May 1, 2002
"For a home, a country, a
planet,
Free from fear, war and violence."
PRONOUNCEMENT REGARDING EVENTS IN BOJAYA
from RUTA PACIFICA DE LAS MUJERES
The Ruta Pacifica of the Women of Colombia, in favor of a negotiated resolution to the armed conflict, lament deeply the genocide perpetrated on the people of Bojaya in the Department of Choco, a tragedy about which there had been several warnings by various NGOs and by the Catholic church in the area, and the State did nothing.
We women view with horror a war that we did not want and which, of course, we will never support, and today we wish to say to the warring actors that the events that took place in Bojaya are a crime against humanity, which will not be soon forgotten by the people of Colombia and for which we must offer an Act of Reparation and Justice that will permit a reconciliation among the Colombians.
The women of Colombia, members of the Ruta Pacifica, condemn the genocide inflicted by the FARC and the paramilitaries on the civilian population of Bojaya-Choco; we demand that all the armed actors show some prudence, good sense and respect for the norms of International Humanitarian Law. We demand that the gentlemen of the FARC prohibit the use of gas pipettes as weapons, as that jeopardizes the townspeople who are unarmed and without protection. We ask all the armed actors to put aside their desires for revenge and reprisal and warring, all of which only lead to exacerbation of the armed conflict and further deterioration of the humanitarian crisis and to loss of the few avenues for peaceful resistance and citizen response, which is being designed and put together by the civilian populace in the midst of all this barbarian tumult.
We demand that the government of Colombia act on its responsibilities with regard to the protection of the lives and the human rights of all Colombians. We further demand that an investigation be initiated regarding the events in Bojaya, for which we insist on Truth, Justice and Reparation. The government must take responsibility for having abandoned said community despite constant calls for help.
We are in deep and heart-felt solidarity with the people of Bojaya, with all the men, women and children, families of the persons killed during the confrontation between the AUC and the FARC. Most especially, we express our solidarity with the social and community organizations, (ACIA, Orewa, OBAPO) of Rio Atrato and with all the women in this region of the country.
We Women in Black against war are and will remain in mourning for the murder and premature death of the women, children and men who lost their lives in Bojaya.
Medellin, 7 May 2002
RUTA PACIFICA DE LAS MUJERES &endash; COLOMBIA
Corp. Mujeres que crean, Corp. Vamos Mujer, Conciudadania, Cerfami, Fepi, Programa Mujer Escuela Nacional Sindical, COMBOS, Unión de Ciudadanas de Colombia, Pastoral Social, Convivamos, Corporación educativa y cultural Penca de Sábila, Red Colombiana por los derechos sexuales y Reproductivos, Mesa de trabajo Mujer de Medellín, Mesa Mujer de Bello, Red de comunicación de Mujeres Populares, Asociación de Mujeres del Oriente AMOR, Asociación de Mujeres Palmas Unidas, AMOY, Afrometropolitanas, Mujeres campesinas palmas unidas, Coordinación zonal de mujeres de la Nororiental Medellín, Asociación Metropolitana Cimarrón, Grupo de aprendizajes femenino, Grupo de Mujeres de la Casa Sociolaboral, Grupo de Mujeres siempre unidas, combo productivo de Mujeres, Grupo productivo Verde Manzana, Asociación de Mujeres de Fredonia, Asociación de Madres Comunitarias, Asociación de Mujeres activas del Suroeste AMAS, Grupo de Mujeres del Limonar, Organización Indígena de Antioquia, Asociación de Mujeres Unidas de Río Grande, Asociación de Mujeres de Apartado. AMI, UMBE (Asociación de Mujeres Bellanitas), Corporación Simón Bolívar, Mujeres Pueblo Rico, Red de Hermanamiento. AMUCAR, Grupo Mujeres artesanas de Medellín, ASOFEM (As. De Mujeres forjadoras de esperanza Bello), Asociación de mujeres de Sabaneta, As. Manos unidas Envigado, Asociación de empleadas del hogar, Grupo de multiplicadoras del centro escuela, grupo de jóvenes de la Red de Mujeres Populares, Gran asociación de mujeres aliadas- Manrique, Asociación de Mujeres siempre unidas de Moravia, Asoc. De Mujeres Rurales de Medellín, Sintracihobi Medellín, As. De Mujeres de Rio Grande, Casa de la Mujer trabajadora Don Matias, Asociación de Mujeres desplazadas de San Carlos, Grupo de Mujeres estrellas del amanecer de Santo Domingo, Grupo de Mujeres desplazadas del Pacifico, Mujeres jóvenes del colegio Bello Oriente, Mujeres jóvenes del colegio Leon de Greiff, Mujeres Escuela de genero y Equidad.
CHOCO: Minorías étnicas; Grupo de mujeres desplazadas del Atrato, comité de mujeres de la ACIA. PUTUMAYO: Corporación Nuevo Milenio, ASMU Grupo Mujeres de Putumayo. CAUCA: Comunitar, Grupo de Mujeres de la Universidad del Cauca, Indígenas del Cauca, CALI: Unión de ciudadanas de Colombia. RISARALDA : Casa de la Mujer de Pereira, Grupo Mujeres populares Y sindicalistas, BOGOTA (CUNDINAMARCA), Casa de la Mujer, Grupo de Apoyo Ruta, BUCARAMANGA: Fundación Mujer y Futuro, con los respectivos grupos de Base; CARTAGENA: Red de mujeres de Bolívar, Asociación de Mujeres desplazadas de Bolívar.
Translated by Trisha Novak, USA