Letter to Pax Christi-Holland from Apartado Church Leaders regarding the San Jose de Apartado Community of Peace

Apartad—, January 10 1998


To: Pax Christi
Holland


Dear friends,

The entire world knows about the tragedy of the 17.000 displaced 
members of the rural population in the municipality Riosucio (Choc—). 
They were forced to flee their homestead due to brutal violence 
generated by guerrillas and para-militaries who fight over the 
control of the region and because of violations committed by the 
armed forces of Colombia.

The Colombian government doesn't take the necessary measures to 
stop the evident causes of the notorious injustice that's being done.
The Diocese of Apartad— has co-ordinated with different national and
international NGO's and governmental institutions humanitarian 
assistance.

Moreover, the Diocese of Apartad— has, since two years, in
co-ordination with Pax Christi, Cinep and the Intercongregational
Commission of Justicia y Paz, impelled the proposal of the creation of
'Comunidades de Paz' as an appropriate method to implement the 
rule of International Humanitarian Law, concerning protection of the 
civil population.

With the support of this proposal the displaced rural communities 
make use of their constitutional rights to defend their autonomy and 
right to life and peace. Researcher Diego PŽrez of Cinep describes the 
situation well when he says:
	"Civil Communities in Resistance. 
Resistance against being involved in the conflict by the armed parties 
and against having violated their rights as civilians. Resistance 
against the continuation of violence, assassinations and 
disappearances; resistance against the stigmatization that converts 
them into problematic persons or communities, unwanted and
dangerous; resistance to be treated like 'disabled' persons in need 
and not as the social beings they are; resistance against quick 
solutions (such as returns and resettlement), to advantage of others 
and disrespectful of their free will and decision, and therefore, 
violating the few guarantees and mecanisms of protection that 
international law offers them. In short, Comunidades de Paz which 
by resistance construct a new project of life. 

During this process of collectively reconstructing the project, the
displaced people also relied on the 'Comunidad de Apoyo' 
(community of support) that insufficiently but nevertheless in a 
determined way supported the march of return and the initiatives of 
communities who strive for the establishment of dignity and respect 
for the rights the people." (I refer to the NGO's, Churches and 
International Development Organizations, which on different levels 
have supported these communities of displaced people).

Among the NGO's that have joined the Diocese in the difficult task to
attend to the enormous tragedy of the displaced, we recognize the 
important work done by Pax Christi in the promotion and support of 
the Comunidades de Paz, as a preventive action against the forced 
displacement and as a strategy of protection that will make the 
return to their land possible of thousands of displaced people.

We give our thanks to Pax Christi for their international campaign to
promote the presence of other foreign ONG's, to support and protect 
this initiative of the civil society in favour of peace and against 
violence. We also are grateful for the perseverance they showed over 
the years to motivate European development co-operations to send 
resources, to take care of and normalize the condition of these rural 
communities.

Pax Christi has demonstrated in a real way its will to give 
disinterested support by paying visits to the region in company of 
high ranked church people and members of the Dutch Parliament. 
Their reports reflected the general situation of the region.

We recognize in a special way and appraise as highly positive the 
work done by Wim Westerbaan, international delegate of Pax Christi 
and CMC, who has supported the Comunidad de Paz San JosŽ de 
Apartad— as well as the Comunidad de Paz San Fransisco de As’s 
(Choco).

In the name of the Diocese of Apartad—, Cinep, Oxfam (delegate 
Urab‡), the mission of Justice and Peace, Doctors without Frontiers, 
Doctors of the World, Compartir, Unicef, ICRC, Human Mobility Section 
of the Colombian Bishops Conference, Caritas Spain, we thank Willem 
for his opportune and efficient work on behalf of this community 
that is preparing the first phase of return.

Yours sincerely,



Tulio Duque GutiŽrrez         Pbro. Leonidas Moreno Gallego    
Obispo de Apartad—                    Director Comisi—n