Title: Colombia: Nonviolent Community Resistance in the Midst of War
Location: Mill Gallery, 131 Front St., Santa Cruz
Description: 6:30p.m. reception, 7p.m. presentations. Chris Courtheyn is a Santa Cruz native who served on a Fellowship of Reconciliation team providing protective accompaniment in a remote rural community in the midst of the conflictive Uraba region of northwest Colombia. The community has suffered more than 180 killings (of only about 1,200 peasant farmers and their children), and has chosen a security strategy that relies on human rights concerns of the international community, and the physical presence of international volunteers. Chris recently concluded a year doing this accompaniment for the FOR. John Lindsay- Poland, co-director of the FOR Task Force on Latin America and the Caribbean since 1989, will discuss the larger US Policy concerns in Colombia. John served with Peace Brigades International in Guatemala and El Salvador and is co-founder of PBIโs Colombia project. He has written numerous articles on U.S. militarism in Latin America, and his books include โEmperors in the Jungle: The Hidden History of the U.S. in Panamaโ and โInside Panama.โ Co-sponsored by Trรฉs Americas and Fellowship of Reconciliation. For more info: 423-1626 or 831-750-8687.
Start Time: 18:30
Date: 2009-05-12