Colombia needs peace and justice, faith communities say

Soldier guarding the town of Chinolito near Colombia's Caribbean port of Cartagena. Chinolito was destroyed by Colombian paramilitary in 2005. Photo: T. Abraham/CWS

May 14, 2007

People of faith will pray for peace in Colombia and advocate for an end to U.S. policies that are increasing violence there.

Churches will focus attention on the war-torn country during the May 20 and 21 Days of Prayer and Action for Colombia.

On Sunday, May 20, U.S. congregations will demonstrate their solidarity with Colombian brothers and sisters who have suffered year after year in a brutal conflict. They will offer prayers for the victims and their families and for a peaceful future for all the people of Colombia.

Monday, May 21 is a day of action for Colombia. On or before May 21, people of faith are asked to contact their members of Congress and urge U.S. policy that promotes peace and justice in Colombia rather than military involvement and violence.

The message to Congress of this year's Day of Action is to shift the balance of aid to Colombia. The United States should help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Colombia instead of fueling the country's decades-long civil war.

The U.S. should provide greater assistance to help Colombia's over 3 million internally displaced persons and other victims of violence, to strengthen the justice system, and to provide real economic alternatives to poor farmers to address the causes of violence and illegal drug production.

Days of Prayer and Action participants will also call for Congress to vote against ratification of the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. Flooding Colombia with heavily subsidized grain from the U.S. will put many small farmers out of business. Furthermore, the proposed FTA does not protect labor rights. More labor union leaders are killed in Colombia each year than the rest of the world combined.

Days of Prayer and Action for Colombia is sponsored by numerous local congregations and national religious institutions, including Church World Service. More information is available on the web page www.peaceincolombia.org.