http://www.justiceforcolombia.org/ Justice for Colombia: news feed en-gb Copyright Justice for Colombia Fri, 24 May 2013 18:18:33 GMT Fri, 24 May 2013 18:18:33 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org/ http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//images/rss_image.gif 60 100 info@justiceforcolombia.org (Liam Craig-Best) info@justiceforcolombia.org (Liam Craig-Best) http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1413/Attempted-murder-and-death-threats-made-against-oil-workers "Death to those guerrilla sons of bitches. We invite you to their funeral in 48 hours". Fri, 24 May 2013 18:18:33 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1413/Attempted-murder-and-death-threats-made-against-oil-workers http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1412/Damning-report-documents-continuation-of-'false-positives' In spite of a changed discourse towards human rights in Colombia, little has changed. Whilst the Colombian government, with support from the UK, the US and governments across the European Union, has worked tirelessly to build up a false image of Colombia as a country with a drastically improved human rights record, the reality is that Colombia continues to have one of the highest levels of human rights abuses in the world. Fri, 24 May 2013 15:22:04 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1412/Damning-report-documents-continuation-of-'false-positives' http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1411/Ed-Miliband-Shows-Support-for-JFC's-Work Ed Miliband, the leader of the Labour Party has written to the Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Colombia Group, Jim Sheridan MP. In the letter, he highlights the party's support for Justice for Colombia's work stating that: Fri, 24 May 2013 13:43:01 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1411/Ed-Miliband-Shows-Support-for-JFC's-Work http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1410/75-year-old-sister-of-recognised-priest-activist-killed-in-vicious-targeted-attack Benedicta Joya, a 75 year old peasant farmer who supported the community work of her brother priest, has been killed in a brutal targeted attack in eastern Colombia. Fri, 24 May 2013 11:45:19 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1410/75-year-old-sister-of-recognised-priest-activist-killed-in-vicious-targeted-attack http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1409/Army-Executes-Farmer-in-Cordoba The Colombian National Movement of Victims (MOVICE) has reported the extrajudicial execution by the army of a peasant farmer, Manuel Enrique Martinez Cardona. Mr Martinez was assassinated by troops near the settlement of Osa, in the Tierralta municipality of Cordoba department, northern Colombia. Although few details are provided, it appears that Mr Martinez was shot on the morning of 5 May, he was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died at 4am on 6 May 2013. Sun, 19 May 2013 13:17:36 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1409/Army-Executes-Farmer-in-Cordoba http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1406/While-Peace-Talks-Continue-Army-Tortures-FARC-Prisoners-to-Death Human rights groups have reported the torture and extrajudicial execution of two FARC guerrillas seized by army troops operating in Narino province of Colombia. Thu, 09 May 2013 14:38:59 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1406/While-Peace-Talks-Continue-Army-Tortures-FARC-Prisoners-to-Death http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1405/UK-and-Irish-Cross-Party-Politicians-and-Civil-Society-leaders-Support-Patriotic-March During the visit of the Patriotic March delegation to Belfast, Dublin and Ireland in April, politicians and civil society representatives including Church and trade union leaders signed the below statement in support of the Patriotic March and the peace process. The statement backs the Patriotic March\'s call for a ceasefire to be agreed during the talks, for civil society participation and the root causes of the conflict to be addressed and for safety for peace activists. The statement garnered support from politicians from a broad selection of political parties including Labour, SDLP, DUP, Sinn Fein and others. Leading church figures also added their names, as well as Northern Ireland Victims Commissioner, Kathryn Stone. Wed, 08 May 2013 17:49:09 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1405/UK-and-Irish-Cross-Party-Politicians-and-Civil-Society-leaders-Support-Patriotic-March http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1404/Photos-of-the-Patriotic-March-visit-to-Belfast,-Dublin-and-London Leaders of the Patriotic March, the largest civil society organisation seen in Colombia for decades, visited the UK and Ireland last month as guests of Justice for Colombia. They came to speak about their social and political work to organise and to promote peace with social justice in Colombia. Wed, 08 May 2013 16:55:10 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1404/Photos-of-the-Patriotic-March-visit-to-Belfast,-Dublin-and-London http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1407/Journalist-narrowly-escapes-shooting-after-exposing-luxurious-lives-of-jailed-military A journalist narrowly escaped death as he was shot at five times by two hitmen in a classic contract killing attempt in the Colombian capital Bogot...aacute;. Wed, 08 May 2013 14:44:26 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1407/Journalist-narrowly-escapes-shooting-after-exposing-luxurious-lives-of-jailed-military http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1408/High-ranking-police-official-threatens-human-rights-defenders-with-legal-prosecution Mon, 06 May 2013 14:46:50 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1408/High-ranking-police-official-threatens-human-rights-defenders-with-legal-prosecution http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1402/Patriotic-March-Activist-Murdered-by-Army A recognised local farmer\'s leader, Alvaro Queguan, has been shot dead by the Colombian Army in the southeast of Colombia. Alvaro was the vice-president of his local village committee and an active member of the Patriotic March in Nari...ntilde;o, the Department in which he lived and carried out his work in defence of his community. Wed, 01 May 2013 17:45:34 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1402/Patriotic-March-Activist-Murdered-by-Army http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1403/JFC-Host-Successful-Patriotic-March-Visit-to-UK-and-Ireland Leaders of the Patriotic March have taken part in a high-level visit to London, Belfast and Dublin to build cross party support for their work promoting peace with social justice in Colombia. The eight-day-tour which was organised by JFC, trade unions and politicians in Ireland and the UK saw the three Patriotic March representatives meet with MLA\'s, TD\'s, MP\'s, MEP\'s, Peers, trade union leaders and activists and members of church and victims\' groups who played significant roles in the Northern Ireland peace process. The visit was supported by the TUC and ICTU, JFC Ireland as well as Unison, Unite and Nipsa, and Thompsons. Wed, 01 May 2013 15:10:43 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1403/JFC-Host-Successful-Patriotic-March-Visit-to-UK-and-Ireland http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1401/Tens-of-thousands-of-signatures-collected-to-demand-guarantees-for-the-victims-of-state-crimes A series of coordinated international petitions have gained tens of thousands of signatures from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, as well as from many other parts of the world, to express concern for the continuing persecution faced by members of the National Movement for Victims of State Crimes (MOVICE) and to call on the Colombian state to comply with its obligation to guarantee their protection. 35,000 members of Amnesty International gave their support to the petition. Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:34:39 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1401/Tens-of-thousands-of-signatures-collected-to-demand-guarantees-for-the-victims-of-state-crimes http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1400/Army-Murder-Peasant-Farmer In the small northwestern town of San Jose, a young local farmer was viciously shot dead by soldiers of the Colombian Army. Carlos Andres Torres Borja was returning home on his horse on the 9 April 2013 but as he neared an army camp of the 17^th Brigade he was met by members of the Army who shot him in the head several times with a shotgun. Carlos has left behind his wife who is five months pregnant. Mon, 15 Apr 2013 19:16:30 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1400/Army-Murder-Peasant-Farmer http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1399/Tortured-Body-Found-in-Military-Controlled-Area Colombian peasant farmer Jos...eacute; Rogelio L...oacute;pez was found dead on the morning of Thursday 11 April 2013 at the side of the road close to the village of Medell...iacute;n del Ariari, in northern Meta Department. His body showed shocking signs of torture. His fingers had been amputated and his eyes taken out. Mon, 15 Apr 2013 19:11:53 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1399/Tortured-Body-Found-in-Military-Controlled-Area http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1398/Woman-Community-Leader-Murdered-on-Day-of-Demonstration In what has been called \'a message of terror\' to community organisations in the working class neighbourhood of Soacha, Bogot...aacute;, local community leader Isnelda Guti...eacute;rrez was repeatedly shot by a man on the afternoon of the 9^th April 2013. Mon, 15 Apr 2013 19:02:55 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1398/Woman-Community-Leader-Murdered-on-Day-of-Demonstration http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1397/Peace-Activist-Killed-after-Defence-Minister-Claims-Peace-March-Funded-by-Guerrillas Elver Cordero Oviedo, a prominent victims\' rights leader and peace activist, was shot and killed by two professional hitmen as he made his way to the nationally organised March for Peace in the town of Valencia, in the Caribbean Department of C...oacute;rdoba. Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:34:53 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1397/Peace-Activist-Killed-after-Defence-Minister-Claims-Peace-March-Funded-by-Guerrillas http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1396/Minister-Stigmatises-Patriotic-March On Tuesday as over a million people marched in Bogota to support the peace process taking place in Havana, in a demonstration organised by the Patriotic March social movement, the Minister of Defence, Juan Carlos Pinzon, accused the March of being financed by the FARC. Yesterday the allegations were seconded by the Chief of Police, General Jose Leon Riano. Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:03:30 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1396/Minister-Stigmatises-Patriotic-March http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1395/March-for-Peace-Floods-Streets-of-Bogota 9^th of April is a highly significant date in Colombian history, since on this day in 1948 the immensely popular Liberal leader Jorge Gaitan was assassinated in Bogota, sparking a ten year dirty war of vast proportions that morphed into today\'s civil war. Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:15:49 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1395/March-for-Peace-Floods-Streets-of-Bogota http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1394/Indigenous-Man-Murdered-by-Colombian-Army The \'San Lorenzo\' Indigenous Community in South-West Colombia has reported the murder of a 50-year-old man at the hands of the Colombian Army. Fri, 05 Apr 2013 17:54:21 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1394/Indigenous-Man-Murdered-by-Colombian-Army