A STATEMENT FOR PEACE IN COLOMBIA
CSN-Madison, February 2002
We would like to express our solidarity with the Colombian people at
this crucial moment in the history of their country. We call upon the
government of Colombia, the FARC guerrilla movement and Colombian society
in general, to maintain the conversations for peace in Colombia, for
their future and their children’s future. To listen is an essential
part of reconciliation and both sides, the Colombian Government and
the FARC, should try to understand the requests of each other. Perhaps
if the Colombian establishment looks at the pain and injustice that
the poor of Colombia suffer and recognizes the need to make structural
changes that will benefit everyone, we can talk about a future with
peace in Colombia. If the insurgent movements understand the immense
suffering all their violent actions cause, and hear the voices of those
who have suffered from them, then we can talk about a future with peace
in Colombia. Colombian women and children, particularly, have suffered
the consequences of the violence in Colombia. It is time to take their
interest into account and to achieve peace for their sake. We appreciate
the courage and persistence of President Pastrana in pursuing peace
negotiations with both FARC and ELN. We strongly believe in the spiritual
power of nonviolence and thus we encourage the efforts made by communities
such as the Peace Community of San Jose de Apartado, the communities
returning to the Cacarica River basin, the displaced community of La
Balsita and the Peace and Development Program of the Middle Magdalena.
Colombian people are all part of the human family. The rest of humankind
has a lot to learn from their enormous creativity, their boundless energy,
their generosity, their hospitality, their love for life and their kindness.
The children of Colombia can not keep growing up in the middle of war.
Colombia is not alone. The whole world is watching very carefully and
asking the major players not to abandon all they have accomplished in
the peace process until now. We ask you to continue serious negotiations
for peace and do all in your power to achieve peace with justice, so
the future generations of Colombia may realize their full potential.
John I, Laun, Roy Bourgeois, Daniel Gomez-Ibanez, Noam Chomsky, Blase
and Theresa Bonpane, Larry Birns, Mark Sherman, Rev Thomas Gumbleton,
Robert Meeropol, Rosenberg Fund for Children, Bonnie Block, Margaret
Skinner, Mary Kay Baum, Rev John Dear, S.J.Author, Nick Myers, Gary
Weglarz, Katie Knight, Montana Chapter of the Colombia Support Network,
Jean Triol, Tony Duvernay, Betty Kijewski
Virginia & Albert Niccolucci, Anna and John Jones Dana Richter,
Jean h. Triol, Suzanne Sherman Aboulfadl Missoula, Alex Swaney, Lori
Christians
Alyssa Kornowa, Mary Kay Craig, George Waring,
Missoula Advocated for Human Rights
(Ethel MacDonald, recorder; Karen Loos, Chairperson),
Community Action for Justice in the Americas,
La Gente Unida (the Latin American Student Interest Group of the University
of Montana),
Trina Zahller