Re-Directing U.S. Foreign Policy towards Colombia to Protect the Territorial and Human Rights of Afro-Colombians
Register for this event
Global Rights, AFRODES USA, TransAfrica Forum, the U.S. Office on Colombia, the Latin America Working Group Education Fund and the Washington Office on Latin America cordially invite you to a discussion on
Re-Directing U.S. Foreign Policy towards Colombia to Protect the Territorial and Human Rights of Afro-Colombians
Featuring
Libia Grueso, Co-Founder, Black Communities Process (PCN)
Libia Grueso has been working with her fellow Afro-Colombians in the struggle for the recognition and protection of their ethnic-territorial rights for over twenty years as one of the founding members of the Black Communities Process (PCN), one of the leading Afro-Colombian civil rights organizations. In 2004 Libia won the highly prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize.
Yamile Abdala Salinas, Institute for the Study of Development and Peace (INDEPAZ)
INDEPAZ is a Colombian civil society organization that works for the construction of a negotiated peace in Colombia. Yamile has conducted many in-depth investigations on issues such as fumigations anti-narcotic programs, land issues and the impact of megaprojects.
Kelly Nicholls, Executive Director of the U.S. Office on Colombia (USOC)
Prior to working with USOC, Kelly worked as a human rights researcher with the Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement (CODHES) in Bogotá and the United National Independent Expert on Minority Issues, Gay McDougall.
The speakers will present on current threats against the territorial rights of Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities including the internal armed conflict, violence generated by illegal armed groups, U.S. funded fumigation efforts and large scale economic projects. They will also discuss the interconnectivity that exists between ethnic land rights and internal displacement. Ms. Grueso will present on Afro-Colombian grassroots initiatives to resist internal displacement and address violence in their communities. Ms. Nicholls will talk about the January 2009 Colombian Constitutional Court Decree on Afro-Colombians and how the U.S. can best help Colombia implement the Court's recommendations on IDPs. Ms. Salinas will give recommendations for how the U.S. can best support efforts to address issues of land restitution.
Friday, March 6, 2009
12:30-2pm
Washington Office on Latin America
1666 Connecticut Ave, 4th Floor conference room
Washington, DC
RSVP byCOB March 5 by e-mailing Rachel Robb at rrobb@wola.org or by calling (202) 797-2171