These are the members of the STPC who met us at the airport when we arrived
in Bogotá.
This
is a park we passed in Bogotá.
This is Jorge. He is a plastic surgeon who is now unable to practice
medicine. He and his wife had to flee the Paramilitary and his papers were lost. His wife
was arrested and served jail time for her work in Women's Rights. This pictures was taken
at the Canadian Embassy where we met with Matthew Levin.
Here
we have Kevin Marchand (PSAC), Evert Hoogers (CUPW) with Dora Lilia, general secretary of
the STPC.
Barb Moore from CUPE speaks with Dora Lilia and Jorge at the Women's House.
This is a place that helps displaced women learn job skills so that they can support their
families.
Our
delegation waits on the steps of the hotel for a bus, This was in Bogotá.
These two photos were taken in the
ASDEP office in Bogotá. The people are all lawyers who defend the rights of the victims.
The women especially liked the posters that came from CUPW.
This
is a post card from the historical section of Bogota.. In this area there was a revolution
over forty years ago. The presidential palace was close to this area, but we were not
allowed to take photos of it.
Medellin:
Here in Medellin we saw an Adpostal office with many people outside waiting
for their cheques. Because of privatiztion, the service is not stable and many people do
not have mail services.
Protesting Privatization: This is in the downtoen of Medellin where a huge
protest was held. We were in the front with thounsands behind and a lot of Paramilitary.
When we reached the Municipal Buildings, the riot police were there. Our friend Alberta is
holding the CUPE sign.
A couple of the paramilitary.
This young man had a picture of his father around his neck. This is a
regular thing, especially with the mothers, who meet in parks every Sunday to see if
anyone can help them find a loved one.
While in Medellin, our director, Barbara, had a birthday. When we met with
the workers in this municipal office they surprised her with a cake.
A
group of Ecuadorian Indians were playing their native music in the Square outside the
Cultural Palace. The big grey building in the background is the Hotel Nutibara where we
stayed.
This was taken from a rooftop in the downtown area.
Here
I am in the courtyard of the Botaro Art Gallery. Botero is a famous Colombian artist.
Cali:
We stopped in a little village on the way to Cisneros. These guys were happy
to ham it up for us.
While
in Cali we took a two hour bus ride to a dam at Suarez. Here the Paramilitary pull us over
to check passports and purses.
When the dam was built twenty years
ago, the people were promised many things. Most weren't even compensated for the land they
were forced off. The dam is heavily guarded.
Evert
Hoogers and Darryl Kelly look through the fence.
Cisneros:
We had to cross over this bridge to get to the village.
When
we arrived at Cisneros, the people were waiting for us. That day they had a speaker in to
train them about their Human Rights .A mass detention occurred in their village last year,
Forty-one men and women were arrested by the paramilitary on trumped up charges.
Cisneros
is a farming village built near a river. It is built around this grassy area which is
where the kids play soccer.
This campesino (farmer) shows us the flowers. They are organic farmers. The
reason the paramilitary tries to intimidate the people is because the land is needed for a
double highway to export goods to the nearest port.
We take
a one hour boat ride across the lake and up a river. The residents are waiting to meet
with us.
At the top of this steep hill is a community center where we are served a
meal and listen to the concerns of the community leaders.
