Newsletters

Date: May 28th 2009

An unexpected blessing awaited those who decided to visit Barranquilla's Plaza de la Paz on the evening of May 15. A youth network from the southern part of Barranquilla had organized a theatrical protest, which was underway when we arrived. The majority were standing in silent rows, wearing white t-shirts that read "Nunca más (Never again)" and "Que ser falso no sea positivo (May being false not be positive)." In the foreground were several youth, some in civilian dress who fell to the ground and others in black representing the armed soldiers who had murdered them. Loved ones emerged, carrying flowers and weeping over the motionless bodies. They drew chalk outlines around the dead, and a heavy silence fell as we all kept watch. Finally a shout of horror broke the silence, and the rows of young people cried out with emotional voices: "NUNCA MAS!"

They were crying out against the newest outrage here in Colombia: "false positives," or murdered civilians passed off as eliminated guerrilla targets. Incentives offered to soldiers for killing guerrillas have evidently stimulated this appalling practice. Flyers distributed by the youth announced that they were acting in support of life, our most precious right, creating a "monument for dignity and memory" as a symbolic action to say "Never again!" to assassinations, disappearances, and impunity.

This same commitment brought together a group of two hundred victims and organizers in the first regional gathering of Victims of Crimes of the State on Colombia's Caribbean coast. They met for three days, learning about legal options and discussing strategies for security and sharing resources.

We were there as an act of diaconia—service and support to the victims, seeking to demonstrate Christ's love and thirst for justice, to let them know that the church cares about their struggle and their pain. The Presbyterian Church of Colombia is a founding member of one of the groups that organized the event: Agenda Caribe, a regional coalition dedicated to promoting human rights, social development, and environmental care.

We were moved by the meeting's tone of dignity and passion, the testimony of the democratic processes and grass roots organization that are gaining strength in many communities. They are focused on moving forward in solidarity, with a local emphasis on educating their communities and building trustworthy networks. They issued a strong call for the government to end impunity and move toward a negotiated resolution to the armed conflict which continues to ravage communities around the country.

It was an act of courage for them to gather at all—women, men, and youth from various communities, including Afro-Colombians and indigenous peoples. It took courage to speak, to share resources, and to call for accountability and stability from the government. Personal security is a real concern for these leaders, and at least one participant encountered new threats when she returned home. This only increases their need to join together in the cause of preventing further violence and protect life and dignity. As one of the organizers said at the conclusion of the gathering, "We are the protagonists of this story," and must maintain this spirit of unity and work together for the renewal of society.

It was an honor and a privilege for us to be present with them and observe this gathering. It moved us to tears to see the simple witness of these courageous individuals joined together with the youth in the Plaze de la Paz that night, some adding their presence to the silent rows, others holding banners on the sidelines. This was an intimate act of commemoration and protest, carried out by people who have been personally touched by the violence of this conflict. The youth demonstrated their commitment and resolve, along with their passion for justice and their hope for a different future for their country. The power of their witness was palpable and real.

At the end of the "ephemeral theatre" they set out white cinderblock tombstones, with pens available to write the names of people who had been killed as "false positives." They lay down flowers and lit candles, and embraced one another and the supporters who had gathered. We felt the Spirit of God with us in that place, where we shared the rich blessing of this profoundly prayerful act of protest.

May God guide us in seeking justice, give us courage along the way to face our fears with love, and help us always to see others as precious children of our Creator.

-Anne Barstow, Christine Caton, and Sarah Henken