Hear What We Hear: Human Rights NOW
by Lisa Haugaard, Vanessa Kritzer, and Jenny Johnson
on October 09, 2009
They don't get it... yet.
Although we now have new leadership in Washington, they still don't
understand what they need to do to stand up for human rights. They
think that by saying more about the importance of human rights and
democracy than the Bush Administration did, they are making progress.
But we know that until they actually change U.S. policies to support
victims of violence in places like Mexico and Colombia, they will
continue to be a part of the problem, not the solution.
Now, if we can get them to hear what we hear from people in Mexico and
Colombia and know what we know, they might change their tune.
So, this month we are launching a "Human Rights NOW" campaign, which will use innovative tactics to get them to make human rights come first in U.S. policy.
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Write a Letter to the Editor: Don't Break Colombia's Heart
by Vanessa Kritzer and Lisa Haugaard
on September 11, 2009
$800,000 on hearts.
You heard that right. With a massive humanitarian crisis on their hands, the Colombian government is spending $800,000 on an installation of more than forty, 8-13 ft tall heart sculptures in DC and New York this fall. This campaign, called "Colombia Is Passion," was supposedly designed to educate Americans about the "real" Colombia, a fun and beautiful country in which violence and human rights abuses are a thing of the distant past.
At this point, you might be asking, "Why this? Why now?"
Making Displaced Colombians Visible
by Travis Wheeler and Lisa Haugaard
on June 01, 2009
We're emailing to say "¡gracias!" for participating in the 2009 Days of
Prayer and Action for Colombia. Whether you mailed postcards to
President Obama, organized a prayer service for your local
congregation, or simply sent good vibes in our direction, you were part
of the largest national call for peace in Colombia and change in the
United States' approach since 2003. Give yourself a pat on the
back—you deserve it!
Read more »
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Obama Hears Our Message on Colombia, But Now We Need Action
by Vanessa Kritzer and Lisa Haugaard
on July 09, 2009
Well, it wasn't the ringing call for respect for human rights and freedom of expression that we longed for --that's for sure. But when President Obama met with Colombian President Uribe on June 29th, it was clear that he had been listening to our message on Colombia.
Read more »
What's Needed Now
by Travis Wheeler and Lisa Haugaard
on May 26, 2009
Earlier this month the Obama Administration submitted its foreign aid
budget request to Congress, giving us the first clear indication of
where the administration intends to take Colombia policy. The
administration has said many good (and needed) things since coming to
office, but now that they're showing us the money—and repeating the
Bush Administration's military aid request—it's clear that these
positive words are not yet being backed up with positive deeds.
Read more »
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Uribe's First Visit to the Obama White House
by Travis Wheeler, Vanessa Kritzer, and Lisa Haugaard
on June 24, 2009
So it's going to happen. Colombian President Uribe will make his first
visit to the Obama White House next Monday to discuss the future of
Plan Colombia and the stalled U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
with President Obama. While the two leaders met at the Summit of the
Americas in April, this could be the moment when President Obama makes
clear his positions on Colombia. It's up to us to use this opportunity
to make sure that he sets the right course from the get-go by making
human rights a priority in U.S. policy towards Colombia.
Read more »
Prayer and Action for Colombia's Displaced
by Travis Wheeler and Lisa Haugaard
on April 17, 2009
Did you know that last year 1,500* Colombians were violently forced to flee their homes each day? At such a staggering rate, it's no wonder that Colombia is now home to
more than 4 million internally displaced people (IDPs), more than any
country in the world including Sudan.
Read more »
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