Action Alerts

I wanted to write a quick, exciting update on the situation with the Afro-Colombian community La Toma:

We stopped the eviction!

Stop the eviction of this
incredible community!If the Colombian government does not change its mind, tomorrow the 1052 families that make up the Afro-Colombian community La Toma will be evicted from the land that they have lived on for almost 400 years. We cannot let this happen.

Take action now to support the community and stop the eviction!



On Tuesday night, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton landed in Colombia; by today she'll be in Barbados. During her 24 hours in Colombia, do you think she heard much about the rise in threats and attacks against Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities in Colombia? Did President Uribe talk with her about the illegal wiretapping that part of his special intelligence service used to sabotage the work of human rights defenders, journalists, and Supreme Court judges? Or would you guess she talked with any of Colombia's almost 5 million internally displaced people about how they have been robbed of their land and forced to live in misery?

We doubt it. But these issues are exactly what she must be thinking about as the State Department prepares to make its most important decision on U.S.-Colombia policy this year.

Over the last couple weeks, from Tempe, Arizona to Duluth, Minnesota, Olympia, Washington to Jackson Heights, New York, people like you have been creating hundreds of portraits of our Colombian sisters and brothers and have been showcasing them in your community centers, churches and city streets. And people are paying attention!

But to make a real impact, we need Washington to get in on the conversation, too.

The National Days of Action for Colombia have begun! As we write you this update, people all across the country are gathering their materials, friends, and families, and are preparing to "face the displaced." Are you?

Click here to get involved!

If this is the first time you're hearing about it, don't worry; it's not too late. Here are four ways you can get involved in the movement to stand with those working for peace in Colombia.

Until two years ago, José Goyes had lived in the indigenous community of Honduras in Cauca, Colombia. But his life came under threat because of his role as a leader in his community's struggle for land rights in the face of abuses committed by a multinational corporation that owns a dam in their area. The threats got worse and worse until finally on July 5, 2008, as he was leaving his office, hitmen fired 4 shots at him. Luckily, he survived, but he was forced to flee to Bogotá.

Spring is coming and major grassroots action for peace in Colombia is near! Soon communities all across the country will start preparing for Days of Prayer and Action, when we will join in solidarity with our Colombian sisters and brothers and show policymakers the real size of the movement for change in U.S.-Colombia policy.

We want to make sure we can count on you to get involved because right now the stakes are higher than ever before.

Did you have a restful holiday? We hope you did because now that the new year is here we're going to be putting you back to work in pushing for real change in U.S. policies towards Colombia.

As we pointed out in a recent blog post reflecting on "Obama's First Year," although the administration promised us a foreign policy that would bring us hope and change, Colombia policy is still falling far short.  Giving Colombia a free pass on the human rights conditions, signing military base agreements, continuing high levels of military aid—these actions are a bitter disappointment.  Yet we have seen some good signs, especially when President Obama raised real concerns about human rights and democracy when Colombian President Uribe came to visit the White House.  This year, no excuses:  We want our government to use both words and deeds to say that respect for human rights does matter.

Have you called yet?

Last week, we told you about the letter on Colombia that's circulating in Congress and what you can do to help. We've had a good start, but we still need more action from grassroots activists like you and the people in your community.

Please take two minutes right now to give your representative a call.

Here's How: