact is. I am also learning a great deal. Reading about torture, and break-ins and robberies of peace & justice offices, and kidnappings, and e-mail threats, is very different than sitting in front of the people directly involved and hearing about it from their mouths, and the effects on the community. Last night I was feeling very convicted that I cared less from reading than from knowing people. Not that I didn´t care in the U.S.A. -- that´s why I´m here. But the fact that unless I have met the people I was not as affected emotionally is not something I´m proud of.
I keep asking people what I should tell people back home. Here are the responses (my paraphrasing) in order of frequency : 1) Colombia is a wonderful place with wonderful people. We are not all about violence and drugs. We want peace and actively work for peace. We are happy, we love jokes, we laugh a lot, we enjoy life. WE HAVE HOPE! It´s a beautiful country. We are rich in resources, not just natural resources of the earth but in Colombia´s people. There is an active peace movement in Colombia. 2) The Free Trade Agreement is horrible for Colombia, very harmful to the peace process, and only rewards the people most responsible for human rights violations and crimes against the people. 3) Issues which are not talked about in the international media, such as the fact that Colombia is the only country in this hemisphere where new landmines are laid daily, and an average of 3 people per day die from landmines (doesn´t count wounded, and those not reported). Currently Colombia is the country with the highest number of landmine injuries in the world. Other issues : Privitization of mines and many other resources. HUGE number of displaced people. Multinational corporation´s influence and responsibility for many problems in the country. 4) People want peace.
There´s more, but I´m short on time. Part of my challenge when I get home will be trying to condense much of what I´ve heard into segments to go with our country´s soundbite mentality. I feel an obligation to give these people voices in our country, and that´s hard to do in 5 to 10 minute talks.
People are extremely generous! The fact is, too, that people are taking great risks and teaching us much. You all, my friends and family, think of me as taking a risk. Others on my team have commented on the same thing. People think we´re the brave ones, yet the really brave ones are the people here, living out peace and living in hope and refusing to give up. CPT´ers would know nothing without our local partners teaching us, telling us what´s useful, what to be cautious of, etc. They´re amazing!
Running short on time. The team is great! Two other Friends (Religious Society of Friends), both from Minnesota, and a variety of others. 1 Colombian, 1 Brit, 1 Canadian, and 6 from U.S.A. 9 in all including Rachel, our liaison with the CPT team in Barrancabermeja.
Please pray for our partners here in Colombia. I have many stories to tell. Thank you all SO much for your support! I carry your support with me.
Tonight (late) I´ll visit Bogota Friends.
"Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him."
-- Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) USA
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