Saturday, August 1, 2009

Fotos


Our experience in Latin America, summarized in the messianic Che graffiti stencil. Beautiful graffiti all around Bogota, especially near the universities.


Our dear friend on the delegation, James. A lutheran priest, and seminary professor who taught us how to have a good time. He LOVES hugs.


Trucksitting.


A most recent photo from the mountaintops near Cocora, Colombia. Tallest palms in the world, 60+ meters in height.

Our mountain top friends, can anyone identify their genus, species?


We all got cold and bought the same sweater from our friend Blanca. She measured us up with her hands, so warm.


Favorite graffiti activist artist. This is a fitting depiction of what we´ve learned in Colombia about multinationals, which reap the benefits of armed conflict and displacement, provide little to no benefit to the Colombian people, and ultimately result in environmental devastation.

The team in the campo. Most terrifying truck experience of our lives(?), which brought us to the small villages and farmers which have borne the brunt of fumigations, armed conflict, and violence.

Nick, Cory, & the rio Magdalena in Barrancabermeja

CPT delegates. Uniforms on for accompaniment.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

our feet no longer hurt

It now seems prudent to introduce the Las Juanistas, an order of Catholic sisters.

Yesterday, we joined the sisters who were accompanying a public demonstration of Coca-cola union workers. Together we pronounced and celebrated the global day against the politics of multinational corporations. At the factory gates, we read scriptures, prayed for justice, and denounced the internal assassinations of Coca-cola workers in Colombia. Later, together with the Juanistas, we danced, loved liberation theologians, drank beer, and in utter bliss, had our feet massaged by sister Norma.

In summary, our feet no longer hurt and our hearts are warmed and encouraged.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Mano a Mano Construyemos La Paz

"Hand in Hand We Build the Peace"

to begin, a few definitions to take to heart.

Visibleizing : to announce and project the struggles of a community against unjust structures and empire (i.e. the denouncement of abuses to the powers of government and industry)

Empire : the establishment of powerful systems which extract and abuse resources at the cost of human and environmental dignity

Compacted Fecal Matter : none of us have it

Complicit : we all are

Privilege : an innate placement within socially constucted power schemes that benifits those who have it, whether or not they are aware of it. It cannot be shed.

Apathy : the unwillingness to take to heart realities which require just action

U.S. Plan Colombia : Plan of Death

Fumigations : a pillar policy of Plan Colombia. Fumigations = Displacement

Yucca : a tuber, quite delicious

Campesino : a small farmer in Colombia. The community which suffers the brunt of displacement at the hands of paramilitary-military supported multinational corporations

Pablo Escobar : a notorious drug cartel boss, was one of the world's top ten most wanted and in 1989 was listed as one of the worlds top 7 richest people

Aguila : the Colombian "beer". 4% alcohol content. Refresca Neustra Pasion. . "It refreshes our passion", the official slogan.

Aguila light : >50% water

Monday, July 13, 2009

pretrip thoughts. . .

Hey all,

Just tying up loose ends in Seattle before taking off. I've been hit hard in the past few days by the gravity of the trip we're about to go on. . . For the past two months I've been reading about the places we'll be in Colombia; articles describing - in grotesque detail - some of the human rights atrocities commited against civilians and social workers. I've also heard from friends of the great beauty of the country of Colombia. What a strange contrast; the beauty along with the violence. Although even visiting some of the most depraved communities in the DR and Haiti, I have been struck by the beauty of the spirit of those who persist in the face of violence and poverty. Humans have a great capacity to hope.

So, hope will be my theme as I start this trip. I hope that our delegation can be filled with hope, can give hope to those in Colombia affected by senseless violence; give them hope that their stories will be told and their courage not forgotten. Hope that those entrenched in a pattern of perpetrating violence can lay aside their weapons and take up work of a less destructive nature.
Hope that another world is, truly, possible. This I believe - and this is my reason for leaving the comfort and safety of Seattle.

Thanks for those of you who've donated to Cory and I's trip! Thank you even more for your prayers and letters that we've recieved. They are so meaningful to us and we thank you for them. We'll try to keep this blog relatively updated - as computer access allows - and maybe even post some pictures. I'll leave you with a closing quote recently brought to light by John Volkening - the leader of our Colombia delegation:

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."
Dwight D. Eisenhower

Peace and blessings,

Nick

Sunday, July 12, 2009

urgent action: alteration & request

Last month, the CPT Colombia team met with the community leaders of Tiqusio to discuss our upcoming delegation. In conversation together they decided that there was a greater and immediate need for action in the community of San Pablo, a municipality about 2 hours north of Barrancabermeja on the Magdalena river. This quick alteration demonstrates the CPTs ability to listen and discern where to devote energies, in order to most effectively create awareness and a presence of peace.

San Pablo has suffered 13 assassinations this year, apparently at the hands of paramilitaries, including the murder of one of the foremost community leaders, Edgar Martinez Ruiz. CPT has asked San Pablo community leaders how the public can support their movement for protection of life and fundamental human rights. These local leaders request that the international community apply pressure by sending written appeals for an investigation into the death of Edgar Martinez Ruiz and others.  The leaders wish to receive these letters by email so they can personally deliver them to the authorities.

The paramilitary are creating an environment of intimidation and threats and the more international awareness we are able to raise and communicate, the more politically difficult it becomes for them to actually implement their threats. It is really important that you, all of our families, friends, communities and churches, are involved in this request. Please take action, reading this report and signing a letter demanding legal investigation, which we will personally deliver in our delegation to San Pablo.

Letters in English or Spanish should be directed to the Personería (Municipal Human Rights Representative) and the Fiscalía  (Municipal District Attorney) of San Pablo.  Below are sample letters in Spanish and English.  Please sign one of these letters, scan it (to include your signature), and email it as an attachment to the Colombia team at ecapcolombia@edatel.net.co

If you do not have access to a scanner, the next best option is to save the letter as PDF file with your address, attach it to an e-mail, and send it to the team.  You may also simply send an e-mail with your mailing address, if the other two actions are not an option. You are also welcome to write your own letter if you wish.  CPT will forward the letters to the San Pablo community leaders, who will deliver them.

***
ENGLISH SAMPLE LETTER:

DATE
Personeria y Fiscalía Municipio de San Pablo

To Whom It May Concern:

We send these letters directed to you, the authorities of the local 
government, decrying the murder of Mr. Edgar Martinez Ruiz and the lack of
results from the official investigation into his death.  On April 24, 2009, 
Mr. Martinez Ruiz was killed in cold blood near San Pablo.  Mr. Martinez 
Ruiz was a community leader who participated in various human rights forums, 
calling the government to fiscal accountability in the municipality of San 
Pablo, Bolivar.
We strongly ask for follow-up to ensure an investigation into the murders 
and intimidation of local leaders such as Mr. Martinez Ruiz and others.

I am a citizen of_______________ and I am worried about the links between
the money my country sends to Colombia and the number of community leaders 
daily murdered with impunity.  Your attention to this matter will assure us 
that there is justice and respect for the rights of the most marginalized in 
Colombia.

Sincerely,
NAME
ADDRESS
COUNTRY


*********
SPANISH SAMPLE LETTER:

FECHA

Señores Personería y Fiscalía Municipio de San Pablo

Enviamos estas cartas dirigidas a ustedes las autoridades del gobierno 
local, reclamando sobre el asesinato de Edgar Martínez Ruiz y la falta de 
resultados de la investigación oficial de su muerte.  El 24 de Abril 2009 el 
Sr. Edgar Martínez Ruiz fue asesinado a sangre fría cerca de San Pablo.  El 
Sr. Martínez Ruiz era líder de la comunidad, participaba en diferentes 
espacios de derechos humanos y trabajaba en la exigencia de rendición de 
cuentas en el Municipio de San Pablo, Bolívar.
Exigimos que haya seguimiento para asegurar una investigación a los 
asesinatos e intimidación de líderes locales como Edgar Martínez Ruiz y 
otros.

Soy ciudadano de ____________    y estoy preocupado con el enlace entre el 
dinero que manda mi país hacia Colombia y el número de lideres comunitarios 
que son asesinados diariamente con impunidad. Su atención a este asunto nos 
asegura que haya justicia y respeto por los derechos de los más marginados 
en Colombia.


Sinceramente,
NOMBRE
DIRECCION
PAIS

with many hopes and prayers,
-Cory

Thursday, May 28, 2009

framing the summer and our steps

We will be serving with the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) in Tiquisio, Colombia from July 14-27. Our short term delegation was invited down to join the Colombian church's Peace witness, where the CPT has had a violence reducing presence since May of 2001. Standing in prayer and solidarity, we will seek to learn from our brothers and sisters to better act out the core tenants of Christ's nonviolent gospel.



The formation and mission of the CPT



Thereafter, we will move south to come alongside of Cory's uncle Tim Deppe, the founder of an organization called Bookseed. Tim works throughout Latin America, delivering learning materials to rural schools and seeds to diversify crops varieties.


We hope to use this blog as an avenue to convey our experiences and the goodness and truths we are given to uncover. This blog is an invitation for you to join us in prayer, our provision from the Lord. We also ask for you to take time to consider the injustices that are being perpetrated in so much of South America, especially Colombia, and to join us in discerning our relationship and responsibility towards them.

Paz,
Cory y Nick