The Colombia Human Rights Network is sponsoring its 1999 Fall National Tour mid-September through mid-October. CHRN will host an indigenous leader to speak about the grave threat posed to the Colombian indigenous population by all sides in Colombia's armed conflict - indigenous people are disproportionately targeted, displaced, and killed. The Embera-Katío have lost numerous leaders this past year alone and three U.S. activists working with the U'wa were killed March 8 by guerrillas. Our guest will also address issues of the impact of multinational development on the indigenous, the environment and Colombia. The CHRN tour will travel to several cities with Colombia Human Rights Network committees and will be available for engagements in other cities as well.
The U.S./Colombia Coordinating Office will host a conference "Civilians Under Fire: Building a Peace with Human Rights in Colombia" Friday, October 15, 8:45 am to 1:00 pm in one of the Congressional office buildings. The conference will examine the escalating violence in Colombia and look at the various sectors heavily impacted by the war including indigenous, Afro-Colombians, union workers, peace activists, human rights defenders, religious workers, and others. What role can these sectors, civil society initiatives for peace, and the international community, including the Untied States, play in building a sustainable peace?
For more information on these Fall activities please contact the U.S./Colombia Coordinating Office 202-232-8090 fax: 202-232-8092 email: agiffen@igc.org.
