[Peace] Fwd: COLOMBIA URGENT ACTION: Protest expulsion of and denial of visas to CPT workers

[Martha Zarate]

>Hello Peace Activists:
>
>>Here is the information from Scott Albrecht (salbrecht at golden.net). He is 
>>a fellow in Canada who is helping the Christian Peacemakers Team in 
>>Chicago. It's regarding sending faxes, with sample
>>letters.  To summarize, please send a fax to the Colombian Minister of
>>Foreign Relations, and copy that fax to both the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, and
>>your U.S. Representative or Senator, with cover letters.
>>Thank you for your interest and work.
>>Sincerely,
>
>Martha Zarate
>
>
>
>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "CPTnet editor, Webster, NY"
>><CPTnet.editor.guest.445947 at MennoLink.org>
>>To: <menno.org.cpt.news at MennoLink.org>
>>Sent: Thursday, November 28, 2002 11:36 AM
>>Subject: COLOMBIA URGENT ACTION: Protest expulsion of and denial of visas to
>>CPT workers
>>
>>
>>CPTnet
>>November 28, 2002
>>COLOMBIA URGENT ACTION: Help prevent expulsion of and denial of visas to CPT
>>workers
>>
>>To put it bluntly, Christian Peacemaker Teams in Colombia is in crisis.
>>Unless the Colombian Government begins to grant visas to team members
>>scheduled to be in Colombia, CPT will no longer be able to provide support
>>and protection for endangered civilians as it has over the last year and a
>>half.
>>
>>In the last six months, the violence has increased dramatically in areas CPT
>>Colombia accompanies. The AUC paramilitaries have begun to occupy these
>>areas and continue to threaten the civilian population. During this time,
>>the Colombia team has also had to deal with death threats, unlawful
>>detentions, and continued problems with visas. The team in Colombia has not
>>received renewals of religious visas, and in the last six months, four
>>members of the team have been issued deportation orders.  These problems are
>>part of  broader initiatives by the Colombian government that impede the
>>actions of Colombian and international human rights observers.
>>
>>While this situation is frustrating for CPT members prevented from carrying
>>out their commitments, it is alarming for the Colombian civilians that CPT
>>accompanies. These people rely on CPT's ability to maintain a presence in
>>their communities. Although human rights abuses and extra-judicial killings
>>continue, members of the communities along the Opon River where CPT
>>maintains a presence are convinced that CPT's presence has significantly
>>reduced the level of violence in their communities. Many  community members
>>have told CPT that if it weren't for the presence of CPT in their
>>communities they would once again leave the area in search of safer havens.
>>
>>To respond to these actions by the Colombian government, the Colombia team
>>asks that its supporters send faxes and letters to both Colombian officials
>>and their own government representatives.  CPT believes the situation will
>>only change in Colombia-- not just for CPT, but also for other international
>>human rights groups working there--when government officials in Colombia and
>>in North America hear from people who care about the life and well being of
>>ordinary Colombians.
>>
>>Please send a fax (sample below) to the Colombian Ministry of Foreign
>>Affairs.  Then send a copy of the above fax with a cover letter (sample
>>below) to your country's embassy in Colombia and a copy with a cover letter
>>(sample below) to your government representative.
>>
>>SAMPLE LETTER TO COLOMBIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN
>>RELATIONS:  fax number: 773-527-2850
>>
>>Dear Dra. Carolina Barco de Botero,
>>
>>I have been reading with great concern about the situation in Colombia in
>>the news. I see that the conflict has escalated, and that threats, and acts
>>of violence against civilians, union leaders, and human rights defenders
>>continue while the U.S. increases its military investments in Colombia.
>>
>>I am very concerned about the plight of human rights workers in
>>Barrancabermeja, Colombia. Many union leaders and human rights workers have
>>been threatened and forced to leave the area. It has also been reported in
>>"El Tiempo" that areas of this city continue to be under control of the
>>paramilitary group Autodefensas.  In this light, I am alarmed by the
>>expulsion, and denial of visas to international human rights
>>observers to work in and around this city.
>>
>>I am a supporter of Christian Peacemaker Teams and I have seen their efforts
>>in Chiapas, Palestine, and Colombia reduce violence levels.  I understand
>>that four of their members have been ordered deported from Colombia, two
>>have been detained overnight under questionable circumstances, and six are
>>currently awaiting visas that will enable them to reduce levels of violence
>>in this very dangerous area of Colombia.  Three of the deportation orders
>>have been revoked.   However the Colombian government has still not renewed
>>their visas to continue their human rights work in Colombia. It is my
>>understanding that no visas have been issued to Christian Peacemaker Teams
>>since March 2002.
>>
>>I hope and pray that the Colombian government will begin to respond
>>favorably to these important visa requests. The Christian Peacemaker Team in
>>Barrancabermeja has been welcomed warmly by many churches there and other
>>NGO's. Since the project began over a year ago I have read that over 100
>>families have returned to their homes as a direct result of CPT's
>>accompaniment. I hope that the Colombian government will decide to support
>>this ministry that serves the people of Colombia in an invaluable way by
>>granting visas to Scott Steven Kerr, Erin Kindy, Jessica Phillips, Matthew
>>Schaaf, Stewart Vriesinga, Lisa Martens and William Payne.
>>
>>Thank you for your attention.
>>
>>
>>In peace,
>>
>>
>>
>>PLEASE CC: YOUR GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE THE LETTER TO THE COLOMBIAN
>>MINISTER OF FOREIGN RELATIONS ALONG WITH THE COVER LETTER WHICH FOLLOWS.
>>Mail to:
>>Your US Senator,
>>Senate Office Building
>>Washington, DC 20510
>>
>>Your US Representative,
>>House Office Building,
>>Washington, DC 20515
>>
>>Your Canadian Member of Parliament
>>House of Commons
>>Ottawa,ON K1A 0A6
>>
>>
>>LETTER TO US REPRESENTATIVE, SENATOR OR CANADIAN MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT:
>>
>>Dear
>>
>>I write to you concerned because members of Christian Peacemaker Teams have
>>not been given visas to continue their human rights accompaniment work.  I
>>ask you to directly contact the Colombian Embassy to inquire about the
>>status of these volunteers.
>>
>>I actively support the work of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT.) CPT is a
>>Christian organization that places trained teams of peacemakers in conflict
>>settings in an effort to reduce violence levels through nonviolent means.
>>CPT maintains teams in Palestine, and Colombia, and is sending delegations
>>to Iraq. As you can see from the enclosed letter to the Colombian Minister
>>of Foreign Relations, CPT is doing valuable work in Colombia.
>>
>>Compliance with international standards of human rights has always been a
>>condition of our country's relationship with Colombia. I am concerned that
>>the Colombian government is making it more difficult for human rights
>>workers to operate there. In order to help prevent human rights abuses and
>>ensure that violators will be held accountable for their actions, national
>>and international human rights observers must have free and ready access to
>>all areas where human rights abuses are likely to occur.
>>
>>I would like to ask for your active participation in this matter by
>>contacting the Colombian embassy directly to ask the Colombian government
>>about the status of the following human rights workers and their visas to
>>Colombia:  Scott Steven Kerr, Downers Grove, IL; Erin Kindy, Tiskilwa, IL;
>>Jessica Phillips, Encinal, TX; Matthew Schaaf, Winnipeg, MB;  Stewart
>>Vriesinga, Lucknow, ON; Lisa Martens, Winnipeg, MB and William Payne,
>>Toronto, ON.
>>
>>
>>I appreciate your attention to this matter. Please advise me of the response
>>you receive.
>>
>>Sincerely,
>>
>>
>>
>>PLEASE SEND A COPY OF THE LETTER TO THE COLOMBIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN
>>RELATIONS ALONG WITH THE FOLLOWING LETTER TO YOUR APPROPRIATE AMBASSADOR.
>>
>>COVER LETTER FOR EMBASSIES IN COLOMBIA
>>U.S. Ambassador Anne Patterson
>>U.S. Embassy
>>Bogotá, Colombia
>>US EMBASSY Fax: 011-571-315-2163
>>
>>Canadian Ambassador Jean-Marc Duval
>>Embassy of Canada
>>Bogotá, Colombia
>>CANADIAN EMBASSY Fax: 011-571-657-9910
>>
>>Dear Ambassador Duval,
>>I am writing you today regarding the valuable contribution the Christian
>>Peacemaker Teams organization has made to peace and human rights in
>>Colombia.  I understand that you have met with members of CPT, that you have
>>followed up on concerns brought to your attention by the team, and that you
>>have communicated your concerns for the safety of members of the CPT
>>Colombia team.
>>
>>As you are aware, with a team of a few people, CPT has provided a service of
>>international presence, unarmed accompaniment of civilians and human rights
>>observation that has allowed hundreds of formerly displaced Colombian
>>citizens to return home. CPT team members are aware that there are risks in
>>doing what they are doing.  They are also aware that the risks to Colombian
>>civilians would be much, greater if CPT did not do what it is doing.
>>
>>Delays in the implementation of changes by the Colombian government
>>regarding new categories and requirements for visa applications has resulted
>>in Canadian and American human rights observers from Christian Peacemaker
>>Teams not being granted visas, much to their dismay.
>>
>>It is my hope that as a representative of my government in Colombia, you
>>hold, and will express to the Colombian government in unmistakable terms, an
>>expectation that the Colombian government will take no discriminatory action
>>that would limit the entry and access of foreign and national human rights
>>workers to Colombia and to places within Colombia where human rights are or
>>may become  jeopardized.
>>
>>Thank you for your attention to my concerns.
>>
>>
>>_______________
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>>
>>Christian Peacemaker Teams is an initiative among
>>Mennonite and Church of the Brethren congregations and
>>Friends Meetings that supports violence reduction
>>efforts around the world. Contact CPT, POB 6508
>>Chicago, IL 60680; Telephone: 773-277-0253
>>Fax: 773-277-0291.
>>
>>To receive news or discussion of CPT issues by e-mail, fill out the form
>>found on our WEB page at
>>http://www.prairienet.org/cpt/
>