FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A survey by CPNN

The following events were listed during the week of 17-24 September in “Google News” under the key phrases “Día Internacional de la Paz”, “Dia Internacional da Paz,” or “International Day of Peace. For events elsewhere in the world click here.

(Click on image to enlarge)

As seen on the map above, there were articles about 33 events in 14 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Here are excerpts from the articles.

Havana, Cuba: With the assistance of academics and representatives of social movements, workers and peasants from 12 countries will meet in Havana from 21 to 23 September, the first international seminar on Realities and Challenges of the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.

Bogota, Colombia: More than 120 artists gathered in the central Plaza de Bolivar to invite Colombians to “weave peace” through a concert that combines music, dance and multimedia projections. Speakers included 17 actors on stage, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Colombia Opera Chorus and members of the Victus laboratory – made up of victims of armed conflict, a metaphor for the absurdity of war.

San Jose, Costa Rica: About 300 young people gathered in Independence Park and the Cartago Municipal Amphitheatre to celebrate the International Day of Peace with interactive and educational activities that culminated with the presentation of the results of the edition 2016 of the contest “Let’s sing for peace “.

Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico: During the ceremony commemorating the International Day of Peace, mayor Maria Luisa Gonzalez Achem invited the children and young people present to make peace a way of life, founded on the values ​​of respect and cordiality. The Mayor was accompanied by students of the primary school Felicitas Cordero Villela whom she invited to spread a message of peace among their peers and family, and to avoid actions such as bullying.

Caracas, Venezuela: State agencies conducted a conservatory in Nueva Esparta, aimed at young people of this island in order to promote peace and prevent violence in communities. The activity, part of the International Day of Peace, was held in the House of Culture Manuel Placido Maneiro Pampatar, located in the municipality Maneiro, where 50 young people participated.

Ushuaia, Argentina: The International Day of Peace was celebrated in Ushuaia Municipality with the undersecretary for Political Affairs and Community Relations, Mirta Oriz, who said that “peace is a journey, not a destination. It is directly related with our daily actions, which have to do with how we relate with the boss, with neighbors, with our dependents, with the family; and with what we do every day. ”

Santiago, Chile: The representatives of different religions and spiritual traditions, with active communities in Chile, gathered to pray on Wednesday 21 September, generating a space of fraternity and deep spirituality in the Hall of San Ignacio de Santiago. The slogan was “Peace is Love made Coexistence”. Representatives and religious leaders of Judaism, Buddhism, Mapuche, Islam, Sikhism, pentecostal, Baha’i Faith, Orthodox, mainline Protestant churches and Brahma Kumaris attended. The Catholic Church was represented by Mons. Jorge Concha y Rev. P. Jose Manuel Arenas.

Vicente Lopez, Argentina: Under the slogan “Build Peace Together in our community, country and planet “, the Civil Association Mil Milenios and the Bethlehem Community organized an event for the International Day of Peace. They called on all individuals and educational, civic and governmental institutions to share activities, workshops and reflections as a way of building a culture of peace.

Valenia, Carabobo, Venezuela: The Crime Prevention Division of Carabobo State developed cultural and recreational activities to commemorate the International Day of Peace.
Their event, which was took place in the municipality of San Joaquin, started with a walk from the Indiana neighborhood to the Plaza Bolivar of that city, where attendees enjoyed theatrical plays and other activities to promote peace.

Apatzingan, Michoacan, Mexico: In the commemorative framework of the International Day of Peace, the State Government and the City Hall of Apatzingan celebrated the day with various civic, recreational and cultural activities that were attended by municipal and state authorities as well as basic level, upper middle and upper level institutions of the municipality.

Moquegua, Peru: Students from the college Juan Scarsi Valdivia marched through the main streets of their district of Samegua. The family prosecutor Mirtha Diana Morales Portilla explained that such a mobilization seek to encourage a culture of peace in the students as well as the general population. Another similar march takes place in the town center of Chen Chen. Meanwhile in the province of Ilo, William Prescott college students went to the Provincial Municipality to deliver a letter of peace to the mayor, William Valdivia Davila.

Mexico City, Mexico: The collective, “CPAZ” composed of 15 civil associations, will perform two activities for the commemoration of the International Day of Peace. The will meet at Chapultepec Avenue where 15 associations will carry out different activities, with the objective to serve the needs of everyone.

​​Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic: Several institutions celebrated World Peace Day with various events. A joint effort of the Office of the First Lady, the Archbishop of Santiago, City Hall and Local Education, concentrated hundreds of school and public officials, in an event entitled “In peace we live better”. For his part, Mayor Abel Martinez, called on the people of Santiago to work for a culture of peace.

Buenos Aires, Argentina: Provincial senator Sebastian Galmarini participated in the celebration of the International Day Peace which was organized by the civil association Mil Milenios de Paz and the Belem Community in the Quinta Trabucco of Vicente Lopez; The theme of the meeting which brought together educational, civic and government institutions was “Building Peace Together in our community, country and planet.” The president of Mil Milenios de Paz, Inés Palomeque, invited the legislator to sign the Peace Accord.

Sullana, Peru: More than 100 schools that take part in the programFiscales Escolares marched through the main streets of the city, sensitizing the population throuch a parade called “For the International day of Peace and National day to Combat Trafficking in Persons.”

Cozumel, Mexico : In order to celebrate the “International Day of Peace” the municipal government held a very emotional ceremony that honored the members of the Student council of the editions 2014, 2015, 2016. The youth representative Niza Teresita Vivas Chacón, who had been Municipal President for a Day in 2014, expressed their desire for world peace.

(Article continued in the right column)

(Click here for the original version of this article in Spanish)

What has happened this year (2016) for the International Day of Peace?

(Article continued from the left column)
Manizales, Colombia: The chief negotiator with the FARC, Humberto de la Calle Lombana, was one of the participants in Manizales in the “March for Peace”. The Secretary General of the mayor of Manizales, Jhon Robert Osorio, said that “this activity aims to bring together people who support peace in our country. Peace is a constitutional right of and today as citizens we are making that right tangible.”

Santiago del Estero, Argentina: Organized by the Circle Dance Group of Santiago del Estero, there will be a meeting to celebrate the International Day of peace. The circle dances have been part of this tribute for several years and since 2015 they have been part of the activities of the Peace Council of Argentina.

Tunja, Boyaca, Colombia: To commemorate the international day of peace, the biggest event will take place in San Pablo de Borbur where at least 300 young leaders from 14 to 28 years old will meet to share experiences during the First Meeting of Youth for Peace of Western Boyaca. They are young leaders from the municipalities of Chiquinquirá, Buenavista, Coper, La Victoria, San Miguel de Sema, Pauna, Quípama, Muzo, Briceño, Caldas, Maripí, Otanche, Tununguá, San Pablo de Borbur y Saboya. On Friday and Saturday, they participate in different academic, cultural and educational activities.

Viedma, Argentina: Paper cranes and 24 degree heat was the perfect way to enjoy the first day of spring with various artistic and cultural events in parallel for World Peace Day. Over a thousand paper cranes were displayed.

Cartagena, Colombia: For an activity, held in the framework of the celebration of the International Day of Peace, students read, listened to and wrote experiences related to peacebuilding. “Adults talk of ‘Yes or No’ because they are the ones who can vote in the plebiscite, but the children were not asked about this although it is they who will inherit a country at war or at peace,” said the rector Olga Acosta, who added that “what we say on this day is that children can also decide about peace.”

Maiquetía, Vargas, Venezuela: The people of Vargas raised their voices for peace and respect for human rights during a demonstration in Maiquetia, a populous parish of Vargas state, which marked the beginning of activities of the International Week of Peace, in response to the guidelines of the President of the Republic, Nicolas Maduro, to reject the intentions of those who, from the right, want to promote the culture of violence to destabilize the country.

Zacatepec, Mexico: The regional competition “Painting a World for the Right to peace “organized by the CDHEM was attended by about 200 middle school students in the southern region. It aimed to promote peace among young people, against the scenario of violence taking place in the country.

Catamarca, Argentina: On the International Day of Peace and with the presence of the governor Lucia Corpacci, the International Forum for Peace and Human Values, was launched. It is unprecedented because it is the first such forum in Argentina composed of government representatives and civil society. The forum’s objectives is to promote education, culture and research in different fields of knowledge and human activity; promote human values ​​and solidarity especially, in all manifestations of social life

Puebla, Mexico: As part of the commemoration of the Day International peace, along with a free concert at the Auditorium of the Reformation, the 2016 Conference for peace officially opened in Puebla, a series of events and activities that aim to promote the culture of peace . From September 21 to October 5 with a closing concert in the BUAP, the Days of Peace will be held in various parts of the city, with 20 free activities among which are concerts, conservatories and workshops.

Tijuana, Mexico: This year’s March for Peace will take place in this border city. According to the organizers, led by the collective Tijuana Propone, “the march was born from the initiative to promote unity and to add a symbol of peace for the city.” To participate, the organizers are urging people to wear white clothing as a symbol of peace and unity. This edition will be the fourth annual walk for peace, celebrating the International Day of Peace; previous editions have drawn more than five thousand participants.

Florianopolis, Brazil: Florianopolis wants to become the first capital of World Peace. The was revealed by Dulce Magalhães, President of the 10th World Peace Forum. And the title may be merited thanks to the 200 people who participated in a flash mob (immediate mobilization) in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral yesterday, the International Day of Peace. Moving to the sound of a Hindu mantra and the rhythm of samba, teachers and students of dance, physical education teachers, students of public and private networks and young peace activists from Spain, Italy and Egypt presented a show to call attention to the opening of the Forum.

São José dos Campos, Brazil: The event “I offer peace to you”, an exchange of ideas, ideals and inspiring actions that lead to inner peace, will take place in Spider Vicentina Park on September 25, in celebration of the International Day of peace. There will be space for children’s stories, children’s yoga and music. A therapists corner will provide free application of Reiki, massage and Pranic healing. Everyone can participate in the conferences and experiences, yoga, Chinese body practices, and collective picnic.

Teresina, Piauí, Brazil: In celebration of the International Day of peace, the Public Ministry of the State of Piauí promoted a conference on the culture of peace in the auditorium of the State College Zacharias de Goes – Liceu Piauiense. The initiative promotes the struggle against school problems such as discipline and bullying, among other issues.

San Martin [Caribbean]: As part of the International Day of Peace the UNESCO Elementary School Aline Hanson Sandy Ground “The Friendly School” is organizing its peace march on Wednesday. For 3 years now, the UNESCO school in Sandy Ground, celebrated the International Peace Day in the streets of the neighborhood, with a march which involved the educational community as a whole.

St Croix, Virgin Islands: Peace advocates filled the Evans Center at the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix campus, on Friday to celebrate World Peace Day with poetry, song and motivational speeches.

Haiti: The United Nations in Haiti commemorated the International Day of Peace with the launch of the CD “Vwa Ayiti Pou Lapé” (Voices of Haiti for Peace), result of 18 months of collaborative work between James Germain, Emeline Michel and Beethova Obas, renowned Haitian artists who have held workshops for over 200 young singers and musicians of sensitive areas from 10 cities. A total of ten songs reflecting the musical mosaic of Haiti and combining many influences of musical styles that this Caribbean countries make up this album; each of them recalls that the future of Haiti requires stability and a rejection of any form of violence.

Barbados: Hundreds of Barbadians took part in yesterday’s Walk For Peace in The City. Among the local charities, groups and organisations represented were: Lions Club Barbados, members of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), Junior Chamber International (JCI) Barbados and the Barbados Defence Force.
BWU General Secretary, Toni Moore; Member of Parliament for St. Joseph, Dale Marshall; the Barbados Labour Party’s candidate for St. Philip West, John King; Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Hope Transplant International, Reverend Michael Steele, also took part in the Walk.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article by the Abya Yala Agricultural Collective in CONPI.org (translated by CPNN)

“We believe that the defense of life and territory cannot be an isolated task of our indigenous communities, and thus we propose bonds of unity, solidarity, fraternity and commitment with whom we share the land as small farmers: the communities of African descent and others, not only those in the agricultural and rural sectors but also those in cities who also want to change the history of this country,” – National Dialogue Declaration of Indigenous Women for Peace

As noted by the historian Diana Uribe, we have come to a turning point in Colombia with the negotiated solution to the armed conflict between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army and the National Government. We are also encouraged by the announcement last March of negotiations with the ELN National Liberation Army to advance the construction of a diverse nation that is no longer marked by the history of war.

This article aims to make visible the voice of the indigenous, peasant and Afro-descendant ommunities. Its victims have been deeply affected by the unresolved armed conflict in the country, but nevertheless they are moving forward with proposals from their territories in the post-accord context, as stated in the following excerpt from the report of the Historical Commission of the conflict:

“The main players of today [in relation to the assertion of rights] are now urban dwellers, displaced by war, peasants and indigenous sectors, women, inmates of prisons, and ethnic and sexual minorities. Their demands include the desire for peace,

– the rejection of anti-democratic amendments to the Constitution and legislation,

– the denunciation of the tax reforms,

– the unveiling of the negative effects of NAFTA,

– land claims,

– opposition to programs that would eradicate illicit crops with aerial spraying with effects on environmental and living conditions,

– reform of the public hospital sector,

– changes in the educational system,

– the placement of demobilized and displaced persons,

– an end to actions that violate human rights by the armed forces “(page 67)

As a sign of support for the process of negotiation of Havana, the communities have presented their positions on complex issues such as the arrival of former combatants into their territories.

In Caldono last July the traditional authorities of the indigenous reserves of Pueblo Nuevo, San Lorenzo de Caldono, Pioyá from the Municipality of Caldono and Tumburao from the Municipality of Silvia published a letter offering their territories to install a ZVTN. (District Zone for Transition to Normalization):

“When we heard the news that Caldono is a ZVTN, it was no surprise because we have prepared for it, not so much for the large investments that we may receive as part of the implementation of the agreements, but rather to welcome our colleagues who with or without conviction joined the insurgency that brought so much disharmony and imbalance to different territories of the country. They will be welcomed, forgiven and asked to compensate for the damages with ideas that positively transform the social order. This will clarity the values of our community set out in our Law of Origins by returning to our community its members, both men and women, returning them to their spiritual home and harmonizing the relation between the community and Mother Earth.”

(Article continued in the right column)

(Click here for the original version of this article in Spanish or here for a translation into French.

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

(Article continued from the left column)

For their part, the rural communities of the Peasant Reserve Areas that are expected to be protagonists in the postconflict agreements have offered themselves as managers of the implementation process of the agreements through a critical look at laws like the ZIDRES [Zones of Rural, Economic, and Social Interest] which they consider to be in conflict with the process.

According to the Political Declaration of the General Assembly of the National Association of Peasant Reserve Zones (ANZORC): “As the 66 processes of the Peasant Reserve Zones ANZORC, at a general meeting in the village of San Isidro de Pradera (Valle), we see a great opportunity in the eventual signing of a final agreement with the FARC and the implementation of peace agreements. (…) ANZORC, in its first General Assembly of 2016, decided

– to initiate a process of territorial anchoring of the peace accords,

– to advance the special circumscriptions of the peace accords (i.e. the 16 zones of transition),

– to promote intercultural territories,

– to fight against the expropriation of 6,000 peasant families living in the alleged “vacant FARC” regions of El Pato Balsillas, El Yari, the Losada-Guayabero and La Macarena,

– to oppose the law of ZIDRES,

– to establish rural guards in their territories,

– to establish a dialogue with the Ministry of the Environment and Autonomous Regional Corporations concerning the law on the 2nd forest reserve zone and regional protected areas,

– to formulate a proposal for social control over the extent of coca crops,

– to extend the process of popular assemblies throughout the country,

– and to strengthen our involvement in the National Constituent Assembly.”

In Natagaima from 12 to 14 August this year under the theme “Indigenous Women weaving their thoughts to defend the territory and build peace with social justice” more than 170 indigenous women from different villages, after a festive march in the municipality publicly declared their “Yes” to the plebiscite with the understanding that peace becomes possible with the end of the armed conflict, but it will not be easy:

“We believe that indigenous peoples must not be indifferent to the historical moment facing the country with the end of the armed conflict. The process in which we have been involved includes an ethnic approach to each component of the agreements. We must prepare to ratify our YES in the referendum as the main tool to build territories for peace with social justice. This means balance and harmony in our relationship with Mother Nature and the guarantee of conditions for a dignified life in our territories and our communities. ”

It has been declared by the parties at the negotiation table in Havana that the implementation of the agreements requires a new approach in order to overcome the historical and structural conditions of the armed conflict in Colombia. In this approach it is necessary to include the proposals of communities from the territories. This approach must see beyond the rigid legal principles of the Anglo-Saxon tradition in the constitution and the law, and take into consideration the diverse cosmologies of the peoples. It must fight against practices such as racism and extinction of indigenous communities.

The Interethnic Dialogue Peace Proposal brought to the table in Havana last April 6 by indigenous organizations and Afro-Colombianos reads as follows: “The black communities of African descent, the palenqueras, raizales and indigenous peoples conceive the territory as a collective good, in the function of the needs of its inhabitants. The land is a source of material, cultural and ecological life. It is not a commercial product based on private profit. The land has to be seen as a geographical and free space where communities can fully develop, as the physical place and symbolic source of sovereign welfare and independence, under the principles of autonomy, solidarity, growth, indigenous development, balance and sustainability ” (…)

“Indigenous peoples, Blacks, Afro-Colombians, palenqueros and raizales have been historic victims of exclusionary structures of racist and discriminatory State practices that have prevented us from enjoying all the rights and guarantees that citizens should have in a nation . In that regard, the social and armed conflict that the country has experienced for 60 years has particularly affected these communities in all aspects.”

Finally, we say that the challenge of building a culture of peace in Colombia will take several generations but at each step forward, there is more hope in our territories that we can finally emerge from the long night of 500 years, the colonial and republican legacy of war.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from the United Nations News Service

Following a recent agreement to end more than 50 years of conflict between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP), a seven-day training session on monitoring and verifying their bilateral ceasefire has begun in the country’s western city of Popayan, with United Nations support. Instructors from the Government, FARC-EP and the UN Mission in Colombia are training 80 men and women who will form part of the tripartite verification and monitoring mechanism at national and regional levels, according to a news release from the UN Mission

Members of the FARC-EP take part in the traning with the Government of Colombia and the UN Mission. Photo: UN Mission in Colombia

“This first training session is an important step towards building a stable and lasting peace,” the UN Mission said. “Not only does it mark the beginning of the realization of the agreements reached in Havana but it also marks the full commitment of the parties with a robust and transparent monitoring and verification mechanism to give full guarantees to all Colombians.”

Sessions will cover the verification methodology, logistical aspects, security, gender issues and operational procedures for the transitional local zones and points for normalization, where the separation of forces and the laying down of arms is to take place. The sessions also include theoretical and practical aspects of the Final Agreement, especially related to the bilateral ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, and protocols covering the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism.

In June, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon travelled to Havana, where he witnessed the signing of the agreement on the ceasefire and the laying down of arms. He noted that the “peace process validates the perseverance of all those around the world who work to end violent conflict not through the destruction of the adversary, but through the patient search for compromise.”

The UN Mission in Colombia’s international observers include representatives from eight countries from the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC): Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay and Uruguay.

(Thank you to the Good News Agency for calling this story to our attention)

(Click here for a Spanish version of this article

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

by Sergio Aguayo (translated by CPNN)

Who is winning and who is losing in the narco wars? How can we achieve a convergence of state and society around a common project for the construction of peace?

Between 20 and 22 June, Mexican and foreign academics, social leaders, victims, officials and senators discussed the situation of violence and peace in ten states of the Republic. The event, coordinated by Froylán Enciso for Violence and Peace Seminar of the College of Mexico, was sponsored by the National Commission of Human Rights, the Belisario Dominguez Institute of the Senate of the Republic and the Deputy Human Rights of the PGR (program: violenciaypaz.colmex.mx/).

Click on image to enlarge

A paradox. The State is winning the war, but organized crime is flourishing and the society is paying the bills. Federal forces are breaking up the drug cartels and imprisoning or killing the big capos but the violence does not end; it is reduced here to return there and then return to place of origin. In this situation the thirst for wealth and power of the mini-cartels proliferates.
                                                       
At the meeting the enormity of state spending devoted to preventing violence and regeneration of the social fabric was recognized. There was consensus that the poor results can be attributed to waste, disorganization and lack of continuity. In sum, the State knows how to break up cartels but lacks a strategy to build peace.

Passivity is a myth. Society resists. Even in communities devastated like Tamaulipas [scene of mass murders in recent years] there are victims, civic leaders, academics, religious and social groups documenting the barbarism and bringing hope to the affected population. Citizens and institutions of other countries are interested; the narco wars are internationalized.

(Article continued in right column)

(Click here for a Spanish version of this article

Is there progress towards a culture of peace in Mexico?

(Article continued from left column)

Resistance is weakened by atomization and isolation; centralism continues to weigh heavily, as well as isolation because of geographical distances. Hence, Mexico City has been little affected by criminal violence; it evades the violence plaguing other portions of the territory. Another problem is the differences between academics and activists; this came up in our private conversations, reflecting the lack of a common culture of peace.

The rocky and complicated issue was, is, and will be the relationship between the state and organized society. The evidence confirms that a formula for success requires the collaboration between State and society. In Mexico the obstacles are enormous because the officials who have hierarchy and budgets look askance at academics while activists are too independent and wary of officials.

There was concern about the third day of activities organized by the Institute Belisario Dominguez in the Senate. On this day, ten social leaders (some of them victims) were accompanied by students (most from El Colegio de Mexico) who helped systematize their experiences for presentation to the senators willing to listen to the testimony. Criticisms were restrained and responses were measured. They could not arrive a concrete agreements because it takes much more to demolish the walls that separate society and state. It’s a long road we must travel to generate empathy.
                    
The seminar illuminated the challenges posed by narco wars: 1) we need to improve our understanding of the dynamics of criminal violence and social resistance; 2) we must reduce barriers to communication and collaboration between academics and activists; 3) it is urgent to better incorporate international solidarity and 4) is essential to ensure that the State give priority to public safety in its war strategy. It is a mistake to fragment the drug cartels and forget the victims.

The most promising route is the development of a culture of peace acceptable to victims, activists, academics and officials. In the case of Mexican the initiative needs to come from organized society and in particular universities. At the present time, these are the spaces for a natural and logical convergence between different sectors of the society. To fail in this effort can only open the door to the futher increase of organized crime.

(Thank you to Roberto Mercadillo for sending this to CPNN)

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Excerpt from the website of the Encounter (translated by CPNN)

The First International Encounter for Peace Studies – Cartagena de Indias (Colombia), 7 – 9 September 2016 – is a space for academic discussion of singular importance in the field of social sciences. It aims to strengthen links between theoretical discussions about peace building, as well as the necessary links for conflict transformation in that context. By listening to different voices and perspectives and by commitment to an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary perspective, we can assimilate the approaches of various investigations, and create the conditions for engagement and dialogue with various stakeholders of social conflicts.

During the course of the meeting, there will be cultural activities: exhibitions of photography and short films and documentaries, cultural experiences, etc. These materials may be displayed and/or presented by their authors or guest commentators.

MODALITIES OF PARTICIPATION

Presentations and discussions with special invited guests

Roundtables: Group presentations on each of the thematic lines

Presentation of Experiences around specific themes in order to establish dialogue and cooperation among participants.

Workshops involving practicing teachers and graduate students

THEMATIC SESSIONS

The theoretical content and scope of the thematic lines are presented below and the coordinators of each will be forthcoming soon.

Justice, Truth and Forgiveness

In this session are presented the advances and research results concerning transitional justice processes both local and global, including trends, prospects and strategies undertaken by different actors (victims, perpetrators, state, civil society, media, academia, etc.) and institutions that are responsible for their consolidation. The various theoretical and methodological trends for the construction of public policies aimed at strengthening peace and reconciliation are analyzed., responding to contemporary debates as well as the political implications resulting from the knowledge and judgment of atrocities

(Article continued in right column)

(Click here for a Spanish version of this article

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

(Article continued from left column)

Land, Territory and Post-Conflict

This theme will reflect on the challenges of policy for structural transformation of land ownership and use in Colombia. Studies are presented concerning land restitution, formalization of land ownership, the recovery of public lands, and new visions of rural development from a multidimensional perspective including the perspectives of those who have been involved in the Colombian conflict. It will be interesting to learn about the advances and research results concerning possible legal reforms intended to regulate the legalization and social use of land by the victims of the conflict.

Education, Pedagogy and Communication for Peace

The presentations of this session highlight progress and results of studies about initiatives and experiences around the introduction of the theme of peace into schools and universities, as well as works that address the challenges of communication in the context of the transition to peace. The axis of this area is the dissemination of research processes and knowledge generation that promote teaching and learning in the context of a culture of peace. Also considered are the devlopment of spaces for social tolerance and solidarity, as well as questions of legal reforms that require educational institutions to be involved in the construction of peace.

Urban Violence and Human Security

This session concerns research to identify and describe the different discourses involved in building security policies enunciated by the different actors concerning the question of punishment for past offenses. It will address the contexts and discourse concerning strategies to contain and transform urban violence as well as violence generated in post-conflict and/or post-agreement areas. It will also present papers from cultural, political and economic perspectives that analyze government policies to fight against organized crime.

Struggles and Social Movements

This session presents progress and results of academic work and the sharing of experiences about struggles and empowerment of collectives and social movements. It will elucidate control strategies and recognition of rights based on the constitutional guarantees for freedom of assembly. It is expected to provide a space for discussion in which different social actors (unions, LGTBI Community, Afro Movements, feminist movements, collectives for the rights of peasants and cultural movements in general) can explain the dynamics and challenges they face in the context of neoliberalism, including globalization and loss of local involvement in the economy and privatization of social and political guarantees, as well as the understanding of dynamics articulated in the post-conflict context.

For information about costs and registration, go to encounter website.

(Thanks to Alicia Cabezudo who sent this to CPNN)

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Statement from International Peace Bureau

At the International Peace Bureau Conference DISARMAMENT IN COLOMBIA: BEYOND WAR, TOWARD THE CONSTRUCTION OF CULTURES OF PEACE (Prepcomm for Berlin Congress Disarm! For a Climate of Peace) organized in cooperation with the University El Bosque and other partners, attendees received with joy the news of the signing of the final peace agreement between the Government and the FARC – EP.

Click on image to enlarge

This is undoubtedly the most important historical event in the recent history of Colombia. It is the triumph of dialogue over weapons, after more than 50 years of armed struggle, in which neither the FARC nor the government won a victory by military means. It left behind many victims among not only the warring parties, but also mainly civil society, as well as damage to the environment and the national infrastructure, and with serious impacts on culture and the national imagination. It took four years of negotiation and dialogue to achieve what was not achieved by force of arms.

In this period, parallel to the war and the various forms of violence that hit the country, movements of resistance and of peace building also emerged, which allowed communities, despite pain and death, to survive and create a future. It is ALSO thanks to them and pressure from sectors of civil society that the fighting ends, due to their persistence in insisting that the ways of force and violence will not lead to peace.

This agreement is an important step towards peace. It means the abandoning of weapons, which is undoubtedly very important, but this process has to continue in order to reach an agreement also with ELN – Ejército de Liberación Nacional and other insurgent groups. The next step is the ratification of the agreement by the whole population in a plebiscite that will happen on 2 October. The third and most important step is undoubtedly the implementation of the agreements. The land reforms, the incorporation of former combatants into civil society; the quest for a more just and equitable society; the structural changes that guarantee human rights for all people, including the indigenous and the afro-Colombian communities; the cultural changes that allow people to recognize, respect and value differences; and finally reconciliation, forgiveness and guarantees of non-repetition.

The challenges involve first the state and the government as well as the FARC and major institutions, the church, academia, the trade unions and civil society as a whole. Implementing the agreements is a task that starts from the various localities and regions, recognizing the progress they have made, and the resistance that has created the life and strength that is needed today. Then comes the commitment of all citizens of the country. We urge that those Colombians now somewhat skeptical of the Havana agreement overcome their reservations and fully join in developing our potentials and dreams so that Colombia can become a country based on the ideals of a culture of peace.

We join Facundo Cabral, the Argentinean singer, in saying: This is a new day to start again …with hope, dreams, work and action.

(Thank you to Amada Benavides for sending this to CPNN)

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

See the CPNN bulletin: Peace in Colombia