10am – 5pm Saturday 7th February 2009
A one day event exposing British complicity in the ongoing Colombian conflict
Khalili Lecture Theatre, School of Oriental and African Studies, Russell Square,
London WC1H 0XG
FOR A REVIEW OF THIS EVENT PLEASE SEE FRONTLINE LATIN AMERICA
Speakers Include:
MP JEREMY CORBYN on British Military Aid
RUTH TANNER War on Want
RICARD SOLLY Colombia Solidarity Campaign
CARLOS CRUZ POLO DEMOCRATICO The Main Colombian Opposition Party
PAUL DOWLING on BP
MARLON MINA persecution of students movements
JULIE NICHOLSON on Indigenous Rights
HELENA PEREZ NINO Sexual Violence as a weapon of war
DR. MARIO NOVELLI University of Amsterdam on Education and
Suggested donation: £4 waged, £2 unwaged
The decades-long conflict in Colombia continues to take the lives of its citizens, bring oppression on voices of dissent and displace tens of thousands of people. It has been widely portrayed as a conflict between left-wing guerrillas, cocaine drug barons and the government.
What is missing in the mainstream account is the influence of external actors. The actions of the British Government and British multinationals fuel the conflict and perpetuate the human rights abuses and political murders carried out by the Colombian Government and right-wing paramilitaries.
The UK gives an undisclosed amount of military aid to the Colombian Government whilst British companies profit from their plunder of natural resources from the Colombian countryside.
This event aims to raise awareness of British involvement in Colombia and highlight aspects of the conflict that are less well known. These include issues such as the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, the criminalisation of political opposition, oppression of students, and violence perpetrated against indigenous groups.
Here in the UK we need to recognise that this is not simply another conflict in another part of the world. It is one that Britain is complicit in. It is therefore our responsibility as residents of the UK to play our part in preventing human rights abuses and continued human suffering.
Engage in the issues of the Colombian conflict and the role that Britain plays – with a view to challenge it.
For more information and advance registration please contact: colombiaskillings@googlemail.com
