GS of Cane Cutter's Union Assassinated
News from Colombia | on: Monday, 30 April 2012
SINALCORTEROS, the sugar cane workers’ union has reported the assassination of its General Secretary, Daniel Aguirre Piedrahita. He was killed at about 9pm on Friday April 27in the town of Florida, in Valle. He was near his home making a phone call when he was killed. Mr Aguirre had been read moreDisplaced Leader’s Bodyguard Assassinated
News from Colombia | on: Monday, 30 April 2012
A bodyguard seconded to guard the life of Alfonso Castillo, the President of ANDAS, the National Association of Displaced Persons, was killed in Bogota on Friday. Mao Enrique Rodriguez was gunned down by two men riding a motorbike at 8.30pm on Friday April 27th. Mr Rodriguez was being seconded to read moreDECLARATION OF THE V PEOPLE'S SUMMIT
News from Colombia | on: Sunday, 29 April 2012
The social and people’s organizations of the continent, gathered in the V People’s Summit – The True Voice of the Americas – from April 12-14 in Cartagena de Indias at the same time as the VI Summit of the Americas, declare:We vigorously reject the insistence of the United States government read more 
Army Kills Community Leader
News from Colombia | on: Thursday, 26 April 2012
Sumapaz. The Sintrapaz agricultural workers’ union, has reported the killing of Duvier Celeita Cifuentes in Rio Duda, near Uribe in Meta. The details of the assassination as yet remain unclear, but Sintrapaz says the army is presenting him as a guerrilla killed in combat. Mr Celeita leaves behind a widow read moreTrade Union Activist Disappeared - Fears for his Safety
News from Colombia | on: Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Herman Henry Diaz, a leading FENSUAGRO trade union activist is suspected to have been forcibly disappeared on 18th April. He had led efforts to organise a delegation of 200 activists from Villa Guamez municipality in Putumayo Department who were travelling to take part in the Patriotic March events on 20th, read moreUS Office on Colombia -FTA puts US economic interests before human rights
News from Colombia | on: Wednesday, 25 April 2012
The US Office on Colombia (USOC) is deeply concerned by President Obama's decision to greenlight the US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) despite continued gross labor and human rights violations in Colombia. On April 7, 2011 the US and Colombia signed the Labor Action Plan (LAP) which outlined specific indicators that read moreBryan Nott Responds to Law Society Colombia Article
Justice For Colombia News | on: Monday, 23 April 2012
‘Colombia: isn’t it a bit dicey?’ It is possible that the lawyers Michael Cross spoke with when he visited Colombia showed irritation at that question. Sadly, I believe the majority of Colombians would view ‘dicey’ as an improvement on their current experience, evoking as it does a rather Boy’s Own read more 
Colombian Civil Society Prepares for Patriotic March
News from Colombia | on: Wednesday, 18 April 2012
This April 21st and 22nd Colombian civil society organisations organised in the ‘Patriotic March’ are holding their first National Patriotic Council in order to determine their political strategy and their goals over the next two years. The Patriotic March was born in 2010, Colombia’s bicentenary year, when it became clear read more 
Military Operate With Paramilitaries in the Catatumbo region of Colombia
News from Colombia | on: Wednesday, 18 April 2012
The farmers’ association of Catatumbo, ASCAMCAT, has denounced military operations that are spreading panic amongst the civilian population in the region – Catatumbo is situated in the highly conflictive north-eastern department of Norte de Santander. The military operations have resulted in the death of a three year old boy and read more 
Attempted Kidnap of Trade Unionists’ Daughters
News from Colombia | on: Tuesday, 17 April 2012
The FECODE teachers’ union has reported the kidnap attempt on the daughters of Over Dorado Cardona and Martha Rocio Alfonso Bernal, both of whom are teacher trade unionists. The attempt happened on Thursday 5th April in the town of Itagui in Colombia’s Antioquia province. The two children, aged 8 and read more 
JFC Photo Blog
News from Colombia | on: Tuesday, 17 April 2012
Check out JFC's new photo blog on tumblr! http://justice-for-colombia.tumblr.com/ Here you can find pictures from the last JFC delegation, as well as previous ones, with explanations of what you are seeing, links to interesting articles and other material. We'll be topping up the site with more pictures as read more 
Fighting and Harassment Reported in Cauca
News from Colombia | on: Tuesday, 17 April 2012
Human rights defenders of the Francisco Isaias Fuentes network have reported several instances of abuses of international humanitarian law during military operations in the region of Cauca. On Sunday 11 March 2012, they report units of the 3rd infantry battalion of the 3rd army brigade, under the command of Ricardo read morePeople's Summit Concludes in Cartagena
News from Colombia | on: Monday, 16 April 2012
By David Pivac The Fifth People’s Summit, also known as the ‘True Voice of the Americas’, took place between the 12th and the 14th of April in Cartagena on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. The People’s Summit, timed to coincide with Colombia’s hosting of the Sixth Summit of the Americas, read moreAFL-CIO Tells Obama Labour Action Plan has not been Complied with
News from Colombia | on: Monday, 16 April 2012
In a letter to President Obama, Richard Trumka, President of the AFL-CIO has called on the US government not to "relieve the pressure on Colombia to uphold the commitments it made in the Labor [sic] Action Plan". The letter underlines that it had had reservations about the Action PLan since read moreObama Poised To Give Presidential Seal of Approval To Gross Labor Rights Violations in Colombia
News from Colombia | on: Monday, 16 April 2012
Analysis by Gimena Sanchez-Garzoli and Anthony Dest of WOLA and Dan Kovalik of the USW. On November 9, 2011, the family of Juan Carlos Galvis—a prominent union leader with Sinaltrainal and personal friend of ours—was subjected to a violent home invasion by two presumed paramilitaries. The intruders entered the Galvis read moreThere is More Hope for Peace: analysis
News from Colombia | on: Monday, 16 April 2012
[This is a translation of an article written by Carlos Lozano in Colombia's El Tiempo daily national newspaper] Carlos Lozano The humanitarian releases of last Monday April 2, and the statement that they will end the retention of people for economic reasons are two unilateral acts by the FARC-EP in read moreProgress Article: Ellie Reeves Recalls Visits to Colombia
Justice For Colombia News | on: Monday, 16 April 2012
Justice for Colombia By Ellie Reeves I first visited Colombia five years ago. It was a harrowing experience which will remain with me for the rest of my life. I was shocked and appalled by the stories of human rights abuses. The women health workers who told us they had read moreSucre Land Activists' Homes Burned to the Ground
News from Colombia | on: Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Hasan Dodwell MOVICE, the national victims’ movement in Colombia, has denounced the continued threats being made against the peasant farmers of La Europa, a farm community in Ovejas, in the northern Colombian region of Sucre. For several years, members of the La Europa community have been in a process to read moreProgress on Labor and Human Rights Must Come before Colombia Free Trade Agreement Goes Into Force
News from Colombia | on: Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Progress on Labor and Human Rights Must Come before Colombia Free Trade Agreement Goes Into Force Conflict, Violence, and Murders of Colombian Activists Concern U.S. Groups 10 Apr 2012 The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), Latin America Working Group (LAWG), U.S. Office on Colombia (USOC), Center for read moreIACHR Releases Report on Rights in Colombia in 2011
News from Colombia | on: Tuesday, 10 April 2012
The Inter American Commission on Human Rights has released its report on human rights in 2011, in which the 4th chapter is dedicated to Colombia. The report shows continued concern over the human rights situation in Colombia, particularly with regard to extrajudicial executions, displacement, minority rights, women’s rights, attacks on read more 
Energy Sector Unions Denounce Threats
News from Colombia | on: Tuesday, 10 April 2012
The FUNTRAENERGETICA and SINTRAMIENERGETICA unions have reported that their leaderships have received death threats in recent days. The first threat was received by the President of the FUNTRAENERGETICA union, Raul Sosa, with later threats being directed at members of the national leaderships of both organisations. On April 5th Raul Sosa read moreHuman rights defenders face threats for taking part in protests against state crimes
News from Colombia | on: Sunday, 8 April 2012
Human rights defenders in Colombia are being threatened as a result of taking part in peaceful activities to commemorate March 6, the International Day for the Victims of State Crimes. Colombia’s national victims’ organisation, MOVICE, which convened the March 6 protests, has expressed particular concern for the safety of Rosa read more 
FARC Free Remaining Military Hostages
News from Colombia | on: Tuesday, 3 April 2012
The FARC has unilaterally freed the last 10 military prisoners it holds following negotiations facilitated by Colombians for Peace (CfP). The release of the ten men, 6 police and 4 soldiers, has opened up expectations that a dialogue aiming at peace could now begin between government and guerrillas, with one read more 
Political Prisoners Thank JFC
Justice For Colombia News | on: Monday, 2 April 2012
The women trade unionists, students, and other activists detained in Bogota Women’s prison have written a letter to JFC and our supporters thanking the solidarity they have received. Please see below translation of the letter in full. ‘Buen Pastor’ Women’s Prison, Bogota, Colombia 24th February 2012 Brothers and read more 
Land Rights Leader Assassinated
News from Colombia | on: Monday, 2 April 2012
The MOVICE national victims’ movement has denounced the assassination on March 23rd of Manuel Ruiz, a land rights leader and claimant. Mr Ruiz was detained by paramilitaries as he took a bus home with his 15 year old son, Samir in Curvarado in the Choco region of Colombia. Their bodies read more
