Remember Orlando Valencia ~
= 31 October 2005WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct 31
(OneWorld) -
The murder of a well-known peace activist in Colombia has highlighted endemic violence in the Latin American country, and the vulnerability of people trying to resist it, despite high-profile steps toward ending civil war. Local authorities reported discovering on Tuesday the body of Orlando Valencia, a leader of the Afro-Colombian peace community of Curvarado.
Valencia, who had been ''disappeared'' by gunmen apparently belonging to a right-wing paramilitary on October 15, appeared to have died from gunshot wounds.Baltimore-based religious charity Lutheran World Relief (LWR) said Valencia's wife confirmed on Wednesday that the body was that of her husband and the father of their seven children.
LWR had invited Valencia to speak at a peace conference last weekend in Chicago but said the U.S. embassy denied him a visa.The group said it was ''saddened'' to learn of Valencia's murder but added that his case was not unique.
'Unfortunately, what happened to Orlando happens to many others in Colombia, and all too often these tragedies go unnoticed,'' said LWR president Kathryn Wolford.''Orlando was an outstanding young leader, bringing hope to his community, working for the dignity and protection of his people, and his life was needlessly taken.''
Another Afro-Colombian leader, Bernardo Pequi Diaz, reportedly was detained by a paramilitary earlier this month and his whereabouts remain unknown.
In parts of the country, military and paramilitary forces alike have targeted Afro-Colombians with harassment, property seizures, and death threats. Many Afro-Colombian communities have been trying to assert traditional rights to land now held by major palm-oil producers.The government, right-wing paramilitaries, and left-wing guerrillas are committed to a peace process under which combatant groups are supposed to demobilize. Such steps are meant to cap more than four decades of civil war believed to have killed tens of thousands of people. More than one million have been forced from their homes and ancestral lands.
In reality, however, the government has stepped up military action against the guerrillas even as the paramilitaries have abandoned demobilization and, in some cases, appear to have stockpiled new weapons.
Among the displaced, Afro-Colombians were pushed off ancestral lands and into cities. In the past five years, they have returned and established settlements known as peace communities back on collectively owned land.They have not been able to shield themselves from armed conflict, however.
Washington, D.C.-based Refugees International, in a recent assessment, noted that ''different armed groups, including the national army, are attempting to break their [peace communities', i.e.] nonviolent resistance in order to enhance their military strategy and the communities are losing confidence in the capacity of the Colombian government to provide them with the necessary protection."
The settlements are called peace communities because members agree to maintain a rigid stand of not interacting with any armed actor, whether members of the FARC (the main guerrilla force), the national army, or the right-wing paramilitary.
''Their strategy is non-violent resistance to involvement in the conflict,'' according to Refugees International. ''This means refusing any formal relation with individuals carrying weapons, and aiming at self protection through building houses close to one another, fencing the settlement, and cultivating collective fields within its perimeter.''
The strategy carries a high price in isolation, limited economic opportunity, and barely acceptable living conditions, with no running water or electricity and no health or school facilities at hand.
''Further, the choice of non-violent resistance is a challenge to all armed actors, and the settlements are under constant pressure from them to provide intelligence or material support. When these entreaties are resisted, the response may be violent,'' Refugees International said.
The advocacy group urged the Colombian government to strengthen independent judicial bodies and community early warning systems. It called on the U.N. refugee agency to expand its presence in the area and is asking foreign donors to maintain financial support for national and international non-governmental groups that are supporting the peace settlements.
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KIDNAPPED COLOMBIAN PEACE LEADER FOUND MURDERED
Baltimore, October 27, 2005 — Lutheran World Relief is saddened to announce that peace activist Orlando Valencia was found murdered early Tuesday. Wednesday morning his wife confirmed that the body was that of her husband and the father of their seven children.
Valencia was a dedicated community and peace leader in the Afro-Colombian region of Curvaradó in the state of Chocó. He had been invited, through LWR partner Red Ecumenica (Ecumenical Network), to speak at the Partnering for Peace conference last weekend in Chicago, which LWR helped organize, but was denied his visa by the US Embassy. On October 15, he was “disappeared” by paramilitary forces, forcibly taken from the group with which he had been traveling.
LWR and its network of advocates joined many national and international organizations in bringing Valencia’s disappearance to the attention of Colombian, U.S. and other officials. A mission with representatives from numerous governments and organizations went to investigate his disappearance last week.
“Unfortunately, what happened to Orlando happens to many others in Colombia, and all too often these tragedies go unnoticed,” said LWR president Kathryn Wolford. “Orlando was an outstanding young leader, bringing hope to his community, working for the dignity and protection of his people, and his life was needlessly taken. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and reiterate our commitment to continuing our work for peace in Colombia, in hopes that our own actions here in the U.S. can help to prevent such atrocities in the future.”
A recent photo of Valencia has been posted on the LWR website at http://www.lwr.org/colombia/valencia.
LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF TSUNAMI DELEGATION RETURNS HOME; MUCH WORK REMAINS
http://www.oneworld.net/external/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lwr.org%2Fnews%2F05%2F102705.asp%23kidnapped
Baltimore, October 27, 2005 — A delegation to tsunami-affected areas in India and Indonesia, led by Lutheran World Relief president Kathryn Wolford, returned home with a deep, first-hand understanding of the long-term efforts needed to help communities recover from last year’s disaster. Lutheran World Relief, which raised an unprecedented $18.4 million for tsunami recovery efforts, has pledged to work in the affected areas for up to ten years.
“Our partners are doing incredible work,” Wolford said. “The tsunami highlighted the need for increased investment and some important opportunities for change. We hope that the momentum will continue beyond the immediate recovery and reconstruction, and will look toward strengthening communities across the affected region – improving their standard of living, rekindling hope and helping them be better prepared for the next disaster.”
The delegation, which included Kirk Betts, vice chair of the LWR Board; Tim Schwan, vice president, church and community engagement, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans; Karin Hope, legislative director, Office of Rep. Jim Ramstad, MN (India only); and Lisa B. Bonds, LWR vice president for external relations, visited affected communities in the area of Pondicherry, along the coast of South India, and the Indonesian communities of Banda Aceh at the northern tip of the island of Sumatra, and Meulaboh. In India, the delegation was accompanied by Prahbat Failbus, LWR regional representative for Asia, and Troty Kiran, tsunami program manager. In Indonesia, the group was accompanied by Barbara Wetsig, LWR associate director for Asia, Elhadi Abdalla, LWR country representative for Indonesia, and office assistant Achmad Affandi Nst.
The delegation visited projects focusing on the restoration of livelihoods, such as farming and small businesses; water and sanitation; health care; housing reconstruction; and programs to address the trauma caused by the tsunami. They spoke with staff of LWR partner organizations who are implementing the programs, as well as with the villagers whose lives are being changed by them.
“It was wonderful to see first-hand the long-term commitment and effective partnerships Lutheran World Relief has made to bring hope to people who have lost so much,” said Karin Hope of Congressman Ramstad’s office.
Kirk Betts of the LWR board seconded her sentiments. “One is at loss for words to describe the extent of the devastation caused by the tsunami,” he said. “At the same time, one listens in admiration as survivors talk about their loss of families, homes, land, and livelihoods, and then express their gratitude for the opportunity that LWR is giving them to rebuild their lives and the lives of others. It will take a long time to rebuild their communities and to restore the rhythm of the lives. The wisdom of LWR’s early commitment to accompany them for the long haul is so very apparent after one has walked with these people.”
Much of LWR’s work in the tsunami-affected areas would not have been possible without the generosity of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and individual Thrivent members. Nearly half of the $18.4 million raised – 45% – came from an initial $1 million grant from Thrivent, a $2.5 million matching grant for gifts from individual members, and $4.8 million from members themselves.
“The work that faces LWR and its partners in areas affected by the tsunami is overwhelming and complicated,” said Thrivent’s Tim Schwan. “Although I knew it before this trip, it is even more clear to me now that LWR succeeds at what it does thanks, in part, to the passionate and skilled people who work for LWR and its partners. My visit to LWR projects in India and Indonesia has made me an even greater advocate for LWR. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and the many Thrivent members who offered financial support to LWR following the tsunami can rest assured that their investment is being put to great use.”
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WHO IS LWR? Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, Lutheran World Relief (LWR) has been responding to emergencies and disasters since its founding in 1945.
Working through partners and global relief and development networks, LWR works in 50 countries to provide not only relief but to combat the causes of poverty and restore the dignity it robs from people's lives. We advocate for fair trade that helps farming families earn a better income. We teach people to better care for themselves, their communities and the environment. We teach people how to be less vulnerable to natural disasters. We advocate with them for policy change that more fairly represents them. We counsel them after human and natural disasters, and help them recover with material aid and long-term programs. We do all of this exclusively with partners from the communities we serve.
LWR is supported by the ELCA World Hunger Appeal, LCMS World Relief, individuals and parish groups.
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Afro-Colombian leader Orlando Valencia Murdered
Follow-Up to October 16 Urgent Action
by Partnering for Peace Conference Organizers
It is with great sadness that we share the news that Mr. Orlando Valencia was
found murdered on October 24, 2005; two days later his wife confirmed that the
body was that of her husband and the father of their seven children. Mr.
Valencia belonged to a community of Afro-Colombians in Curvaradó and
Jiguamiandó who have secured their land titles and who are struggling to
preserve an environmentally sustainable and traditional way of life in the midst
of conflict without using weapons or any form of violence. Since these
communities received their land titles, they have come under great pressure
from paramilitaries, security forces and corporations that are occupying their
lands for the cultivation of oil palm, a monoculture which greatly damages the
region's biodiversity.
Like you, we are deeply saddened by the disappearance and assassination of
Orlando, whom we had expected to host at the October 21-23 Partnering for
Peace conference in Chicago, where he was to represent the Red Ecuménica
de Colombia (Ecumenical Network of Colombia). Orlando was invited to
participate in this conference given his strong leadership and peaceful activism
on behalf of Afro-Colombian communities in the Department of Chocó.
Orlando was detained by local police on Saturday, October 15, as he was
traveling with fellow community members and national and international human rights accompaniers to a regional community meeting.
Shortly after being released by the police, the group was stopped again, and Mr. Valencia was forcibly taken away by members of the illegal paramilitary forces. Members of his family and community were left with no information on where he was taken or how to find him, until his body was discovered.
Many national and international organizations and individuals such as yourself
wrote letters and brought this issue to Colombian and U.S. officials. A mission
with representatives from numerous governments (but not the U.S. government)
and organizations went to investigate Orlando’s disappearance last week, and
due to the pressure of many Colombia advocates, this case received much
attention.
Sadly, what happened to Orlando has happened to many others in Colombia,
and all too often these tragedies go unnoticed. Orlando was an outstanding
young leader, bringing hope to his community, working for the dignity and
protection of his people and land, and his life was taken needlessly. Many other
community members, leaders, wives, husbands, children, are taken from this
earth and their passing goes unnoticed.
In moments like these, as members of a global community, we can take action
on behalf of those who need our support.
ACTIONS BEING TAKEN BY PARTNERING FOR PEACE ORGANIZERS:
* A letter to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, expressing concern for
Orlando's community and calling attention to the ongoing peril faced by Afro-
Colombian communities that are taking a stand to protect their land and way of
life.
* A letter to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, urging a comprehensive
investigation and putting Orlando's assassination into the context of paramilitary abuses in the territory of the peace communities.
ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE:
Write to the U.S. State Department and ask them to:
* Urge the U.S. Embassy to issue a public statement condemning the murder of
Orlando Valencia and stating support for Afro-Colombian leaders and their
community processes.
* Consider this case within the human rights certification process for Colombia,
because of evidence of collaboration between illegal paramilitary groups and
Colombian public forces.
* Use other mechanisms available to the United States in order to ensure that
this crime does not remain in impunity.
Contact Info: The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
U.S. State Department
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Write to the Colombian government and ask them to:
* Investigate the conduct of the police in Belén de Bajirá and suspend the head
of police of this station for singling out Orlando Valencia.
* Dismantle the paramilitary structures that coexist with state authorities in Belén de Bajirá, Mutatá, Chigorodó, Barranquillita, and Pavarandó.
* Adhere to the precautionary measures issued by the Inter-American Court of
Human Rights.
Contact Info: Dr. Carlos Franco
Director, Program of Human Rights, Vice-Presidency of Colombia
Email: cefranco@presidencia.gov.co
In your community and church:
* Continue to hold Orlando’s family and the communities in his home region of
Curvaradó, and all people in Colombia, in your prayers. Our Colombian
brothers and sisters face many tragedies, and we hope that our own actions
here in the U.S. can help to prevent such atrocities in the future. (Sample prayer
below.)
* Write a brief personal message. Lutheran World Relief is collecting, translating
and sending sympathy cards to Orlando’s family and community. If you would
like to express your condolences, please send your cards to:
LWR Colombia Program
700 Light Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
SAMPLE PRAYER FOR USE IN YOUR HOME OR IN YOUR PLACE OF
WORSHIP
Merciful God,
Console all who mourn the death of peacemaker Orlando Valencia. Comfort his
widow, family and community in their grief. Keep us all mindful of other
community members, leaders, wives, husbands, and children unknown to us,
who are disappeared, killed and threatened each day due to ongoing conflict
and violence. Keep us steadfast as we work for your peace and your justice for
all Colombians. Renew in us hope that your justice will one day roll down like
mighty waters upon all of creation. --Amen.
Partnering for Peace:
Colombian & North American Communities in Solidarity
Chicago, October 21-23, 2005
http://www.chicagoans.net/conference2005/
http://www.chicagoans.net/files/nov7-followup-Orlando.pdf
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