The demonstration coincided with the 7th anniversary of the infamous Trujillo Massacre in Valle del Cauca, Colombia. Beginning in April 1990, over 250 people were tortured and murdered by police, army and hired paramilitary killers that worked for locally based drug-traffickers. Several demonstrators carried posters with the pictures of some of those brutally murdered, including parish priest Rev. Tiberio Fernandez, Francy Adela Mejia, and Gilberto Berrio. Despite the Colombian government's international acceptance of responsibility for the massacre, no one has been punished, including School of the Americas-trained Major Alirio Uruena Jaramillo, who personally tortured victims with a blowtorch and cut them to pieces with a chainsaw.
Many of the members of the demonstration were from all across the U.S., and were also involved with School of the Americas Watch's week-long lobbying and demonstration on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to shut down the School of the Americas. Colombia has the largest number by far of soldiers trained at the "School of Assassins", with U.S. tax-payers money, than any other country (Issue #2 of Colombia Bulletin had an indepth article on the SOA; if you'd like a copy, please request a copy [$3]).
The demonstration occurred during the evening rush hour, directly opposite the Dupont Circle Metro exit and was observed by over a thousand people. Many commented that they had no idea of the human rights disaster occurring in Colombia, and that the mass media totally obscured the situation there.
After about 45 minutes, the demonstration moved to nearby Dupont Circle, where a vigil was held, to commemorate the lives of victims of the Trujillo massacre, victims of violence in our own communities, and other victims of U.S. sponsored state terrorism. Flowers were laid upon a strawcrucifix as the names were called out and remembrances were made.
The demonstration and rally were called for and organized by the Colombia Support Network, School of the Americas Watch, and the D.C. Colombia Human Rights Committee.