Colombia: Eyewitness report from solidarity delegation

Angela Denio in the Colombian countryside

The following article is from Fight Back! News:

Colombia: Eyewitness report from solidarity delegation
By Angela Denio

In August, a delegation of U.S. students, trade unionists and anti-war activists traveled to Colombia to meet with leaders in the struggle there. The Colombian Action Network and the Campaign for Labor Rights, two grassroots organizations here in the United States fighting against U.S. intervention in Colombia, hosted the trip.

“I knew what I heard in the U.S. media about the benefits of U.S. tax money and aid to Colombia was true only for the rich. I wanted to see for myself what the reality is for Colombians,” said Jeremy Miller, a member of the Colombian Action Network when explaining his decision to go on the delegation. Members of the Colombian Action Network and the Campaign for Labor Rights arranged meetings with peasant, indigenous and student groups, as well as with political leaders, unions, political prisoners and families of Colombians killed or imprisoned by the government.

Carlos Montes on the 39th Anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium

Carlos Montes is a veteran fighter in the Chicano Liberation movement. He was a founder of the Brown Berets and the Chicano Moratorium. Montes is currently active in the Southern California Immigration Coalition, the East L.A.-based Latinos against War and with CSO, which organizes parents in the East Los Angeles area to fight against the privatization of public education in Los Angeles Unified School District. For more on the Chicano Liberation Struggle, see the League of Revolutionary Struggle’s 1979 Resolution on the Chicano National Question.

The following commentary by Carlos Montes is from Fight Back! News:

39th Anniversary of Chicano Moratorium: The Struggle Continues 

Commentary by Carlos Montes

Los Angeles, CA – Today, Aug. 29, 2009, shows that our people are continuing the fight for equality and self-determination. It was demonstrated by the many groups that were present today at Salazar Park, including the student group MECHA and the new Brown Berets, to commemorate the historic day in 1970 when over 20,000 Chicanos marched down historic Whittier Boulevard in East L.A. to protest the war in Vietnam and the high casualty rate of Chicanos. The mass peaceful rally in 1970 was attacked by the Los Angeles Police Department and the sheriffs. Ruben Salazar, news director for KMEX, was killed, along with Angel Diaz and Lynn Ward. A similar example of repression took place on May 1, 2007 when the LAPD attacked a pro-immigrant rights rally at MacArthur Park. 

SDS Holds 4th National Convention

The following is from Fight Back! News:

by Chapin Gray

Murfreesboro, TN – Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held its fourth annual national convention here, July 11 -12, bringing together around 100 students and youth activists from across the country.

Chiquita: Between Life and Law

An excellent documentary about U.S. banana giant, Chiquita Banana (formerly the notorious United Fruit Company) financing and arming Colombian death squads. For more about this visit the Colombia Action Network website.

45th Anniversary of the FARC-EP

The following statement by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP), the largest Marxist-Leninist organization in Colombia, is being reposted here from the website Resistencia Colombia:

MANUEL LIVES!

Written by: SECRETARIAT OF THE CENTRAL STAFF OF THE FARC-EP

From the Colombian Mountains

May, 2009

“The political circumstances are suitable to improve the Armed Movement and the Bolivarian Movement.” Manuel Marulanda Vélez

The FARC’s soul as a flag waving in the wind is mentioned in this Manuel’s saying. 45 years ago we began the fight to look for peace, justice and dignity for Colombia in the Marquetalia heights which is the people’s resistance mountain. Since then we are the armed response of the poor and the righteous people against various types of state violence.

Women in Colombia’s prisons, a view from the inside

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following essay from the Colombian trade unionist and political prisoner, Liliany Obando. The introduction was prepared by the Colombia Action Network.

Liliany Obando at a FENSUAGRO rally | photo from http://www.freeliliany.net

The essay below was written by Colombian trade unionist, video documentary producer, and political prisoner Liliany Obando. Liliany wrote her “Reflections” with Mother’s Day in mind. Like many organizers for social justice in Colombia, Liliany is imprisoned with little to no evidence. The US government is funding and advising Colombia’s judicial system, but it has only worsened with time. The US government also continues to fund and direct the Colombian Military and their paramilitary death squads. Under the US “Plan Colombia”, labor unionists are murdered every week, nearly 4 million Colombian peasants are displaced from their land, and 7000 political opponents of President Uribe are imprisoned. The CAN wants to thank James Jordan of the Campaign for Labor Rights for translating the original Spanish essay. We demand “Free Liliany Obando!”

REFLECTIONS ABOUT COLOMBIA’S POLICY CONCERNING CRIMINALS AND THE TREATMENT OF WOMEN PRISONERS
a glimpse from a woman on the inside…

By Liliany Obando, Political Prisoner

Although we women have struggled throughout history to reach better living conditions, dignified work, acknowledgement, and social and political inclusion, still we must suffer vestiges of a patriarchal and sexist society that does not recognize our role in society. It is a reality that things are getting worse for us women who find ourselves deprived of our liberty.

Revolución Colombiana

March 26th was the one year anniversary of the passing away of Manuel Marulanda, founder of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP). In honor of the occassion, I’d like to post here a brief collection of readings on the organization he founded and the revolution that he led, which continues today.

Who are the FARC and why do they fight?

The FARC Speaks Out: Interview with Colombian Revolutionaries (part 1 of 2)

FARC Speaks Out: Interview With Colombian Revolutionaries (part 2 of 2)

Revolution in Colombia: An Interview

Colombia: Mercenaries freed, FARC carries forward fight for liberation

Fidel Castro and the FARC: Eight Mistaken Theses of Fidel Castro

Revolutionary Social Change in Colombia: The Origin and Direction of the FARC-EP (Book Review)

Statements and Resolutions on the Colombian Revolution from FRSO

Resolution in Support of the Colombian Revolution

Revolution in Colombia: ISO stands on the wrong side (March 2008)

Revolutionary Martyrs

Manuel Marulanda: In the fight to end oppression, he never missed his mark (May 2008)

A Salute to Comrade Raúl Reyes: His spirit and work will live forever (March 2008)

Colombian rebel leader murdered: Reflections on meeting with Raul Reyes

Free Ricardo Palmera!

The Facts about the Ricardo Palmera Case

60 Years in Prison for Colombian Revolutionary Ricardo Palmera

Free Colombian Revolutionary Leader Ricardo Palmera! U.S. Imperialism, Hands Off Colombia! statement by Jose Maria Sison

Interview with Imelda Daza-Cotes

See also the Colombia page at Fight Back! News: http://www.fightbacknews.org/news/colombia

Write to Ricardo Palmera

The National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera issued a call to write to Colombian revolutionary and U.S. political prisoner Ricardo Palmera. The call is reproduced below. For more information on the case of Ricardo Palmera, see the NCFRP’s Ricardo Palmera Fact Sheet.

 

Write Palmera!
March 24, 2009

The National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera is calling on people everywhere to stand for human rights and social justice in opposition to the cruel and unusual treatment of Ricardo Palmera, a negotiator for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), now a Colombian political prisoner of the U.S. Empire held in the Florence Colorado Supermax Prison. Professor Palmera is being held in 23-hour solitary lock-down with no access to the outside world.

March 1st: Raul Reyes remembered

The following is from Fight Back! News, published by Freedom Road Socialist Organization. For more information, see my article from one year ago, Fallen Comrade Raul Reyes: A Death Weightier than Mount Tai:

Colombia’s Raul Reyes remembered, events planned for March 1
By staff

Chicago, IL – The Colombia Action Network is organizing events in six cities to honor and remember those killed by the U.S.-backed war in Colombia. March 1 is significant because one year ago the U.S. government directed an attack inside Ecuador that killed Raul Reyes and 25 others. Raul Reyes was a commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP). Angela Denio who will be speaking in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, said, “We will remember the brave Colombian rebels, Ecuadorian supporters and Mexican students who died at the hands of the U.S.-sponsored attack in Ecuador, especially FARC leader Raul Reyes who gave his life for the freedom of the Colombian people.”

New letter from Lily Obando

The following letter from Colombian political prisoner Liliana Obando is from the website of the Colombia Action Network. This letter was read from the stage at the School of the Americas Protest in Georgia

Bogota, Colombia, November 17 de 2008
National Women’s Penitentiary

Friends of the Campaign for Labor Rights,
Friends of the Colombia Action Network,
Activist Friends for Peace, Social Justice and the defense of Human Rights ,

United States

A fraternal greeting of solidarity to all of you on my behalf and from all the other political prisoners secluded in the jails of Colombia and the United States.