People’s Travel Advisory on Colombia

en español…

Note: The People’s Travel Advisory for Colombia does NOT call for a boycott of travel to Colombia, but for responsible travel to Colombia that supports the nation’s aspirations for peace, justice, and liberation from Empire. Click here to learn more…

People’s Travel Advisory for Colombia:

The Colombian government has launched many campaigns to change the image of the country and present it as a safe and fun place for all the family, indeed, a tourist paradise. That is a lie, given that one of the worst human rights crises is in Colombia.

We have two simple and sincere demands:

  • An end to the genocide against the social movements and the rural, indigenous, and Afro-Colombian communities;
  • Fulfillment of the government’s obligations with respect to the Peace Accord.

We know this, that Colombia IS NOT a safe country, but a dangerous country for every person who desires a just peace!

Colombia is dangerous:

  • For the more than 730 human rights defenders and social leaders who have been murdered since the implementation of the Peace Accord in 2016. They are being killed at a rate of one victim every 30 hours. The assassins are military and paramilitary troops that act with impunity.

Colombia is dangerous:

  • For the ex-insurgents who have laid down their weapons in order to participate in the peace who, since the implementation of the accord, have lost more than 130 persons murdered by enemies of the peace.

Colombia is dangerous:

  • For the indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities who constitute more than 40% of the victims of right-wing violence.

Colombia is dangerous:

  • For the Marcha Patriótica popular movement for peace, whose members also are more than 40% of the victims.

Colombia is dangerous:

  • For the more than 6,100 indigenous children in the Department of La Guajira, who have died from hunger and thirst, and the Wayúu communities who do not have food security while foreign mines rob their water and the Colombian and US government ignore them to invest in militarization and use their territory to foment interference and prepare for war against Venezuela.

Colombia is dangerous:

  • For the more 8 million forcibly internally displaced and the more than 5.5 million of Colombian refugees in Venezuela. The majority of these are rural families and social leaders displaced due to the threats and assaults against them by the military and paramilitaries, and from the dispossession of their territories to satisfy the greed of big landowners, narco-traffickers, and foreign corporations.

Colombia is dangerous:

  • For the tourist who dares to deviate from the official path. If a tourist wants to see the beautiful mountains and forests of Cauca, she may find herself in the midst of a military incursion against a rural community. If a tourist wants to learn about the rich traditions of the Wayúu people in La Guajira or César, he can find himself in the line of fire of paramilitaries assaulting an indigenous leader. If someone wants to celebrate the Afro-Colombian culture in Buenaventura, they will find themselves in a place without emergency medical attention, in a place where union leaders are under constant threat.

We are activists who have marched and demonstrated repeatedly for Colombia’s peace. We have written letters, called the authorities, visited their offices, signed declarations. But the Colombian government does not listen to us and does nothing to stop the genocide. The US government adopts policies that undermine the Peace Accord even more and enlist Colombia in internal wars and threats against her Venezuelan neighbors, but does nothing to support the peace.

Our message is: Colombia will not be safe for tourism, neither for the Colombia people, until the right-wing violence against the peace is terminated and Colombia becomes a land at peace.

Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Nobe Prize Winner (Argentina)

Noam Chomsky, Author and international peace advocate (United States)

Former Senator Piedad Córdoba, founder of Colombians for Peace (Colombia)

Daniela Gonzalez, People’s Human Rights Observatory (International coalition with headquarters in Oaxaca Mexico)

Bob Brown, All-African Peoples Revolutionary Party-GC (International)

Nidia Quintero, Treasurer for FENSUAGRO (National Unified Federation of Agricultural Workers Unions – Colombia)

Rodrigo Vargas Becerra, Director de Comité Permanente de Derechos Humanos, capítulo Cali (Colombia)

Héctor Marino Carabali, Consejo Comunitario Cuenca Río Timba Marilopez de Buenos Aires Cauca (Colombia)

Stella Calloni, Journalist and correspondent for Mexico City’s La Jornada newspaper (Argentina)

Carlos Romainville, Director of the Alpha and Omega Movement (Peru)

Anahit Aharonian, Agronomist and ex-political prisoner (Uruguay)

Ana Andrés Ablanedo, Human Rights Defender (Spain)

Victor Mayorga Miranda Former Ambassador to Cuba and Congress Person (Perú)

Dr. Fernando Cebamanos, President Frente Amplio por la Democracia de Panamá  (Broad Popular Front of Panama)

Dan Kovalik, Human Rights Defender and Author (United States)

Alice Loaiza, Marcha Patriótica, California Chapter (United States-Colombia)

Banbose Shango, National Network on Cuba (United States)

James Jordan, Alliance for Global Justice (United States)

Raquel Mogollón, Camino Común (Colombia-United States)

Permanent Committee for Human Rights (CPDH – Colombia)

People’s Human Rights Observatory (International coalition with headquarters in Oaxaca Mexico)

Alliance for Global Justice (United States)’

ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism – United States)

Fundación Lazos de Dignidad (Links of Dignity Foundation – Colombia)

Coalition Against Foreign U.S. Military Bases (United States)  

Task Force on the Americas (United States)

Portland Central America Solidarity Committee (United States)

Camino Común (Colombia – United States)

Communist Workers League (United States) 

Sacramento Action for Latin America (United States) 

People’s Alliance (Oakland, United States)

United National Anti-War Coalition (United States)

Alameda County Peace and Freedom Party (United States) 

USLAW (United States Labor Against the War)

Trade Justice Alliance (USA)

California Peace and Freedom Party (USA)

Socialist Unity Party (USA)

Nukewatch (USA)

William Lankford, Charlottesville, VA, USA

William Nusbaum, Minneapolis,MN, USA

William Snavely, Lawrence, KS, USA

William Finzel, Columbus, OH, USA

Vince Snowberger, Louisville, CO, USA

Victor Silva, Amora, Portugal

Ty Shlackman, Miami, FL, USA

Travis Frampton, Guelph, Canada

Tom Alden,Ukiah,CA, USA

Tina Ann, Bolinas, CA,USA

Tim Duda, San Antonio, TX, USA

T Bell, Austin, TX, USA

Susan Stout, Vancouver, Canada

Steven Berge, Antelope, CA, USA

Steve Wise, Atlanta, GA, USA

Steve Ditore, Seattle, WA, USA

Siamak Fooladi, Eugene, OR, USA

Sharon Garratt, Rogers, AR, USA

Russell Nadel, Springfield, VA, USA

RogerLeisner, Augusta, ME, USA

Roger Stoll, San Rafael, CA, USA

Robert Janusko, Bethlehem, PA, USA

Robert Carson, Asheville, NC, USA

Robert Helm, Portland, OR, USA

Rita Petruccelli, Villas, NJ, USA

Richard Lewis, Berkeley, CA, USA

Richard Kane, Gateshead, NC, USA

Richard Fullerton, Winston-Salem, NC, USA

Ray Hearned, Leicester, NC, USA

Ray Wager, Middlesex, NJ, USA

Rael Nidess, M.D., Marshall, TX, USA

Peter Gale, New York, NY, USA

Peter Gunther, Chicago, IL, USA

Paul Schaafsma, Santa Cruz, CA, USA

Patrick Auld, Franklin, WI, USA

Pat Eisenberg, Rochester, NY, USA

Pablo Grigera, Charlottesville, VA, USA

Nicolas Davies JS North Miami, FL, USA

Nancy Nelson, Mendocino, CA, USA

Nancy Eberg, North Haven, CT, USA

Nan McCurdy, Puebla, Mexico

MJ Baumann, Berkeley, CA, USA

Mike Pincus, San Francisco, CA, USA

Midge O’Brien, Savoy, IL, USA

Michael Motta, Holland, MI, USA

Michael Betz, Bellingham, WA, USA

Mary Anna Foskett, Arlington, MA, USA

Mary Smith, Rochester, NY, USA

Marv Cohen, Walnut Creek, CA, USA

Mark Ginsburg, Washington, DC, USA

Marilyn Stachenfeld, Aliso Viejo

Lois Aceto, Racine, WI, USA

Leona Semizian, Glen Oaks, NY, USA

Lee Robinson, USA

Laurie and David King, Portland, OR, USA

Laura LIben, NY, NY, USA

L Bagley, Albuquerque, NM, USA

Kwame Bowmani, Panorama, CA, USA

Kevin Lindemann, Winfield, IL, USA

Kenneth Hayes, Austin, TX, USA

Kenneth Lederman, Arlington, VA, USA

Kenneth Ruby, Salem, NH, USA

Kathryn Christian, Grand Junction, CO, USA

Katherine Hoyt, Chula Vista, CA, USA

Julian Kunnie, Tucson, AZ, USA

Julia Skelton, Van Buren, MI, USA

Judith Wraight, Detroit, MI, USA

Judith Green, El Cerrito, CA,USA

Judith Bohler, Ephrata, PA, USA

Joshua Angelus, Waterbury, CT, USA

Jorge Sorger, Ottawa, ON, Canada

Jonathan Boyne, Honolulu, HI, USA

John Morgan, Beallsville, OH,USA

John Nettleton, Portland, OR, USA

John  Goshorn, Statesboro,GA,USA

John Estes, Birmingham, AL, USA

Joe Smith, El Cajon, CA, USA

Joan Beights, Beaverton, OR, USA

Jim Yarbrough, Ashland, OR, USA

Jim Fenn, Gathersburg

Jim Quinn, New Fairfield, CT, USA

Jerry Markatos, Pittsboro, NC, USA

Jerise Fogel, New York, NY, USA

Jeffrey White, Forest Grove, OR, USA

Jane Yater, Austin, TX, USA

James Miles, West Palm Beach, FL, USA

Jack Strausburg, Tucson, AZ, USA

Iris Edinger, USA
HIpolito Arriaga, Lauderhill, FL,USA

Herman Simms, Detroit, MI, USA

Harriet Belkin, Los Angeles,CA, USA

Haley Norriss, Austin, TX, USA

Gisela Lopez, Chicago, IL, USA

Gerson and Debbie Lesser, MD, Bronx, NY, USA

Gerard Couchould, Palaiseau, DC 

Gary Thaler, Revere MA, USA

Gar Smith, Berkeley, CA, USA

Francis Ccollins, San Francisco, CA, USA

Fran Aguirre, Denver, CO, USA

Florence Boos, Iowa City, USA

Fernando de Sousa Falca, Portugal

Esther Moroze, NY, NY, USA

Emile Schepers, Woodbridge, VA, USA

Elsie Monge, Quito Ecuador

Elizabeth Molchany, Front Yoral, VA,USA

Elizabeth Watts, Boynton, FL, USA

Elizabeth Myers, Scottsville, NY, USA

Ello Mugnaini, Florence, Italy

E Matthews, Acton, MA, USA

Dr. Peter and Gail Mott, Rochester, NY, USA

Douglas Cooke, Brooklyn, NY, USA

Doran Hunter, Buckeye, AZ, USA

Donald Taylor, Fair Oaks, CA, USA

Donald Walsh, Alexandria, VA, USA

Dennis Lintz, Laconia, NH, USA

David and Judith Laws, Bellingham, WA, USA

David Rohrich, Jamaica Plain, MA, USA

David Pickett, Toronto, ON, Canada

David Nichols, Portland, OR, USA

David Archuleta, Jurupa Valley, CA, USA

David Bohn, Wahiawa, HI, USA

Craig Clark, Cliffside Park, NJ, USA

Christopher Buttimer, Corchester, MA, USA

Cheri Honkala, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Carmen Casis, Denver, CO, USA

Carla Compton, Placerville, CA, USA

Brady Torres, Sacramento, CA, USA

Bonnie Block, Madison, WI, USA

Billy Angus, Hamilton, MT, USA

Betty McElhill, Tucson, AZ, USA

Bernardo Alayza Mujica, Sioux City, IA, USA

Ben Rall, Spokane, WA, USA

Barbara Larcom, Baltimore, MD, USA

Arnold Maitlin, Linwood, NY, USA

Antonio Torres, Sacramento, CA, USA

Antona Shouse, Ithaca, NY, USA

Andrew Costigan, Norwood, MA, USA

Anamaria Meneses, Bergenfield, NJ, USA

Amy Harlib, New York, NY, USA

Allan Widmeyer, Ashland, OR, USA

Alexander Cox, Ashland, OR, USA

Adrianne Aron, Berkeley, CA, USA

Adela Brent, Queensland, Australia

Adam Weiss, Astoria, NY, USA

Sonia Liskoski

Carol Hanisch

Jan Fraser

 

 

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