http://www.justiceforcolombia.org/ Justice for Colombia: news feed en-gb Copyright Justice for Colombia Wed, 16 May 2012 12:17:22 GMT Wed, 16 May 2012 12:17:22 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/1240/Journalists-Critique-Biased-War-Coverage The recent capture of Romeo Langlois, the French journalist by the FARC guerrillas has opened a debate in the Colombian media of the coverage of the war. Wed, 16 May 2012 12:17:22 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1240/Journalists-Critique-Biased-War-Coverage http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1239/Analysis:-The-Patriotic-March By Hasan Dodwell Wed, 16 May 2012 11:09:39 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1239/Analysis:-The-Patriotic-March http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1238/Missing-French-reporter's-journalistic-mission-in-Colombia Romeo Langlois is well-known by Colombians and by Colombianos por la Paz (Colombians for Peace)," said Gloria Cuartas, a member of that civil society group which helped broker the release of 30 civilian and military hostages held for years by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and which got the rebel group to promise in February to stop kidnapping civilians for ransom. Wed, 16 May 2012 10:19:01 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1238/Missing-French-reporter's-journalistic-mission-in-Colombia http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1236/Text-of-Threat-Against-Patriotic-March The threat you can read below was received by the FENSUAGRO trade union on May 6th 2012, in the wake of the Patriotic March that took place in April. Since then 2 members of the Patriotic March have been killed, and two have been disappeared. Such threats are tragically commonplace in Colombia. Tue, 15 May 2012 12:17:02 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1236/Text-of-Threat-Against-Patriotic-March http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1235/Displaced-Trade-Unionist-Threatened On 1^st May and 2^nd April 2012, Jimmy Sneith Ortiz Gutierrez, a peasant farmer and member of SINPREAGRICUN agricultural workers\' trade union and FENSUAGRO affiliate, received two new threats against his life, warning him that despite his having fled to Bogota, his life is still not safe. Tue, 15 May 2012 12:03:56 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1235/Displaced-Trade-Unionist-Threatened http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1237/CSP-Delegation-Report An interesting and detailed report of the 2012 JFC delegation to Colombia by Lesley Mercer of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Mon, 14 May 2012 12:50:38 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1237/CSP-Delegation-Report http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1234/Analysis:-The-Case-of-Romeo-Langlois The disappearance of French journalist Romeo Langlois, has raised concerns about the ongoing dangers facing journalists reporting on the conflict in Colombia, as well as highlighting the confusion that often surrounds the conflict. Wed, 02 May 2012 11:44:52 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1234/Analysis:-The-Case-of-Romeo-Langlois http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1233/Human-Rights-Groups-Report-Fighting-in-Cauca Human rights organisations in Cauca have reported that intense fighting in and around the villages of El Palo, and Alto del Palo has caused the displacement of 855 people. Wed, 02 May 2012 11:20:35 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1233/Human-Rights-Groups-Report-Fighting-in-Cauca http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1231/United-States-Sends-Combat-Commanders-to-Colombia By Susana Pimiento and John Lindsay-Poland Tue, 01 May 2012 11:22:55 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1231/United-States-Sends-Combat-Commanders-to-Colombia http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1230/Patriotic-March-Organiser-Disappeared Human rights groups have reported the disappearance of Martha Cecilia Guevara Oyola in San Vicente del Caguan, in the south of Colombia. Martha Guevara had been active in organising the local delegation to the Patriotic March, which was held in Bogota last week. Tue, 01 May 2012 10:41:03 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1230/Patriotic-March-Organiser-Disappeared http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1228/GS-of-Cane-Cutter's-Union-Assassinated SINALCORTEROS, the sugar cane workers\' union has reported the assassination of its General Secretary, Daniel Aguirre Piedrahita. He was killed at about 9pm on Friday April 27in the town of Florida, in Valle. He was near his home making a phone call when he was killed. Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:21:05 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1228/GS-of-Cane-Cutter's-Union-Assassinated http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1229/Displaced-Leader's-Bodyguard-Assassinated A bodyguard seconded to guard the life of Alfonso Castillo, the President of ANDAS, the National Association of Displaced Persons, was killed in Bogota on Friday. Mao Enrique Rodriguez was gunned down by two men riding a motorbike at 8.30pm on Friday April 27^th. Mr Rodriguez was being seconded to ANDAS from the escort of Dr Carlos Lozano, the editor of opposition newspaper, Voz, whose chief of security he had been for over 8 years. Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:20:17 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1229/Displaced-Leader's-Bodyguard-Assassinated http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1232/DECLARATION-OF-THE-V-PEOPLE'S-SUMMIT The social and people\'s organizations of the continent, gathered in the V People\'s Summit -- The True Voice of the Americas -- from April 12-14 in Cartagena de Indias at the same time as the VI Summit of the Americas, declare: Sun, 29 Apr 2012 11:24:58 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1232/DECLARATION-OF-THE-V-PEOPLE'S-SUMMIT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1225/Army-Kills-Community-Leader Sumapaz. The Sintrapaz agricultural workers\' union, has reported the killing of Duvier Celeita Cifuentes in Rio Duda, near Uribe in Meta. The details of the assassination as yet remain unclear, but Sintrapaz says the army is presenting him as a guerrilla killed in combat. Mr Celeita leaves behind a widow and three children. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:35:38 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1225/Army-Kills-Community-Leader http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1224/Trade-Union-Activist-Disappeared---Fears-for-his-Safety Herman Henry Diaz, a leading FENSUAGRO trade union activist is suspected to have been forcibly disappeared on 18^th April. He had led efforts to organise a delegation of 200 activists from Villa Guamez municipality in Putumayo Department who were travelling to take part in the Patriotic March events on 20^th, 21^st and 22^nd April in Bogota. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:02:26 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1224/Trade-Union-Activist-Disappeared---Fears-for-his-Safety http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1227/US-Office-on-Colombia--FTA-puts-US-economic-interests-before-human-rights The US Office on Colombia (USOC) is deeply concerned by President Obama's decision to greenlight the US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) despite continued gross labor and human rights violations in Colombia. On April 7, 2011 the US and Colombia signed the Labor Action Plan (LAP) which outlined specific indicators that Colombia needed to meet before the FTA would be ratified. According to Colombia's National Labor School, the Colombian government has only implemented 28 out of the 37 commitments included in the plan, and many of those only partially. By moving forward with the FTA in spite of these shortcomings, the US government loses a huge opportunity to press for fair labor standards and respect for human rights in Colombia. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:57:43 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1227/US-Office-on-Colombia--FTA-puts-US-economic-interests-before-human-rights http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1223/Bryan-Nott-Responds-to-Law-Society-Colombia-Article \'Colombia: isn\'t it a bit dicey?\' It is possible that the lawyers Michael Cross spoke with when he visited Colombia showed irritation at that question. Sadly, I believe the majority of Colombians would view \'dicey\' as an improvement on their current experience, evoking as it does a rather Boy\'s Own version of dangerous. Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:28:04 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1223/Bryan-Nott-Responds-to-Law-Society-Colombia-Article http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1222/Colombian-Civil-Society-Prepares-for-Patriotic-March This April 21^st and 22^nd Colombian civil society organisations organised in the \'Patriotic March\' are holding their first National Patriotic Council in order to determine their political strategy and their goals over the next two years. Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:15:35 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1222/Colombian-Civil-Society-Prepares-for-Patriotic-March http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1220/Military-Operate-With-Paramilitaries-in-the-Catatumbo-region-of-Colombia The farmers\' association of Catatumbo, ASCAMCAT, has denounced military operations that are spreading panic amongst the civilian population in the region -- Catatumbo is situated in the highly conflictive north-eastern department of Norte de Santander. The military operations have resulted in the death of a three year old boy and are, according to ASCAMCAT, jeopardising efforts to create a protected "peasant farmer reserve zone" in the area. Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:22:36 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1220/Military-Operate-With-Paramilitaries-in-the-Catatumbo-region-of-Colombia http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1219/Attempted-Kidnap-of-Trade-Unionists'-Daughters The FECODE teachers\' union has reported the kidnap attempt on the daughters of Over Dorado Cardona and Martha Rocio Alfonso Bernal, both of whom are teacher trade unionists. The attempt happened on Thursday 5^th April in the town of Itagui in Colombia\'s Antioquia province. Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:40:47 GMT http://www.justiceforcolombia.org//news/article/1219/Attempted-Kidnap-of-Trade-Unionists'-Daughters