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San Jose de ApartadóCSN Home | San Jose de Apartadó Home |
Following the many difficulties and attacks made against our process, we, the Peace Community of San Jose de Apartadó, have decided to initiate our process of return to the hamlet of La Esperanza on June 9, 1999. This return we had scheduled for April 6, but we postponed it due to the disrespect that was shown to our community during the paramilitary massacre of April 4. Two of the assassinated victims were persons who were planning to return with us to La Esperanza.
We stand firm in our decision to remain neutral towards all armed actors (army-paramilitaries and guerrilla) and we make this return with the same position. For this reason, we demand that the armed actors respect the decision of our community, that is to say, our commitment to have no direct nor indirect relationship with any armed actor, which stands firm in the village of San Jose as well as with the community that has already returned to La Union and that which will return to La Esperanza.
Thirty-five persons will initiate the first phase of the return to the hamlet of La Esperanza, with the support of 50 other community members for the first ten days, with the objective of solidifying the early stages of cultivation and recuperation of the village. After one month, the remaining families will begin to return, following a serious formation process led by our formation team. We hope that within three months more than 40 families of this hamlet will be able to return.
We seek national and international solidarity and support for our decision to return to the hamlet of La Esperanza, we know that it is a new step in the process to create serious alternatives to the war so that we might be respected as civilian population in the midst of the conflict.
We extend ourselves with the Hope of continuing with the truth and transparency that our fallen brothers have delegated to us, and with the enormous responsibility of constructing a serious alternative in the midst of conflict.