August 23 International Day of Solidarity

CPT Colombia is calling people to support the Women’s and People’s International Summit of the Americas Against Militarization (Encuentro Internacional de Mujeres y Pueblos de las Américas contra la Militarización) set for 16 to 23 August in Colombia. CPT Colombia has been active in accompanying the Women’s Social Movement Against War and for Peace, which is organizing the event. The event will include delegations to different parts of Colombia to learn about the effects of militarization first hand; two days of presentations and discussion in Barrancabermeja to build a common strategic agenda with an emphasis on the military bases; and a vigil against militarization and the presence of foreign military forces in the territory.

The ongoing military aid from the United States to Colombia, which is the central focus of the Encuentro, has served to invade indigenous, Afro-Colombian and campesino lands for their strategic geopolitical location and the natural resources. Fellowship of Reconciliation recently published the report Military Assistance and Human Rights in Colombia. The report shows the relationship between the foreign military presence and violations of human rights in Colombia.

Below is the Encuentro’s Call to Action - with specific actions to support the vigil outside a military base on the 23 August.

August 8, 2010

CALL TO ACTION ON AUGUST 23, 2010
OF SOLIDARITY OF WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOMBIA AND
THE AMERICAS IN THE STRUGGLE AGAINST MILITARIZATION

Friends,

We are approaching the Women and People’s International Summit of the Americas against Militarization (Encuentro Internacional de Mujeres y Pueblos de las Américas contra la Militarización), that will be held in Colombia, between the 16th and 23rd of August, 2010. The Summit takes place against a backdrop of U.S. imperialism and repositioning on the continent, which is visible in the installation of U.S. military bases in Colombia and US military forces in Panama, the coup in Honduras, threats of coup in Paraguay, and the military occupation in Haiti exploiting the natural disaster, among so many other examples.

In addition, the Summit will take place in a country whose government maintains a 40-year history of military cooperation with the United States under the fallacy of the war against drugs, drug trafficking and terrorism. This has been an excuse for the persecution and stigmatization of social protest and hides the true economic interests behind the conflict in Colombia: the maintenance of control over Colombian natural resources, territory, and people.

Between the 16th and 23rd of August, over 1,000 women and men, members of social, political, and popular movements in Latin America and around the world will be in Colombia to verify the effects of the militarization through humanitarian delegations to various regions of the country; to build a common strategic agenda with an emphasis on the military bases; and on the 23rd of August they will hold a vigil against militarization and the presence of foreign military forces in the territory.

We call on all social, political, and popular movements in Latin America and around the world to be alert and organized for the duration of the meeting, but in particular on the 23rd of August, an international day of solidarity with the women and people of Colombia and the Americas in the struggle against militarization.

Activities may take many forms, including vigils or acts in front of consulates and representations of Colombia or the United States on August 23, distribution of flyers about militarization, pronouncements, video events, lobbying, seminars, cultural events and press conferences during the week of August 16-23. Materials to support the mobilization are available at: http://www.movimientos.org/encuentromujerespueblos/.