CSN Central NY Chapter
SINCE OCTOBER 12, 2008 THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE MCC HAVE TOGETHER TRAV ELED THE PATH OF THE WORD IN THE GREAT MINGA FOR SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY RESISTANCE
MOVIMIENTO CAMPESINO DE CAJIBIO CAJIBIO SMALL FARMERS MOVEMENT "Construyendo el Plan de Vida Digna" "Building the Plan of a Dignified Life" SINCE OCTOBER 12, 2008 THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE MCC HAVE TOGETHER TRAVELED THE PATH OF THE WORD IN THE GREAT MINGA FOR SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY RESISTANCE - On Oct. 13, 2008, we mobilized---hundreds of campesino demonstrators, men and women belonging to the Small Farmer Movement of Cajibío and the sister organization ANUC Unity and Reconstruction marched from the town of Cajibío for two days to the city of Popayán, where we joined other small farmer organizations from the Colombian Central Massif and southern Cauca, including the Women's Social Movement of Cauca and students from throughout the region, to culminate in a very large march in Popayán. The march's objectives were to reclaim recognition and respect for the dignity and human rights of Cauca's campesino organizations and to shed light on the problems affecting us, including lack of land, privatization of water, multinational investment and takeovers in our lands, violations of human rights against our leaders, and the State's abandonment of the people.
- On Oct. 23, 2008, almost 1,000 women connected to Women's Social Movement and belonging to the Departmental Coordinating Committee of Cauca Women (including members of the MCC), marched to Santander de Quilichao for a meeting of the great MINGA in order to then march from Santander to the town of Villa Rica, where they carried out a symbolic act in which they demonstrated the problems of social and political violence, and rejected the violent way they have been treated, the same way that the social movement has been treated by the State even though we provide a legitimate means for demanding our people's rights. Alongside the women we daily worked on empowering the Women's Movement and created Indigenous, Campesino, and Popular Movement Unity.
- On Oct. 24, 2008, we mobilized yet again---almost 150 campesinos, participants in the Network for Life and Human Rights of Cauca, mobilized to reach the city of Jamundi in order to continue our participation in the great MINGA of Resistance. We walked for two days on the road to Cali to be present for an appointment with the President of the Republic Alvaro Uribe, who had committed to debate the problems of indigenous people in front of the whole country. Once again we unfortunately were witnesses to the denial that the Colombian government makes in response to the social movements legitimate efforts to make visible the Rights of the People and demand those rights. We waited seven hours until 5 PM and Mr. President did not arrive, because he claimed he felt there were risks to his personal safety. We were able to make a political statement by being there, with international presence, with the empty chair for the President. But then at 5:30 PM, disregarding his prior claim that his safety was at risk, he arrived at our meeting place in order to express with the still curious remaining group his disrespect for the indigenous movement, saying that they hadn't really wanted him to attend. Afterwards the organizations of the MINGA returned to our communities to put our efforts into continuing the march to the capital of Bogotá in a grand union with all the organizations that have participated and will participate in the great MINGA for Resistance and the Dignity of Our Peoples.
Popayán, October 2008. DESDE EL 12 DE OCTUBRE LOS CAMPESINOS Y CAMPESINAS TAMBIÉN CAMINAMOS LA PALABRA EN LA GRAN MINGA POR LA RESISTENCIA SOCIAL Y COMUNITARIA. - El día 13 de octubre de 2.008 cientos de manifestantes campesinos hombres y mujeres, pertenecientes al Movimiento Campesino de Cajibío y a la organización hermana ANUC Unidad y Reconstrucción marchamos desde el Municipio de Cajibío durante dos días para luego entrar a la cuidad de Popayán donde se unieron a organizaciones campesinas del Macizo Colombiano y sur del Cauca, organizaciones pertenecientes al Movimiento Social de mujeres del Cauca y estudiantes y realizar una gran marcha en la ciudad de Popayán y reclamar así el reconocimiento y respeto de la dignidad y los Derechos Humanos de las organizaciones campesinas del departamento del Cauca y hacer visible la problemática que nos afecta como son la falta de tierras, la privatización del agua, ingreso de multinacionales a los territorios, violación a los Derechos humanos de los lideres de las organizaciones y abandono total por parte del Estado.
- El día 23 de octubre del 2.008 cerca de 1.000 mujeres articuladas al Movimiento Social de Mujeres, pertenecientes a la Coordinación Departamental de Mujeres del Cauca entre las que se cuentan las Mujeres del Movimiento Campesino, marchamos hasta Santander de Quilichao al Encuentro de la gran MINGA para caminar desde esta población al Municipio de Villa Rica donde se desarrolló un acto simbólico en el que las mujeres hicimos visible nuestra problemática de violencia social y política, rechazamos la forma violenta como ha sido tratada la movilización social por parte del Estado aun siendo este un mecanismo legitimo para la exigibilidad de los Derechos de la población. Además las mujeres le apostamos diariamente a la Unidad del Movimiento Social de mujeres y forjamos la Unidad Indígena, campesina y popular.
- El día 24 de octubre cerca de 150 campesinos articulados en la Red por la Vida y los Derechos Humanos del Cauca, nos movilizamos hasta la cuidad de Jamundi para seguir nuestra participación activa en la gran MINGA DE LA RESISTENCIA. Caminamos durante dos días hasta la cuidad de Cali, para acudir a la cita con el Señor Presidente de la Republica ALVARO URIBE quien se comprometió a debatir de cara al país la problemática indígena, sin embargo una vez mas fuimos testigos del desplante que el Gobierno le hace a la movilización social como mecanismo legitimo de muestra y reclamación de los Derechos de la Población, fue una espera de 7 horas hasta las cinco de la tarde y el Señor Presidente no llegó argumentando riesgos para su integridad personal. En el sitio se desarrollo un acto político, con presencia internacional en el cual estuvo dispuesta una silla para el señor Presidente. A eso de las 5 y 30 de la tarde y contradiciendo el argumento usado durante todo el día para decir que no podía reunirse con todos los manifestantes, llego al sitio para hablar con los curiosos que quedaron en el lugar y dar inicio su desprestigio hacia el movimiento indígena diciendo que no lo han querido atender. Las organizaciones presentes en la MINGA, regresamos a nuestras comunidades para aprestarnos a seguir la marcha hasta la cuidad de Bogota ya en unión de todas las organizaciones que se unen a esta gran MINGA POR LA RESISTENCIA Y LA DIGNIDAD DE LOS PUEBLOS.
Popayán, octubre del 2.008.
US and Colombia need fair trade, not free trade - Syracuse Post Standa rd letter
US and Colombia need fair trade, not free trade
To the Editor: Back in April, The Post-Standard printed George Will's column questioning the clarity and consistency of the presidential candidates' positions about free trade, and specifically, the free trade agreement (FTA) with Colombia. At the Oct. 15 presidential debate, Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain were clearly diametrically opposed on that FTA. It is fortunate that President Bush will likely not secure passage of the FTA, which will presumably be scuttled if Sen. Obama becomes president and revived if Sen. McCain does. In April, George Will was right that this FTA is a great deal for U.S. and multinational corporations and is probably a good deal for some U.S. industrial workers and farmers although in this case the "farmers" are usually major corporations, not medium or small-scale producers. This FTA,however, is a terribly bad deal for the Colombian people, much as NAFTA was a fundamentally bad deal for ordinary Mexicans, especially farmers. These kinds of free trade agreements persistently lead quickly to massive exports of cheap U.S. grain, with the result that Mexican, Central American or Colombian peasants cannot compete and family farmers are the majority in Latin America. They end up landless and driven deeper into poverty and hunger, as once food-exporting nations become food-importers, and their countries go deeper into debt. A great many of these landless peasants end up coming to the United States as "illegal" immigrants, desperate for work to support their families. There are more reasons to scrap this FTA. Barack Obama explicitly opposes the Colombia FTA because of the abysmal state of labor rights in Colombia. In the last four or five years, the government of Colombia's Alvaro Uribe has made progress by reducing the number of assassinations of labor leaders and increasing the prosecution of death squad members. But the context must be understood. In the 1990s and the beginning of this decade, the right-wing paramilitaries effectively murdered a whole generation of labor activists that will not be easily replaced. Intimidation of labor organizing, including mortal threats against leaders and their families, continues. The Uribe government has done little to reverse the hostile atmosphere that leads to so many Colombian workers being unrepresented, underpaid and vulnerable. Colombia's President Uribe should get credit for what he has done well, but should then be pressed to comply with clear standards for what still needs to be done. The reward for progress on human rights (and on the environment) should not be this FTA, but rather the negotiation of a new fair trade agreement. Fair trade can stimulate commerce that greatly benefits small-scale farmers and their communities, indigenous peoples, small business owners, "green" entrepreneurs and ordinary consumers in both countries. This time, let the multinational corporations stand next in line for their opportunities. Fair trade with Colombia could benefit the vast majority in both countries and help poor and middle class Colombians make their communities thrive and prosper, rather than feeling that they have to cross the U.S. border in dark of night in order to survive. Paul Weichselbaum Syracuse © 2008 The Post-Standard. Used with permission.http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/opinion-4/122492501342960.xml&coll=1 Copyright 2008 syracuse.com. All Rights Reserved.
ALERT!: SEND EMAILS SUPPORTING SAFETY OF OCTOBER 12 CAUCA MOBILIZATION !
The people of Cauca are mobilizing this weekend against human rights violations. They need our support. Please send emails to the following addresses demanding that the Colombian government respect the rights of the people of Cauca to assemble and present their grievances:
Ambassador William Brownfield
Thomas Shannon, Assistant Secretary Western Hemisphere Dr. Alvaro Uribe Velez, Presidente de la Republica Dr. Francisco Santos, Vicepresidencia de la Republica Sergio Jaramillo, Vice-Minister of Defense Dr. Mario Hernan Iguaran Arana, Fiscalia General de la Nacion Dr. Edgardo Jose Maya Villazon, Procuraduria General de la Nacion Colonel Juan Carlos Gomez Ramirez, Director Human Rights Office of the Colombia Army juan.gomez@mindefensa.gov.co
Following is a portion of a 10/9/08 letter from Marylen asking for our support for the safety of the mobilization. For additional information, please go to the following websites: Thanks,
Paul Weichselbaum
Syracuse, NY Dear Sister Community, We send you a great fraternal embrace, with best wishes for your health and well-being. We are thinking a lot about you these days as we hear news about the impact of your country's economic difficulties, thinking how this may affect your families. The big political news helps us understand how critical this moment is for your country. Again greetings; we care and think very much about you. We have news here about human rights violations occurring in the Department of Cauca against social organizations. These violations put at great risk the lives of those working for a future with dignity for our communities.
If at all possible we ask you to send a condemnation of these events and at the same time demand that the authorities respect the lives of all of us participating in the mobilization beginning on October 12 to demand our fundamental rights...
The situation is not easy or simple. Time passes and the efforts already implemented appear to evaporate and this is all a great worry for us, but in this situation we depend not only on ourselves but also on other people. Thank you again for your interest and work. We will continue to maintain our communication. Attentively,
Marylen Movimiento Campesino de Cajibio Querida comunidad Hermana
Reciban un gran gran abrazo fraterno, muchos deseos de salud y bienestar. Les pensamos mucho en estos dias que recibimos muchas noticias sobre los impactos de la economia de su pais, pensamos como estara afectando esta situacion a sus familias y tambien las grandes noticias politicas nos hacen pensarles mucho ya que es un momento importante para su pais. Muchos saludos y les pensamos y queremos mucho. Les estamos haciendo llegar el comunicado que esta dando a conocer el Movimiento campesino de Cajibio, con motivo de los hechos violatorios a los Derechos Humanos sucedidos en el Departamento del Cauca en contra de las organizaciones sociales y que ponen en alto riesgo la vida de quienes trabajan por un futuro con dignidad para las comunidades. Si es posible les proponemos enviar comunicaciones de rechazo a estos hechos y a la vez exigiendo el respeto a la vida de quienes nos movilizaremos a partir del 12 de octubre por la reivindicacion de nuestros derechos fundamentales... El panorama no es facil, el tiempo pasa y los esfuerzos que se han hecho se van esfumando, es para nosotros motivo de preocupacion muy grande pero en esto no depende solo de nosotros sino de otras personas.
A Ustedes muchas gracias por su interes y trabajo, estaremos en comunicacion.
Atentamente,
Marylen Movimiento Campesino de Cajibio
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