Message from Colombia about the Obama Inauguration

Many of our sister organizations have been sharing their thoughts with us about the new Obama administration, and we want to pass along some of those ideas to the readers of this blog.  Here is something that we received from Taller de Vida, one of our sister organizations in Colombia.  The Spanish message is below, followed by the English translation.

Que esperamos del gobierno Obama nosotros los Colombianos que  trabajamos por  la paz  con justicia social en nuestro país?

Esperamos que no se firme el TLC con Colombia por que este se ha impulsado sobre la vida de muchos sindicalistas y dirigentes indígenas y campesinos y esta rodeado solo del deseo de quienes esperan hacer mas pobres a los pobres  de nuestro país.

Esperamos se  exija a nuestro gobierno el cumplimiento con las victimas de paramilitarismo por que no es simplemente que! PASO!,  y hay una reparación económica, quedan tantas tristezas acumuladas, todo un tejido social destruido, multitudes de familias en situación de desplazamiento forzado en condición de vulnerabilidad y exclusión social  y ESTO TIENE QUE CAMBIAR .

Esperamos avanzar hacia acuerdos de paz que permitan una salida negociada al conflicto armado para que nuestra infancia un día pueda ver que terminan los días de esta guerra que no es suya y la estamos perdiendo.

Esperamos que se fortalezcan los alzos de solidaridad y se manifieste una constate preocupación y seguimiento al tema de derechos humanos en Colombia

Como lo ha mencionado el Presidente de EEUU Barack Obama esperamos pasar  del  miedo a la esperanza de una convivencia en Paz y con dignidad  que nos una  a los del norte y a  los del sur.

-Taller de Vida

English translation:

As Colombians working for peace and social justice in our country, what are we to expect from the Obama administration?

We hope that the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Colombia is not signed, given that it has come at the cost of the lives of many union and indigenous leaders and farmers, and it represents the desire of those who wish to further impoverish the poor of our country.

We hope that that the Obama administration demands our government make reparations to the victims of paramilitarism. The repercussions are not only economic; they leave much accumulated sadness, a destroyed social fabric, multitudes of families forcibly displaced in conditions of vulnerability and social exclusion. This must change.

We hope to advance the creation of peace accords that permit negotiated disarmament so that our children may one day see the end of this war, which is not theirs and which we are losing.

We hope that the bonds of solidarity are fortified and that this manifests itself as constant concern over the status of human rights in Colombia.

As stated by the President of the United States Barack Obama, we hope to move beyond fear and towards hope for a peaceful and dignified coexistence that unites the North and South.

-Taller De Vida

Comments

[Tania]

Hi,
not bad...

Thanks
Tania