Colombia Calling

Video Interviews with Yours Truly

2012-01-18T10:43:00.000-05:00

While on home assignment in the United States from May-November, 2011 Global Ministries produced a couple of short interviews with me about my work.

This first video was shot in October 2011, just prior to my return to Colombia for a second term:

This second video was shot in May 2011 just after I had returned to the US after my first term in Colombia:

Advent Reflection: Occupy Our Hearts

2011-11-29T07:55:00.000-05:00

My reflection from the Metro Baptist Church annual Advent Reflection Guide:

From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. -Mark 13:28-31

Jesus urges his disciples to learn the lesson of the fig tree; he wants them to be as adept at discerning the signs of the coming of the kingdom of God, of the son incarnate amongst us, as they are at predicting summer in the fig tree’s spring blossoms.

Upon reading this passage I can’t help but think of this year’s “Arab spring” and wonder how adept we’ve become at reading the signs of the times. As some are occupying the symbols of US corporate greed on Wall St., I hear Jesus calling us to discern the corruption in the temple that precedes its destruction. Dare we see the coming of the kingdom in the midst of wars and earthquakes and famine? Can we dream of new worlds, communities and ways of caring for each other?

May our hearts also be occupied this advent, invaded by an irresistible hope that the messiah is indeed coming to proclaim the year of the lord’s favor knowing that heaven and earth may pass away but Christ’s words will not.

Loving God, occupy our hearts that we may occupy the world with the love and justice of your kingdom.

Michael Joseph is a long-distance member of Metro. He works with victims of violence in Colombia as a missionary of Global Ministries of the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Beginning a New Term

2011-11-19T15:37:00.001-05:00

It's official! As of the vote of the Common Global Ministries Board last week... I'll be heading back to Colombia for another four-year term. In fact, I'll be returning to Bogotá tomorrow. I'll continue to work with the Peace Commission of the Evangelical Council of Colombia and teach theology at the Mennonite Biblical Seminary and the Baptist Seminary in Cali. I'm excited about this opportunity to continue to work and walk with my sisters and brothers in Colombia.

What Will You Do?

2011-06-03T15:19:00.002-05:00

Colombian Churches Call for Peace

2011-04-27T20:19:00.000-05:00

¿Cuánto sabe del impacto del conflicto armado dentro y fuera de nuestras iglesias?

2011-04-05T09:48:00.001-05:00

Prophetic Call Blog

2011-03-30T18:30:00.001-05:00

A Prophetic Call now has a Blog in English and Spanish. All five full reports are available for download at both sites.

26 Minutes of Cornel West

2011-03-30T18:01:00.003-05:00

Pastor Murdered Last Night During Church Service in Cali

2010-07-14T10:52:00.005-05:00

We're working on contacting the church and seeing what we can do to support them at this difficult time. For now, all we know is from this article from Cali's El País newspaper:

A pastor was killed last night in the church sanctuary as he was saying goodbye to his parishioners that had attended the service at the International Charismatic Mission Church in the San Bosco neighborhood in downtown Cali.

Around 8:30 p.m. 45-year-old Francisco Valencia, 10 year co-pastor of the evangelical church that meets in the old Alameda Theater, had just finished the service when a short man approached and shot him repeatedly without saying a word.

Church members ran out of the building allowing the shooter to escape. Police later detained the alleged attacker.

"He is a 16-year-old minor. We found a .38 caliber revolver on him," said Colonel Jairo Gutiérrez of the [Cali] Metropolitan Police.

The pastor was taken to the Valle University Hospital where he passed away.

Street Art Bogotá Style

2010-06-18T18:05:00.023-05:00

Just a few pics from a Sunday afternoon bike ride near my apartment...

Most of the following pictures are from a spot along Avenida de Quito (Carrera 30) near calle 70. This picture shows graffiti that was painted over a city-sponsored street-art contest. For a picture of the previous painting click here.

The caption here loosely translates: "There are more of us who are ugly!!!"

Kate Moss and Coke

Yours truly, or a shadow of my former self.

Less artistic, but more overtly political: "What about our sovereignty?"

"Long live liberation theology," on a building at the National University.

2010-05-18T13:49:00.001-05:00

WOLA and 80 Colombian Organizations Received Death Threat

May 17, 2010

WOLA Urgent Action

WASHINGTON OFFICE ON LATIN AMERICA
Promoting Human Rights, Democracy, and Social and Economic Justice in Latin America

May 17, 2010

WOLA and 80 Colombian Organizations Received Death Threat
WOLA urges U.S. Policymakers to Act

On Friday, May 14, the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) received a death threat allegedly from the Colombian paramilitary group The Black Eagles directed at over 80 Colombian human rights, Afro-Colombian, Indigenous, internally displaced and labor rights organizations and individuals. The threat states "as so called human rights defenders don't think you can hide behind the offices of the Inspector General or other institutions... we are watching you and you can consider yourselves dead."

The email goes on to falsely accuse the listed organizations of having links to the FARC guerillas and as such declaring themselves military targets. Organizations listed in the death threat are long time partners of WOLA who work on internal displacement, Afro-Colombian and indigenous issues. These include the Consultancy for Human Rights and Displaced (CODHES), the Institute for Development and Peace Studies (INDEPAZ), the National Association for Internally Displaced Afro-Colombians (AFRODES), the League of Displaced Women-Cartagena, the Association of Cabildos of Northern Cauca (ACIN), the Jose Alvear Lawyers Collective (CCAJAR) and various Afro-Colombian community councils in the Pacific region. Several of the groups listed recently visited the U.S. in order to raise awareness of human rights violations linked to violent and illegal land take overs by illegal armed groups. Many of the groups recently met with UN special mechanisms on ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples and extrajudicial executions, U.S. Members of Congress and high level U.S. officials, where they informed such delegations of abuses. Many of these organizations also recently signed a collective U.S.-Colombian civil society letter in support of House Resolution 1224 in favor of honoring Colombia's Constitutional Court for its orders on Afro-Colombian, Indigenous and women internally displaced persons.

While the Colombian Embassy is circulating a bulletin that claims that officials are working to defend the rights of human rights defenders, threats continue to take place. On April 10, U.S. NGOs sent a letter to U.S. Ambassador Brownfield alerting him to another threat against 60 organizations. Also in April, graffiti stating that WOLA partner Justicia y Paz are terrorists and calling for violence against Jesuit priest Father Javier Giraldo were found in different parts of Bogotá. WOLA has also received, in recent months, numerous reports of multiple other threats, sabotage of activities and baseless prosecutions against its partners, as well as killings of mainly Afro-Colombian and Indigenous community leaders, which it constantly reports to both U.S. and Colombia officials. The threat received by WOLA came the day after WOLA staff met with Ambassador Carolina Barco and expressed their deep concern for the safety of its partners in Bogotá, northern Cauca and Buenaventura.

While WOLA appreciates high level officials of the State Department's interest in protecting human rights defenders and Ambassador Brownfield's visits to select human rights organizations in Colombia, we strongly feel that more is needed to send a message to Colombian officials that threats, murders and other forms of sabotage of human rights work is unacceptable. Also it must be made clear to Colombian officials that the rights to protection and assistance of internally displaced persons are guaranteed by Colombia's own laws. Many of the IDP, Afro-Colombian and Indigenous organizations are merely advocating for implementation of Colombia's own laws and commitments to these groups.

WOLA recommends that U.S. policymakers do the following:

-Publicly condemn all forms of intimidation, violence and threats committed against human rights, Afro-Colombian, Indigenous and IDP organizations.

-Refrain from certifying that the human rights conditions for Colombia's military assistance are being met.

-U.S. Members of Congress should co-sponsor and pass House Resolution 1224 that upholds the rights of internally displaced women, Afro-Colombian and Indigenous persons and outlines steps to prevent further displacement from such communities to take place.

For further information please contact:

Gimena Sanchez, Senior Associate, WOLA (202) 489-1702

Murders and Threats Against Church Leaders in Córdoba, Northern Colombia: Urgent Action Plea!!!

2009-09-24T10:11:00.002-05:00

"We could easily be killed for saying this, but the international church needs to know."

Church leader in Southern Córdoba

Crisis in Córdoba
So far in 2009 six Protestant church leaders from southern Córdoba have been murdered by paramilitary armed groups. Several attempted murders and dozens of death threats have caused the forced displacement of hundreds of people. Some churches have been literally caught in the crossfire. In one town six pastors were threatened to be killed if they failed to make extortion payments. A significant number of the victims were targeted for their community leadership in land-rights struggles and for opposing the violence affecting their communities.

We are profoundly concerned about the ongoing collusion between rearmed paramilitary groups and Colombian public security forces as well as the lack of response from other state agencies to this violence. “We would like to see a change in this marriage between the paramilitaries and the army. If the army were to really fight these groups it would be different,” stated a local pastor. In recent conversations pastors and community leaders spoke of their deep fear about reporting on paramilitary operations that have intensified in the past five months, “If the [state agents and paramilitary groups] knew what we were telling you, as soon as we left this meeting we’d be shot. We don’t dare talk about these things with Colombian authorities. It’s just too dangerous.”

In the province of Córdoba in 2008 there were 512 violent deaths, including six massacres. This is the highest murder rate in the past 18 years. If the violence that has been documented so far in 2009 is an indication, the rate will increase this year.

Since 2006 we have repeatedly denounced the rearming and remobilization of paramilitaries in Córdoba. The territorial dispute between the paramilitary groups has increased this year; the number of cases we have documented as well as the analysis of local leaders indicate that these groups are seeking to consolidate their control. As we have previously documented, the armed groups target local pastors and leaders as a strategy of coercion. According to local leaders and local and regional analysts, the current surge in violence is being driven by an economic interest in drug trafficking routes.

We have documented the following three murders in the past four months of 2009:

1. On September 6 at approximately 10:00 p.m. three hooded presumed paramilitaries came to the home of Foursquare Church Pastor Rafael Velásquez and shot him, killing him immediately. His wife and six young people from the church were present at the time of his murder.

2. On July 24, at approximately 11:20 a.m in the Santa Marta community, the geographic location of paramilitary demobilization talks with the government, four presumed Black Eagles paramilitaries shot and killed Marco Fidel Suárez Moreno. Marco was married to Elcy Ramos with whom he had four children ages 11 to 22. At the time of his murder Marco was a city council member in Montería and a community arbitration provider (Conciliador en Equidad) and a leader at the Galacia (AIEC) Church. Marco was a councilmember in Tierralta from 1998 to 2000 and had previously served as president of the Commmunity Council of Santa Fe de Ralito and Las Aguaditas.

3. On June 28, at 8:00 p.m. four armed men, presumed members of the paramilitary organization, the Self Defense Gaitanistas of Colombia, arrived at Jhon Jairo Martínez’s house in Montería and killed him. Jhon Jairo was a leader from the AIEC church and was married to Olga Isabel Hernández with whom he had three children, ages two to nine. They lived on a farm that had been given to them and 39 other displaced families by INCORA (the Colombian agrarian reform agency) in 1997.

We have documented more than 20 human rights violations in 2009 in the province of Córdoba, including threats, homicides and individual and collective forced displacement by paramilitaries and guerillas. The cases that we have registered corroborate the communities’ claims that the violence is caused by the armed groups’ fight for territorial control and drug-trafficking routes.

Sixteen international non-governmental organizations and denominations sent a letter to the Colombian Attorney General on April 2 of this year reporting paramilitary violence against church and community leaders, listing several specific cases and asking the Attorney General to investigate. Once again, we request a progress report in the investigation of these crimes. We request State agencies and civilian, military and police authorities to take immediate and effective action to ensure justice and to stop these activities that threaten life and human dignity in the province of Córdoba.

The alarming pattern of paramilitary violence is not the full story of Córdoba´s political violence; while they are fewer in number, communities in the department also report persecution from the guerrilla. All aggressions are equally harmful and wrong, no matter by whom they are committed. We condemn them equally.

Prayer:
We ask that you pray for the safety of communities in Córdoba. As Christians we pray for strength and guidance for the members of these communities; that they may persevere in their commitment to working for God’s vision of a nonviolent Colombia that can live in peace with dignity for all. We ask you to also pray for those responsible for this violence that they may turn themselves in, seek restoration of the damage they have done and transform their lives.

Action:
Please send the following model-letter to the Colombian Attorney General and copies to your Members of Congress and to us at janna@justapaz.org

Fiscalía General de la Nación
Guillermo Mendoza Diago
Fiscal General (E)
Diagonal 22 B No.52-01, Fax: (+571)570-2000 Bogotá D.C. Colombia
E-mail: luzhelena.morales@fiscalia.gov.co

Dr. Guillermo Mendoza Diago,

I am writing to express my concern for church and community leaders in the province of Córdoba. So far this year six protestant church leaders and even more social leaders have been killed by presumed rearmed paramilitaries. Among those killed are Pastor Rafael Velásquez, murdered September 6, Pastor Marco Fidel Suárez Moreno, murdered July 24, and church and community leader Jhon Jairo Martínez, murdered June 28.

We ask the Colombian Attorney General’s Office to:
1. Investigate these cases as rapidly and thoroughly as possible.
2. Ensure that those responsible for the crimes be held responsible.
3. Ensure the protection and reparation for the victims of these crimes and their families, as well as that of all persons living in this region who are demanding the rights to their land, in light of the danger and importance of their work.

I ask you to please communicate the status of these investigations to Pablo Moreno, the National Coordinator of the Peace Commission of the Evangelical Council of Colombia (Comisión de Paz del Consejo Evangélico de Colombia – CEDECOL) at 2-513-0781, pablomoreno777@gmail.com and Jenny Neme, Director of Justapaz at 1-287-3968, jennyneme@justapaz.org

Sincerely,

A Prophetic Call: Edition 4

2009-09-24T09:04:00.003-05:00

2285 Protestant and Evangelical victims of war in Colombia in 2008. That's 2285 victims of human rights and International Humamanitarian Law violations in Colombia that the Documentation Project of the Protestant Peace Commission (CRVP-CEDECOL) and Justapaz (with which yours truly works) were able to fully document. There are undoubtedly many more, as our human and financial resources and the challenges of doing this type of work in Colombia limit our ability to document all cases.

Download the English report here. Y en español aqui.

Naming the Unspeakable, a Witness to Hope

2009-07-14T09:28:00.004-05:00

The Unspeakable. What is this? Surely, an eschatological image. It is the void we encounter, you and I, underlying the announced programs, the good intentions, the unexampled and universal aspirations for the best of all possible worlds... It is the emptiness of “the end.” Not necessarily the end of the world, but a theological point of no return, a climax of absolute finality in refusal, in equivocation, in disorder, in absurdity, which can be broken open again to truth only by miracle, by the coming of God. Yet nowhere do you despair of this miracle. You seem to say that, for you, this is precisely what it means to be a Christian; for Christian hope begins where every other hope stands frozen stiff before the face of the Unspeakable.
-Thomas Merton, Raids on the Unspeakable

Idia, William, Narciso, Manuela, Yuby, Rosendo, Fanni, Jorge, Orlina. These are some of the names that have been on my mind a lot over the past year. They are some of the victims of the ongoing war in Colombia; the ones I’ve been privileged to get to know the best. But victim is such an incomplete description of who they are; they name the Unspeakable in Colombia, and through their courage, they are witnesses to Christian hope.

On September 15th of last year I was told of a community and church leader named Narciso Diaz who had been shot and was in the hospital in Montería a few hours from where I lived. Here is what I wrote to a friend that night:

Today I went to visit with Narciso Diaz and his wife Manuela. Narciso, a church and community leader from a rural part of Tierralta, Córdoba was shot in the face on Thursday night and somehow survived. Around seven p.m. Thursday night Narciso noticed that the door leading from his kitchen to his back yard was open. When he walked outside a man with a hood covering his face stepped forward and pointed a gun at him. He shot Narciso in the face (the bullet traveled diagonally through his mouth and came out of his neck below his ear), and said, "Maybe the Organization of American States will save you," and fled, leaving Narciso for dead.

Narciso’s wife Manuela came running to his aid and found him lying in the living room (where he had made it on his own). She summoned the help that eventually saved his life. Due to the remoteness of where they live as well as Colombia's precarious infrastructure and medical facilities, it was three a.m. before Narciso made it to the hospital. "We know that God was with Narciso. It's a miracle he is alive," Manuela told me today at the hospital.

We believe a paramilitary group that operates in the area targeted Narciso for murder. The reference to the Organization of American States is in reference to leadership workshops that Narciso had taken that were funded and organized by the OAS. The paramilitaries likely thought he was an informant.

Narciso and Manuela are members of Emmaus Church of the Association of Evangelical Churches of the Caribbean. They will now be forced into displacement, as it is too dangerous for them to return home. Needless to say, they are very scared. When I was introduced as a missionary who represented churches in the United States, Narciso said to me, "I am a servant of God. I know there are many people all over praying for me... that is why I am alive. Thank you."

Here is a man, who narrowly escaped death, who has trouble speaking due to the bullet fragment still lodged in his tongue, who has never before met me, but who is grateful for my presence, because he is grateful for your prayers.

Narciso has since recovered his health, and along with Manuela has displaced to a new community. They are now farming new land due to the support structure they found in the Peace Commission of the Evangelical Council of Colombia. Narciso is once again establishing himself as a community leader, helping organize the rural community in their struggle for running water. He and Manuela also lead worship services in their new neighbors’ homes.

In the quote at the top of this letter, Thomas Merton says that the Unspeakable can be broken open to truth only by miracle, by the coming of God. And that living that reality is what it means to be a Christian; for Christian hope begins where every other hope stands frozen stiff before the face of the Unspeakable.

Narciso is now eager to share his story. Having stared death in the face and having been sustained by faith he embodies the miracle that can break open the Unspeakable. He hopes that his story and his courage can help turn the tide of violence in Colombia.

And as for me, I’m doing well... continually grateful for the opportunity to accompany folks like Narciso and Manuela and be a witness to their Christian hope.

Grateful for your sustaining prayers,
Michael

Shoveling Water

2009-03-28T16:38:00.002-05:00

A fantastic new video from Witness for Peace...

Shoveling Water from Witness For Peace on Vimeo.

Pastor Still Missing - Urgent Action Requested

2009-03-17T19:31:00.009-05:00

“Rouse yourself, rouse yourself! Stand up...” (Isaiah 51:17a)

A Pastor Disappears

I first heard of Idia and her missing husband, Pastor William Reyes – of the Light and Truth Interamerican Church of Maicao, La Guajira, on the morning of September 27th a little more than 24 hours after the pastor disappeared on a rural Colombian highway. I was roused by an early morning phone call from the National Coordinator of the Peace Commission of the Evangelical Council of Colombia (CEDECOL), with whom I work; “A pastor has been disappeared. We need to tell the international family of faith; we need them to take action,” he told me as I mentally refocused my energy on this new pressing task. We put out a call for urgent action the next day, asking the international community to contact the Colombian Attorney General’s office as well as the Governor of La Guajira – the northwestern province where Pastor Reyes had previously lived.

Unfortunately, Colombia continues to be a dangerous place to follow the Prince of Peace. In 2007 the Documentation Program of Justapaz and the CEDECOL Peace Commission documented 324 violations against church members. Colombia has over 4 million internally displaced persons – more than any other country – and 1,500 more are forced from their homes every day. Approximately 3,000 people die every year because of the violence.

Pastor Reyes ministered in a highly conflictive area of northern Colombia on the border with Venezuela where leftist guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries, Colombian military and police, narco-traffickers and smugglers make for a dizzying context of lawlessness, extortion and violence. When Pastor Reyes did not return home on the evening of September 25^th, it was anybody’s guess as to who may have taken him. Both the local pastor’s association and his family had been targets of extortion requests and multiple death threats in the months prior to his disappearance; such are the costs of being a leader, religious or secular, in Maicao.

When I first met with Idia three weeks later I came away impressed with her strength. She spoke of her gratitude for church members around the world who had responded to the alert and urged the Colombian government to investigate her husband’s disappearance. She shared that she found comfort in the words of Isaiah 51, and spoke of her faith that her husband was still alive. Was her mentioning of verse twelve an indication she knew this might no longer be the case? I am he who comforts you; why then are you afraid of a mere mortal who must die, a human being who fades like grass, Isaiah 51:12.

New Threats

Things took a turn for the worse in January of this year. On January 15, 2009, an unidentified man came to the church and asked for Idia. When the church receptionist told him she wasn’t there, he asked for her address and cell phone number, which she also refused to give him. He stated that it was “In [Mrs. Miranda’s] best interest to get in touch with him, than for him to have to find her”—hardly a veiled threat.

On January 21, 2009, Mrs. Miranda’s eldest daughter (Luz Nelly, age 16) was approached by an unidentified man on the street who told her if she wanted to see her dad she should come with him. When he attempted to grab her by the arm Luz Nelly fled. On February 19, armed men entered another Christian church, just a few blocks from the Light and Truth Church, and forcibly removed a female parishioner who has not been seen since.

When Idia shared these disturbing new developments with me, she broke down and cried, “I wanted to stay... but this changes everything. They tried to take my daughter! They can torment me, but I can´t bear the harassment of my children. If something were to happen to them… I want to leave.”

No Progress

Unfortunately not much has changed over the past six months. Despite our repeated efforts, the Colombian Attorney General’s Office still reports no progress in investigating Pastor Reyes disappearance. As of our last communication, an investigator still had not been assigned to the case.

As the six-month anniversary of Pastor Reyes’ disappearance draws near we’re asking for your help once again. Please see the urgent action request below.

Just as the words of Isaiah 51 comfort Idia, may they challenge us.

“Listen to me, you that pursue righteousness, you that seek the Lord... Rouse yourself, rouse yourself! Stand up...” (Isaiah 51:1a, 17a).

Urgent Action

Commission for Restoration, Life and Peace and Justapaz

On September 30, 2008 we requested urgent action on behalf of the pastors of the Fraternity of Evangelical Pastors of Maicao (Fraternidad de Ministros Evangélicos de Maicao - FRAMEM) and especially for Pastor William Reyes of the Light and Truth Church (Iglesia Luz y Verdad). February 25 marked the five month anniversary of Pastor Reyes disappearance.

Recent developments include the January 19 attempted abduction of Reyes’ daughter and the February 19 abduction of a member of a neighboring church. These incidents indicate the precarious situation faced by Pastor Reyes’ wife, Idia Miranda, and their three children, William Reyes Miranda, 19, Luz Nelly Reyes Miranda, 16, and Estefania Reyes Miranda, nine.

We invite your prayers and actions on behalf of the Reyes family. Read on for a chronological update and action steps.

A Pastor is Disappeared. His family lives in fear.

On Thursday, September 25, at 10:00am Pastor William Reyes departed Valledupar, Cesar, for his home in Maicao, La Guajira. He never arrived and has not been heard from since.

On Saturday, October 4 2008, thousands of Maicao residents marched through the streets of Maicao calling for Pastor Reyes’ safe return. After the march, Pastor Reyes’ identification documents were found in a wallet that had been left just inside the Light and Truth Church.

On Thursday, January 15, 2009, an unidentified man came to the church and asked for Mrs. Miranda. When he was told she wasn’t there, he asked for her address and cell phone number, which were also not given to him. He stated that it was “In [Mrs. Miranda’s] best interest to get in touch with him, than for him to have to find her.”

On Wednesday, January 21, 2009, Mrs. Miranda’s eldest daughter (Luz Nelly, age 16) was approached by an unidentified man on the street who told her if she wanted to see her dad she should come with him. When he attempted to grab her by the arm, Luz Nelly fled. On Thursday, February 19, armed men allegedly entered another Christian church, just a few blocks from the Light and Truth Church, and forcibly removed a female parishioner.

After over five months of hearing nothing regarding her husband’s case and the renewed threats, Mrs. Miranda fears for her family’s safety. Despite repeated attempts, we have yet to receive report of any progress in investigating Pastor Reyes’ disappearance from the Colombian Attorney General’s office.

Action Requests: Political Advocacy and Prayer

Communicate with Colombian Attorney General (see sample letter)

Ask that the Attorney General:

• Ensure a timely investigation into Pastor William Reyes’ disappearance.

• Communicate the status of their investigations to Ricardo Esquivia (National Coordinator of the Commission for Restoration, Life and Peace) and Jenny Neme (Director of Justapaz).

Pray:

• For the safety of Pastor William Reyes and his family.

• For the safety of the members of the Fraternity of Evangelical Pastors of Maicao.

• Repentance of the material and intellectual authors of the crimes.

Sample Letter:

Fiscalía General de la Nación

Dr. Mario Iguarán

Diagonal 22 B No.52-01, Fax: (+571)570-2000

Bogotá D.C. Colombia

E-mail: luzhelena.morales@fiscalia.gov.co

Dear Mr. Iguarán:

I am writing to express my deep concern for the safety of Pastor William Reyes, his family and the members of the Fraternity of Evangelical Ministers of Maicao (Fraternidad de Ministros Evangélicos de Maicao - FRAMEM). Pastor Reyes pastors the Light and Truth Church (Iglesia Luz y Verdad de la denominación Iglesia Evangélica Interamericana de Colombia) of Maicao and is a member of FRAMEM – which has received repeated threats from illegal armed groups since March of last year.

Pastor Reyes departed Valledupar, Cesar for Maicao, La Guajira at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 25, 2008 and has not arrived or been heard from since.

We ask that you take all steps necessary to locate Pastor Reyes and to protect his family and the members of FRAMEM. Those responsible should be held accountable for their crimes.

We ask that you communicate the status of the investigation to Ricardo Esquivia Ballestas, National Coordinator of the Commission for Restoration, Life and Peace of the Evangelical Council of Colombia, CEDECOL 313.555.4404, resquivia@gmail.com and Jenny Neme, Director of Justapaz 1-287-3968, jennyneme@justapaz.org.

Sincerely,

Thanks for blind carbon copying us on your letter at janna@justapaz.org

Urgent Action: Pastor William Reyes Disappeared

2008-09-29T16:26:00.007-05:00

Commission for Restoration, Life and Peace and Justapaz

Urgent Action

Pastor disappeared, action requested.

We are very concerned for the safety of Pastor William Reyes and other members of the Fraternity of Evangelical Pastors of Maicao (Fraternidad de Ministros Evangélicos de Maicao - FRAME). Last Thursday, September 25, at 10 AM Pastor Reyes left Valledupar, Cesar, for his home in Maicao, La Guajira in northern Colombia; he never arrived. Reyes ministers in the Light and Truth Church (Interamerican denomination) of Maicao and is a member of the Pastors’ association (FRAME) – which has received repeated threats from the paramilitary, the FARC and other illegal armed groups since March of this year. Pastor Reyes’ wife, Idia Miranda, is the FRAME secretary. Pastor William Reyes and Idia have three children, William Reyes Miranda, 19, Luz Mery Reyes Miranda, 16, and Estefania Reyes Miranda, 9.

Human rights violations of church people, and of the civilian population at large, are ongoing in Colombia. Last year the Justapaz, Peace Commission Documentation and Advocacy program registered the murder of four pastors.

We ask you to send letters to:

Express your concern;

Request government action to locate Pastor Reyes and

Solicit protection for Pastor Reyes’s family and the members of FRAME.

See model letter below.

Action Requests: Political Advocacy and Prayer

Communicate with Colombian governmental representatives (see sample letter). Ask that the Colombian government:

Provide all necessary safety measures for Pastor Reyes’ family and for the members of FRAME. (See my comment/question.)

Carry out a timely investigation and take the necessary steps to bring to justice both the material and intellectual authors of William’s disappearance.

Carry out a timely investigation and take the necessary steps to bring to justice those responsible for the threats against FRAME.

Pray for:

Well-being of Pastor William Reyes and his family.

Safety of the members of the Fraternity of Evangelical Pastors of Maicao.

Wisdom in discerning next steps in the midst of violence and a politically adverse climate.

Recognition of the error of their ways, repentance and reparations of damage committed on the part of the responsible parties.

--------------------------------

Model Letter:

Dear :

I am writing to express my deep concern for the safety of Pastor William Reyes, his family and the members of the Fraternity of Evangelical Ministers of Maicao (FRAME). Pastor Reyes pastors the Truth and Light Church (of the Interamerican denomination) of Maicao and is a member of FRAME – which has received repeated threats from illegal armed groups since March of this year.

Pastor Reyes departed Valledupar, Cesar for Maicao, La Guajira at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 25, and has not arrived or been heard from since.

We ask that you take all steps necessary to locate Pastor Reyes and to protect his family and the members of FRAME. We also ask that you ensure swift and thorough investigations of the threats against FRAME. Those responsible should be held accountable for their crimes.

Sincerely,

--------------------------------

Send letter(s) to:

Fiscal General (Attorney General)

Mario Iguaran

Fax: 011-571-570-2000 ext. 2017

Email: denuncias@fiscalia.gov.co

Gobernador de La Guajira (Governor of La Guajira)

Jorge Perez Bernier

Fax: 011-575-727-5007 (ask for fax)

Emails can be sent directly from here.

Comandante del Ejercito Nacional (Commander of the Army)

General Mario Montoya Uribe

Fax: 011-571-297-3107

Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad - DAS (Administrative Security Department)

Maria del Pilar Hurtado Afanador

Fax: 011-571-408-8400

Email: quejas@das.gov.co

Yuby Oyola: I Only Worry about What God Thinks of Me

2008-08-28T10:16:00.009-05:00

Just over a year ago, on July 9, 2007, I wrote about the tragic murder of pastors Joel Cruz and José Humberto Mendez. In the days following the murders, six families (all related to pastor Cruz) fled to the city of Ibagué. I recently visited Ibagué and had the chance to meet with some of them, including Yuby Oyola, Joel’s widow and their young daughter Lilly (pictured here).

Pastor Daniel Vargas of the Protestant Peace Commission took me to visit with them. He had coordinated efforts to support these newly-displaced families, finding emergency, and then long-term housing for the families. Of the six families that initially displaced, three have decided to move to a town closer to the farm where they all used to live. “It’s still too dangerous for us to go back to our farm because the army has come in and are building a base near our farm, and the FARC are saying that we asked for the army’s presence... they could kill any of us for this,” stated Rosember, Joel’s brother. Those that have returned nearby have done so in the hopes of renting out the farmland to others and avoid losing the farm. They are afraid that it could be taken over by others, or expropriated by the state if it lies fallow for too long. Returning to the area with these tensions in the air is risky-business, but adapting to city life has been very hard on those who have stayed in Ibagué.

The three families lived in a cramped space in a peripheral neighborhood in Ibagué, the type of place where everyone is struggling just to get by. The women tried making and selling tamales for a while, but couldn’t sell enough most days to cover their costs. The men work sporadically as day laborers, usually in construction, sometimes they bring enough home to buy some groceries and pay a few bills, most days they don’t. Yuby’s sister in law is taking an industrial machinery technician course, and hopes to land a job in that area soon, if she can scrape together the 15 dollars she needs to buy the safety glasses that are required to finish the course. Yuby traveled to Cali in the hopes of finding work there, but returned a few months later. When I asked her about her plans she said, “I’d like to rebuild my life in the country. The city is very hard for me.” The families are now running a small store selling school supplies such as notebooks and pens out of their living room. I was there all afternoon, and no one showed up to purchase any goods. Times are tough, and they are afraid that despite their best efforts the store may also fail.

It was clear that the family had rallied around Yuby and Lilly. Yuby’s brother spoke of their father's decision to leave the family farm he had lived on his whole life to make sure his daughter was safe. As he spoke, the father quietly wept in the corner. Yuby’s strength and determination, despite what she has lived through over the past year, was impressive. When I asked her about her desire to return to the countryside where her husband was killed she responded, “I don’t harbor any anger towards the men who killed Joel. I’d like to talk to them. I’m not afraid of them, because I haven’t done anything to them and I don’t owe them anything... Nor am I worried about people’s comments; I only worry about what God thinks of me.”

A Tale of Two Computers

2008-05-30T08:40:00.003-05:00

"It seems to me outrageous that the computers of the guerrilla Raul Reyes can survive a Colombian military bombardment in a foreign country in the middle of the night while the computers of the paramilitaries can't survive an inspection by INPEC (prison authorities) in a maximum-security prison."

Claudia Lopez, Colombian political analyst
[Full story]

Colombian Churches Document Their Suffering and Their Hope

2008-02-21T20:45:00.003-05:00

A few months ago the Peace Commission of the Protestant and Evangelical Council of Churches and Justapaz released the second edition of A Prophetic Call [pdf] which documents human rights abuses suffered by the protestant and evangelical churches in Colombia in 2006. Below is a short video presentation of the report.

For far too long, protestant and evangelical Colombians, roughly 10% of the Colombian population, have been a nearly invisible minority. Courageously, they have begun to document their suffering as well as their hope-filled response to the violence in Colombia.

...Bono Too

2008-02-18T22:26:00.001-05:00

While we're on the pop-culture watch: El Tiempo reported earlier this week that Bono stated he "is aware of the poverty in Colombia" and intends to visit (along with his band U2).

West Matters...

2008-02-18T21:49:00.011-05:00

OK, this has nothing to do with Colombia, but it's not everyday that your favorite public intellectual, former professor at your alma mater, son of a Baptist minister, is named MTV's Artist of the Week.

Circus Sincelejanus

2008-02-02T13:20:00.001-05:00

Last week I attended the last day of the Corralejas here in Sincelejo. Corralejas are a wacky, wild and dangerous free-for-all mixture of the running of the bulls, a traditional bullfight and a western rodeo... or something like that. They are popular all over Colombia's Caribbean coast with Sincelejo's considered the biggest and best. The nine days of Corralejas, coinciding with the parades, parties and beauty pageants associated with the "Sweet Name of Jesus" festival makes for Sincelejo's largest cultural event each year. The Corralejas have been going on for some 150 years and though undoubtedly cruel, Corralejas bulls are not killed.

The circuses of the Roman Empire must have been something like this. The "haves" up in the stands, the "have nots" doing what they can to impress the crowd and make a buck. The amateur bullfighters who do something impressive (like get gored) are allowed to go up into the stands to ask for money.

Here's a little video footage I shot...

John Lee Anderson on Chavez, Che and Colombia

2008-01-31T17:58:00.000-05:00

Cambio Magazine published a short interview today with US author John Lee Anderson. He is a regular columnist for The New Yorker and has covered wars all over the world, including Afghanistan and Iraq. He is perhaps best known for his acclaimed biography of Che Guevara, though I also recommend Guerrillas: Journeys in the Insurgent World.

His thoughts are timely with a controversial "march against the FARC" coming up next week. Below, a translation of the interview:

CAMBIO: You are writing about Chavez. Do you see him as similar to Che [Guevara]?

JON LEE ANDERSON: Since his death, Che has become a sort of martyr, a universal icon and a symbol of revolution. He represents mythological values. Chavez on the other hand, considers himself a modern revolutionary with syncretistic politics combining socialism with [Simon] Bolivar’s thoughts. He sees Fidel Castro, Che’s revolutionary companion, as his spiritual father. Following this logic, Chavez presents himself as Fidel’s revolutionary successor.

But Chavez wasn’t a guerrilla.

It’s true that he didn’t participate in a revolution to overthrow a dictator, but he did start an attempted coup d’etat to overthrow a president, which makes him less romantic.

What do you think of Chavez’s statements that the Farc are not terrorists and that their project is respectable?

Chavez himself has recognized his affinity with the FARC for their Bolivarian spirit, but we all know that president Chavez doesn’t choose his words very carefully. But his position can be interpreted in two ways: the way they have been interpreted in Colombia, that he revealed his true feelings and support for the FARC, or another way is to say that what he is saying is that even if they are terrorists, if the FARC wants to speak about peace, the state will have to reach agreements with them.

Such as the case of the IRA…

Yes, all states negotiate with terrorists and one such case is Ireland who negotiated with the men who were detonating bombs and later released them from jail. The Colombian state will have to admit to things it has done in this war that isn’t clean, but very dirty.

Are you referring to the extermination of the UP [Patriotic Union party] and the ties between state agents and the paramilitaries?

Yes, the state annihilated their own citizens and those responsible are not in jail. The paramilitaries are criminals in cahoots with the state, but hidden in the shadows. Only when the state can properly guarantee the rule of law can those in the jungle give up their weapons.

Are you justifying the guerrilla’s distrust of negotiating?

As long as there is not a completely legitimate state, there will be people who don’t feel represented by that state. The does not legitimize the FARC, but you can’t reduce this conflict to good guys and bad guys because the guerrilla live a parallel reality. In the jungle people do what they have to do to survive. You could be a totally pure Maoist if you have someone funding your lifestyle. But when that money runs out you do whatever it takes to eat. The challenge of the state is to recognize that reality and create space for those in arms to see beyond the jungle, even if they are just seen as drug-traffickers at this point.

All guerrilla movements need popular support to survive and the FARC have lost it. But they are still there. What do think about that?

The notion of popular support is relative. I remember a Nicaraguan guerrilla who told me that they made the youngest soldiers, 14 and 15 years old, kill the enemy, because they still weren’t fully aware of what they were doing and they were easier to control. He also said that there were two ways of fighting a war, the good way or the bad way, but they both work. It’s a fallacy that a guerrilla movement can only survive with popular support, it can also do it through a regime of terror. I don’t see Colombia differently than Afghanistan; over there the Taliban recruits young fighters, the same as here.

Are public marches, such as the one planned for Macrh 4^th, any use?

I can’t speak about something that hasn’t happened, but in Spain the massive marches against ETA, even though they signed temporary cease-fires, have not caused them to respond as the people wanted.

What do you think about the process with the paramilitaries?

I don’t know a lot about that process and I don’t know if they will draw a line to keep it from touching the deepest fibers of society such as they did in Spain following their civil war. They are just now digging up their dead and reconstructing their historical memory.

No matter how painful it is, do you believe that truth is imperative?

Yes. For example, countries that lived through wars such as Guatemala and El Salvador did not face the truth and are today the most violent on the continent. The strong link between impunity and corruption leaves wounds that are hard to close. In Argentina they passed a statute of limitations law, yet still today they are trying 80 year old men who committed crimes during the military dictatorship.

Paramilitaries "Vacationing" in Sucre

2008-01-24T21:30:00.000-05:00

Sucre's newly-elected Governor, Jorge "Tuto" Barraza, convened his first security council meeting yesterday, apparently in response to citizen complaints about the emergence of new paramilitary groups in San Onofre. Today's El Meridiano de Sucre reports that after meeting for a few hours the security council determined that the citizens of San Onofre were "just confused." Governor Barraza went on to explain that several demobilized paramilitaries returned to San Onofre to spend their year-end holidays on the beaches near San Onofre, alarming citizens who recognized them. Governor Barraza concluded by claiming there were no emergent paramilitary groups in all of Sucre.

Here are three reports Governor Barraza should read:

1. The latest report from the Organization of American States - Mission to Support the Peace Process in Colombia (MAPP/OEA) {english, spanish} . In this report from October they list Sucre as one of the departments with a high incidence of violence related to emergent paramilitary groups, including murders of mid-level commanders vying for power in the "new" structures.

2. The November INDEPAZ Report on New Paramilitary Groups {spanish}, which documents 200 new paramilitaries in Sucre (listing the police as a source).

3. Colombia's New Armed Groups by the International Crisis Group {english, spanish}, which indicates Sucre (in the green loop on the map to the right) as a department with new illegal armed groups.

Governor Barraza's claim that there are no new paramilitaries in Sucre is absurd. But his insensitive dismissal of his citizen's concerns about the presence of paramilitaries in San Onofre is down-right cruel and alarming.

San Onofre has emerged as a symbol of the victims (of paramilitary/state crimes) movement, due to the bravery of its citizens who were among the first to come forward with information about mass graves filled with hundreds of the paramilitaries' victims in and around San Onofre (to date some 1300 bodies have been exhumed).

Just days prior to the Governor's security council, the nearby community of Chengue mourned the 7th anniversary of one of Colombia's most gruesome paramilitary massacres. To date just one paramilitary has been punished for this crime (following a nightmare induced confession).

I wish I could believe Governor Barraza's claim that this is all just a misunderstanding, but the experts and victims seem to agree... the paramilitaries in Sucre are up to more than just enjoying their retirement.

2008-01-24T20:42:00.000-05:00

A little article about my appointment from the October edition of the Alliance of Baptists Newsletter. (One tiny correction to the headline... I´m still a proud member of Metro Baptist Church.) Click on the image to enlarge it.

Christian Women's Network for Life and Peace

2007-11-24T13:44:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow, Sunday November 25th, is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Global Ministries is calling on churches around the world to celebrate this day by praying for the Christian Women's Network for Life and Peace in Colombia {prayer requests}.

Last week I had the opportunity to sit down with Luz Amanda Valencia, the National Coordinator of the Christian Women's Network, to discuss their courageous work. Here is a brief video from that discussion:

Luz Amanda went on to thank everyone that has been, and will be, praying for the Christian Women's Network for Life and Peace in Colombia. Unfortunately, I managed to not capture that portion on video.

I too thank you for your prayers and actions for the victims of violence in Colombia, and the many religious leaders who work tirelessly for an end to the conflict.

Voices of Displacement

2007-08-30T16:07:00.000-05:00

"About 3.8 million people – out of a population of 40 million – have been displaced within Colombia by armed conflict and human rights violations..." Statistics like this are shocking if you let them penetrate your soul and face the enormity of human suffering they imply. However, many of us find it hard to put a face with those statistics. I urge you to check out the IDP Voices website and listen to first hand accounts of displacement in Colombia.

Demobilized Paramilitaries Recruited in Sincelejo

2007-08-08T07:35:00.000-05:00

In my July 23rd post I spoke of anecdotal (and personal) evidence about a surge in demobilized paramilitary crimes here in Sincelejo. The news of murders continues to be a common fixture in the El Meridiano (Sincelejo’s daily newspaper), and the city council has instructed the police to enforce a new measure prohibiting motorcyclists from carrying passengers after 9:00 p.m. (in response to hired assassins’ preferred “motorcycle drive-by” method of killing).

Sunday’s online version of El Tiempo (Colombia’s most read newspaper) carried an article about the re-recruitment of demobilized paramilitaries in Sincelejo. El Meridiano ran a similar article on Monday. Below is a translation of most of the El Tiempo article.

Demobilized AUC [paramilitaries] in Sincelejo continue committing crimes while receiving benefits from the Government.

That is what Éver Feria Tovar, the municipal human rights ombudsman is saying, after receiving complaints from demobilized paramilitaries who stated that several of their colleagues are forming new [armed] groups.

“They have people coming to recruit them and create illegal armed groups. They are offering them one million pesos [about $500] a month. Many of them have joined these armed groups, despite the fact that they are still receiving benefits from the government [for having demobilized],” stated Tovar.

"The easiest ones to recruit are the ones that didn’t get their benefits in a timely fashion and who have a family to support as well as those who are unsatisfied with the government aid.

“Despite the government aid they still have unmet needs. Because of that and their insecure financial and social situation they are forced to take this lucrative offer. Initially they were being offered 600,000 pesos a month but the offer has now gone up to a million pesos,” stated Tovar.

He added that the National Inspector General’s office already had received this complaint because it had been lodged with one of their delegates who was in Sucre three months ago.

Yet he also made it clear that he has not presented this complaint in an official way to the police, the Attorney General (Fiscalía) or the regional offices of the Administrative Security Department (DAS).

“Unfortunately some authorities are turning a blind eye to the existence of these groups, but they are really there. It may be that the authorities in charge of public safety are ignoring this because they have to report that things are calm,” affirmed Tovar.

When asked to comment Colonel Jorge Andrés Rodríguez Borbón Chief of Police in Sucre stated that they had not received a formal complaint from the municipal human rights ombudsman’s office and that they had no knowledge of the existence of any new paramilitary groups.

“We work to keep order in the city and whenever we catch a demobilized [paramilitary] who has committed a crime we turn them over to the appropriate authorities. Besides, the number of demobilized who have committed new crimes is low. In Sucre we have about 700 demobilized [paramilitaries]. Last year we arrested 44 and so far this year we have arrested 14 for committing different crimes,” stated officer Borbón.

News of the Weird

2007-07-26T14:14:00.000-05:00

Before starting this blog, I promised a friend I would update it minimally once every two weeks... In fact, I hope to do better than that. I know it's already been more than two weeks since my last update. I'm working one a more substantive piece at the moment about some of what we're up to here on the Atlantic coast. So in the meantime... here's one of those stories that despite a serious undertone brings a smile to my face.

One of the lead stories in today's press is of the latest "narco-submarine." Apparently it is of the homemade variety, had four crew-members aboard and room for up to four tons of cocaine. It was caught off the Pacific coast, headed north.

This is at least the third narco-submarine found in Colombia since 2005. As a friend said, "Imagine how many of these things must be out there if they've found three of them!"

Birth of the Citizens' Reconciliation Commission

2007-07-23T16:25:00.001-05:00

Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
Psalm 85:10

Last week (July 18-19), a group of 25 Colombian civil society leaders from the provinces of Córdoba, Sucre and Bolívar gathered at the University of Cartagena to strategize on how to face the issues surrounding reconciliation on Colombia's Atlantic coast.

You might ask:
Isn't there an on-going civil war in Colombia?
Yes.
Doesn't reconciliation usually happen after the fighting has stopped?
Yes, but...

Paramilitary Demobilization
Just over two years ago, President Alvaro Uribe signed the "Justice and Peace Law" (also known as Law 975) to oversee the demobilization of one of Colombia's illegal armed groups, the paramilitaries (also known as the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia-AUC). [Overview of Colombian armed groups] This law has been controversial from the very beginning, seen as but a slap on the wrist for the perpetrators of some of Colombia's most horrendous crimes. Check out Smoke and Mirrors for Human Rights Watch's critique of the initial Justice and Peace law.

Despite some improvements (imposed by Colombia's Constitutional Court), history is proving the law's critics to be right. The Organization of American States Mission to Support the Peace Process in Colombia (MAPP-OEA) published a report earlier this month which highlighted the re-arming of demobilized paramilitaries across Colombia [map/analysis]. Almost daily I learn of the latest victims of “re-armed” or “new” paramilitary violence. Just two weekends ago, here in Sincelejo - a city of about 250,000 inhabitants - there were five murders in three days, mostly attributed to demobilized paramilitaries.

Another important aspect of the Justice and Peace law is that it mandated the creation of the National Commission for Reparations and Reconciliation, to oversee the reincorporation of demobilized paramilitaries into society as well as ensure their victims' rights to reparations.

A primary concern with regards to the National Comission at this point is that after two years of an eight year mandate, not a single victim has received reparations. Of course this pales in comparison to the larger concerns that the entire demobilization process is proving itself ineffective in punishing the perpetrators and in in dismantling the paramilitary criminal structures.

This week, a process that already seemed to be moving painstakingly slow, is coming dangerously close to grinding to a halt. Today’s news has centered around a group of demobilized paramilitary leaders who are refusing to testify, essentially challenging the will the Colombian government to enforce the conditions under which they demobilized. Currently, President Uribe is facing off with the supreme court over the legal status of the paramilitaries’ crimes in a confrontation that has many here fearful the whole process could collapse.

Last Friday at the inauguration of the latest legislative session, Nancy Patricia Gutiérrez – President of the Colombian Senate, whose party is part of President Uribe’s ruling coalition and typically seen as an Uribe ally – unequivocally stated her concerns over the implementation of the Justice and Peace law:

It is worrying that in two years only sixty of the nearly 2,800 [paramilitaries] covered by the "Justice and Peace" law have [testified]. At this rate how long will it take to hear all of them? If it continues like this, there will be nobody left to give reparations, or to make peace.

Responses
Colombia has many different organizations that do amazing work for victims' rights despite facing incredible risks, too many to list here. In June of 2005, just days after the Justice and Peace Law was signed, a new coalition comprised of many of these organizations came into being, the National Victims Movement. The National Victims Movement has taken the lead in the struggle for truth, justice and reparations as the basis for reconciliation with paramilitaries in Colombia. They have also taken a clear stance rejecting the Justice and Peace law and the National Commission of Reparations and Reconciliation which it created. This is a controversial position that not all Colombian peace and human rights’ NGOs have taken. There continues to be much debate about how best to work for truth, justice, reparations and reconciliation at this time.

At this point you might ask:
Is there any way forward?
That’s what we’re trying to figure out.

The Role of the Church
Last year Fundación Social published a major survey of Colombians’ Perceptions and Opinions of Justice, Truth, Reparations and Reconciliation [75 page pdf]. On a question that asked what institutions would be most important in achieving reconciliation in Colombia, 70% said “the church,” making it by far the most common response.

Churches here on the Atlantic coast are proactively stepping up to that call. Given the complex scenario for reconciliation in Colombia outlined above, we know it won’t be easy. But we are calling on all who will respond to come together and discuss how to move forward towards reconciliation in these difficult times.

So far we have organized workshops on reconciliation facilitated by the staff of Fundación Social in Córdoba, Sucre and Bolívar, that brought together not just religious leaders (both protestant and Catholic) but also civil society leaders of all stripes, including victim’s organizations. The goal of these workshops is to build trust, strengthen the networks of organizations, communities and churches working for peace, to learn about how reconciliation has happened in places such as Guatemala, South Africa and Peru, and to begin to discuss what true reconciliation, one that is respectful of victims’ rights, might look like in Colombia.

Citizens’ Reconciliation Commission
Last week’s meeting in Cartagena brought together delegates from each of the three previous workshops to discuss next steps. We were also joined by staff of the International Center for Transitional Justice and a member of Peru’s Truth Commission. Those gathered decided that there was a need for a new movement from the grassroots and that they would call themselves the Citizens’ Reconciliation Commission. They were clear that the role of the Commission was to work for truth, justice, reparations and reconciliation, that is should lean towards making proposals more than standing in protest, and that it should be in dialogue with victims, victimizers, the state and the National Commission for Reparations and Reconciliation.

Members of the Citizens’ Reconciliation Commission are moving forward in two complimentary directions. Some are returning to their communities to replicate the workshops and deepen the discussions with their communities, while others are working to organize workshops in the other five Atlantic coast provinces.

So let the word go out that despite the difficulties Colombians are continuing to proclaim that “steadfast love and faithfulness” are still alive here, and that one day “righteousness and peace will kiss.”

FARC Murders Two Pastors in Southern Colombia...

2007-07-09T14:57:00.001-05:00

Joel Cruz García and José Humberto Mendez, R.I.P.
This past Saturday I heard the terrible news that protestant pastors Joel Cruz García (age 27), and José Humberto Mendez (age 65) had been murdered by the FARC guerrilla in the community of La Legiosa, Huila in southern Colombia. Pastor Jorge Arturo Giraldo of the Colombian Council of Protestant Churches (CEDECOL), called on all Christians to "pray and support in any way that you can Yuvy Andrea Oyola (pastor Cruz García's widow) and their daughter of just a few months of age."

Retaliation? Religious Intolerance?
Joel and José Humberto were murdered the night of July 5th, the same day millions of Colombians marched in protest against kidnapping as a tool of war (a practice most commonly associated with the FARC). Some believe that their murders were in retaliation for protestant churches' support of the march. Others have pointed to the long-standing difficult relations between the FARC and protestant churches (as well as the Catholic Church), and feel that this is yet another case of religious intolerance.

Patterns of Violence and Displacement
Over the past four years, some 150 protestant pastors have been killed in Colombia, and some 400 churches have been shut down or displaced by violence. "Right now our number one concern is supporting the families of these two pastors and their churches. Events like this can often cause displacement," stated Ricardo Esquivia, president of the Peace Commission (CRVP) of the Colombian Council of Protestant Churches.

Responses
Yesterday, El Tiempo - Colombia's main daily newspaper - reported that Christians went to Plaza Murillo Toro, in Ibagué (capital of Huila department) to publicly protest the murders of Cruz García and Mendez. El Tiempo also reported that those present expressed fear that these murders could signal a return to the repression protestant churches suffered in that region in 1999 and 2000 when several pastors were murdered and entire churches displaced.

Please pray for the families and churches of pastors Joel Cruz García and José Humberto Mendez as well as for the courage and wisdom of all of Colombia´s leaders (Protestant, Catholic, and secular) at this time.

An Update/Reflection on the Break-in at Justapaz

2007-06-28T17:03:00.000-05:00

For the past 10 days I've been attending the General Synod of the United Church of Christ (UCC - who turned 50 this year), and taking a two-week course on the history, theology and polity of the UCC. I will write more about this wonderful experience later. For now I wanted to pass along an update and reflection about the break-in and theft at Justapaz that was the focus of my first post 12 days ago. Thank you Janna, for your testimony to the "power of the Holy Spirit within transformed believers to deny fear its victory."

A Sad Way to Start

2007-06-16T09:54:00.000-05:00

I would have preferred to launch Colombia Calling with something more uplifting, but this one hit close to home...

Two days ago, the offices of Justapaz, a Colombian Mennonite justice and peace organization, were broken into in what appears to be a politically motivated attack. Justapaz jointly documents and publishes A Prophetic Call, which documents human rights abuses against protestant churches and church members, jointly with the Commission for Restoration, Life and Peace (with whom I work).

I hope to use this blog to send out periodic updates on my work and my life in Colombia... my understanding of what God is calling me to at this time... and occasionally, such as today, a call to action!

Blessings and peace,
Michael

Justapaz
CENTRO CRISTIANO DE JUSTICIA, PAZ Y ACCION NOVIOLENTA

Urgent Action June 14, 2007

The Christian Center for Justice, Peace and Nonviolent Action, Justapaz, which is a program of the Mennonite Church of Colombia, reports that before dawn on the 14^th of June, 2007, its office was broken into and two computers were stolen. These computers contained sensitive information on people and churches that are active in work for peace and human dignity, and on people from churches that are victims and witnesses to human rights violations. The perpetrators of this criminal act apparently entered through the roof in the rear of the building before 3 am and tore out the wiring of the alarm system, although the alarm went off. They passed by 9 other computers, telephones, a safe, etc., and removed two specific computers located at the other end of the office. They also broke into the desk of the coordinator for a program for protection of persons at risk. Eye-witnesses in the neighborhood reported that soon after the time of the break-in, police officers stopped two men carrying a computer, at the intersection of Calle 33-A and Avenida Caracas, near the office, but as of yet there is no information as to whether they are still being held or whether the police retrieved the computer. Police officers came to the office in response to the security alarm; however, the Crime Scene Investigation Unit of the Attorney General’s Office (Cuerpo Tecnico de Investigacion de la Fiscalia General de la Nacion) did not arrive until 5-1/2 hours after they were alerted. After the CSI officer examined the scene, he indicated there were no fingerprints and suggested that the responsible party had used gloves or wiped off the fingerprints, and therefore there was no point in a specialist gathering that information.

This attack occurred 12 days after the Fellowship of Reconciliation’s office, which provides international accompaniment to the Comunidad de Paz of San José de Apartado, was broken into and a computer was stolen. Similarly, in January of this year (2007), the office of the Permanent Assembly of Civil Society for Peace was broken into and one computer was taken, which contained sensitive information on participants and organizations, photographs, and documentation of their activities. This attack against Justapaz repeats a pattern of human rights violations which give evidence that the perpetrators have precise knowledge of the office and use sophisticated procedures to gain access to specific information, which in turn puts people, organizations, and churches at risk. It is significant that this is the first time that a church is subjected to this type of attack in relation to its work for peace, human rights and the safety of victims and potential witnesses to human rights violations. This violation takes place in the context of the governmental policy of ‘democratic security’, and of the reluctance of US Congress to approve the Free Trade Agreement with Colombia, in part because of doubts about the Colombian government’s human rights record.

The Christian Center for Justice, Peace and Nonviolent Action, Justapaz, which is a program of the Mennonite Church of Colombia promotes initiatives in nonviolence, conflict resolution, peace education and action, and the documentation of human rights violations suffered by churches as well as church activities for life with dignity. In carrying out its work, Justapaz supports the activities of Mennonite churches, other churches, and social and community organizations working for human rights and peace.

Justapaz and the Mennonite Church of Colombia reaffirm their commitment to nonviolence, justice and peace, which they understand as part of their calling to follow Jesus and to work for God’s vision of a society that resolves its differences nonviolently, guarantees the right to life with dignity for all, protects the victims and the general population against all armed action, and promotes solutions to the armed conflict within a framework of truth, justice, the call to repentance, reparation and reconciliation.

Requested actions:

· Call on the Colombian authorities to:

o Take all appropriate steps to identify and prosecute the persons who committed this act and those that sponsored its planning and execution.

o Take a clear stance against this crime and in support of the work of organizations and churches for human rights, peace and social initiatives, and to take all necessary steps to be in full compliance with the applicable provisions of the Colombian Constitution and of the international conventions which Colombia has signed.

o Implement appropriate measures for the full protection of freedom of worship and for the absolute respect of church sites and places of worship.

· Call on the governments of other countries to communicate with the Colombian government the aforementioned actions, and that these governments make human rights requirements a central consideration in determining assistance and/or agreements with the Colombian government.

· As churches, organizations, government officials and individuals, reaffirm the commitment to working for nonviolent solutions to the armed conflict; to giving priority attention to persons, families, churches and organizations that have been victimized; to promoting judicial processes that identify and hold fully responsible those persons that have violated or contributed to the violation of human rights, that promote the full dismantling of the structures of corruption and violence, and that contribute to processes of repentance and reparation a that lead to change and reconciliation; and to the enactment of public policies that give priority to investment in education, healthcare, housing and other areas that contribute to conditions of life with dignity for all.

· As people and communities of faith, pray for strength and clarity to stand firm in the commitment to God’s vision for a society characterized by nonviolence, peace and human dignity. Pray, also, for those responsible for this attack, that they will turn themselves in, repair the damage, and change their lives.

Send communications to:

In the US:

Chargé d’ Affaires Milton Drucker

United States Embassy Bogotá

Calle 22D-Bis # 47-51 Bogotá, D.C.

Tel: (571) 315-0811

Fax: (571) 315-2171 / 2190

E-mail: AmbassadorB@state.gov

Jonathan D. Farrar
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
Department of State

Phone: 202-647-2590 Fax: 202-647-5283
with copy to Jennie Muñoz, Program Officer, at the same numbers

Contact information for Members of the U.S. Congress can be found at www.house.gov and www.senate.gov

In Canada:

Mr. Matthew Levin

Ambassador to Colombia

Carrera 7 #115-33 A.A.53531

Bogotá, Colombia

Fax: (57)-1-657-9912

Matthew.Levin@international.gc.ca

Peter MacKay,
Minister of Foreign Affairs
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6 8
(613) 992-6022
MacKay.S@parl.gc.ca

Ms. Christine Climenhage,
Desk Officer: Colombia, Ecuador, Caribbean, Central America and Andean
Region Division
Lester B. Pearson Building
125 Sussex Dr.
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0G2
(613) 995-1541
Christine.climenhage@international.gc.ca

Stewart Wheeler,

Counsellor (Political) Canadian Embassy, General Relations,

Fax: (57-1) 657-9910

E-mail: bogota@international.gc.ca

Sample letter to the State Department (US) and Foreign Affairs Office (Canada) and to the US and Canadian Embassies in Colombia

June 2007

Dear ________,

I am writing today to express my deep concern for the security and safety of the Justapaz staff, their regional partners, including local churches, due to an apparently politically motivated robbery in the early morning of Thursday, June 14, 2007. Justapaz is the Christian Center for Justice, Peace and Nonviolent Action and is a program of the Colombian Mennonite Church.

Just before 3am unknown assailants broke into the Justapaz office, disabled the alarm system and proceeded to steal two computers with extremely sensitive human rights information. The assailants were apparently focused on these computers with sensitive information on human rights cases and local churches working for peace as they left other items of value behind including eight other computers, a fax machine and the organization’s safe. All evidence suggests that this was a politically motivated crime. The Justapaz staff, their partners and local churches could be at increased risk due to this attack.

This attack comes in the wake of a series of similar attacks against national and international human rights organizations and suggests an alarming pattern. Less than two weeks ago the Fellowship of Reconciliation’s Bogotá office was similarly attacked, with a computer with sensitive information regarding their work with the San Jose de Apartado Peace Community stolen. In the past year similar actions were carried out against the Asamblea Permanente de la Sociedad Civil por la Paz and the Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement (CODHES).

Therefore, I respectfully ask you to contact the appropriate Colombian government officials, including the President, Vice-President and the Ministry of Defense, asking them to:

· Take any and all steps necessary to identify and prosecute the material and intellectual authors of these crimes.

· Take a clear and public position rejecting these crimes and for respect for organizations and churches working for human rights, peace and community organization while fully applying the constitutional guarantees regarding these groups and activities as well as those in international treaties of which Colombia is a signatory.

· Take measures to guarantee the right to religious freedom and the absolute respect for church buildings.

Sincerely,

Name

City, State

Country

Sample letter to members of Congress or Parliament:

June 2007

Dear ________,

I am writing today to express my deep concern for the security and safety of the JUSTAPAZ staff, their regional partners, including local churches due to an apparently politically motivated robbery in the early morning of Thursday, June 14, 2007. Justapaz is the Christian Center for Justice, Peace and Nonviolent Action and is a program of the Colombian Mennonite Church.

Just before 3 a.m. unknown assailants broke into the JUSTAPAZ office, disabled the alarm system and proceeded to steal two computers with extremely sensitive human rights information. The assailants were apparently focused on these computers with sensitive information on human rights cases and local churches working for peace as they left other items of value behind including eight other computers, a fax machine and the organization’s safe. All evidence suggests that this was a politically motivated crime. The JUSTAPAZ staff, their partners and local churches could be at increased risk due to this attack.

Therefore, I respectfully ask you to contact the Colombian Embassy and the State Department / Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure that the Colombian government:

· Take any and all steps necessary to identify and prosecute the material and intellectual authors of these crimes.

· Take measures to guarantee the right to religious freedom and the absolute respect for church buildings.

Sincerely,

Name

City, State

Country