The Unheard Colombia:
Voices from the Social Movements
Venue: St Matthews Rooms, Calver Street S1
Mario Angulo - Black Communities Process
Miriam Ruiz - Christian Base Communities
In the past twelve months over 7,000 trade unionists and community activists have been assassinated in Colombia, in reprisal for their participation in popular struggles against privatisation, poverty, and the take-over of their country by US, British and other multinationals.
These crimes are carried out by state-sanctioned death squads who coordinate their operations with the official army and police. Under cover of a phony war on drugs, Colombia is also host to thousands of US military ‘advisers’ and CIA agents, widely believed to have a hand in orchestrating the repression.
The Bush administration has declared Colombia a front of the so-called “war against terrorism”, giving $2.8 billion in military aid to that country; meanwhile, the UK government is leading efforts to get Europe to fall into line behind the USA and its campaign of state terror in Colombia.
In recent years many in Sheffield have become aware of the struggles of Colombian trade unionists, but less is known of the Black, indigenous, Christian, student and community organisations that struggle alongside them.
Please make sure that Mario and Miriam receive a warm welcome to Sheffield. Come and hear their first hand accounts, and find out why and how, despite death and terror, the struggle continues!
For more info, contact 07973 866 323, or email johncsmith@btinternet.com
Colombia Solidarity Campaign, PO Box 8446, London N17 6NZ
www.colombiasolidarity.org.uk / Sheffield group 07973 866 323