Statement of the Network of Intellectual, Artists and Social Movement, In Defense of Humanity for Peace in Colombia

Statement of the Network of Intellectual, Artists and Social Movement, In Defense of Humanity for Peace in Colombia

All the men and women in Our America who have dedicated their lives and efforts to end the civil injustice, exploitation, violence and marginalization that generations after generations have had to endure  from the rancid oligarchy that has managed to control the course of our history for their total benefit must now support with all their efforts the final solution of the conflict between successive Governments of Colombia and the guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP) which has been one of the longest conflicts with the most serious consequences in our America.

Many unsuccessful attempts have been made to end the fighting and to lay the foundations for a lasting peace. These attempts have been led by the FARC-EP, as well as by men and women committed to justice and to safeguarding human rights. Now we have an opportunity that has been achieved thanks to a great humanist and defender of unity of the peoples of our America as a Zone of Peace. It was the Commander Hugo Chávez, recognized by both sides in the conflict, who dedicated his efforts to making Peace possible in Colombia. His example set the tone of commitment that resulted in the Peace Agreements reached in Havana. The final resolution has now opened the doors so that the Colombian people can re-unite in peace and justice.

The supportive role played by the revolutionary government of Cuba is important to be noted as it proved decisive in developing the process of dialogue as well as achievement of the general Peace Agreement in Havana. Almost from the beginning Cuba welcomed the dialogue along with the collaboration of the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Norway and Chile. Cuba and Norway acted to ensure the process, while Venezuela and Chile were companions.

The Network of Intellectuals, Artists and Social Movements in Defense of Humanity (REDH), in reaffirmation of its commitment to the defense of peace, justice, solidarity between peoples and transparency, accepted an invitation from the negotiating team of the FARC-EP to attend a dialogue in Havana where the Network was briefed on the progress achieved and the expectations in the long-desired Peace in Colombia which is also Peace in Our America.

Accordingly, the REDH expresses its appreciation and commitment to this Peace Dialogue, which must now be a cause of joy for all the people of the region, and consequently:

• We add our support to such commitment and express our desire to work hard so that the conditions ensure the participation of all Colombian society in the building of a peace mediated by a culture of reconciliation, coexistence, tolerance and non-stigmatization. This is necessary to ensure the reunion without revenge or violence of those who took up the armed struggle and those who stood in silence during this period of oppression and denial of basic rights.

• We advocate for the end of the conflict and the implementation of reforms arising from the Final Agreement that will constitute the main guarantee of non-recurrence of such acts, as well as an expeditious way to ensure there will be no new generations of victims.

• We support all the measures that both sides have agreed upon to guarantee a true mutual recognition and willingness to compensate the damage caused directly or indirectly by a conflict that for more than 50 years have led to innocent victims, separation of families, internal migration, forced displacement, mutilations, violations, disappearances, deaths and deep wounds in the soul of the society.

• We recognize the agreement of establishing a Special Jurisdiction for Peace, which will be part of the Integral System of Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Repetition (SIVJRNR) as a great contribution to the strengthening of the Justice system and the consolidation of Peace.  This will allow the Colombian State, accompanied by a society in reconciliation, to comply with its duty to investigate, clarify, pursue, judge and punish the serious violations of human rights and the serious violations of the Humanitarian International Rights (DIH) that took place in the context and because of the armed conflict.

• We are confident that the peace reached will allow for a fair treatment and a full guarantee for the safety of life and human rights of all insurgents who did not participate in crimes that violated human rights, and who have decided to engage fully in the political life of the Colombian nation. We are also confident that never again will there be a massacre like the one committed against members of the Patriotic Union who honestly chose for peaceful incorporation into society.

• We urge rejection and condemnation of any manifestation that goes against the strong desire for Peace and we remain vigilant against any action intended to obstruct or divert the agreements reached. In particular, we urge direct actions to dismantle criminal paramilitary structures, organized and encouraged by the Colombian extreme right, which are still functioning. These groups still control large parts of Colombian territory and have spread with serious consequences into the neighboring countries of Venezuela and Ecuador, thus threatening the stability of the region.

• We recognize that the reconciliation that Colombian society and the world awaits cannot ignore the crimes committed by the sides, but it must be sealed with humanitarian considerations such as amnesty and forgiveness for all those men and women imprisoned in State jails as a consequence of the state of war. There must also be forgiveness for civilians accused of complicity only for the crime of having supported what they believed was just.

• We hope that this peace process in Colombia will be complemented with the installation of a similar negotiating table with the National Liberation Army (ELN) to ensure a final closing of an era of violent confrontation and to open forever a dialogue of coexistence, peaceful dispute of differences and full participation of all citizens in the conduct of public affairs and in the fair distribution of the vast wealth that characterize that beautiful country.

• We support the proposal made by the Government of Juan Manuel Santos of consulting through a plebiscite the opinion of Colombian society on the current Peace Agreements, and we hope that the result will be a resounding YES. And that as a result will provide the basis for the opening of a new political and social reality in Colombia followed by a call for a Constituent National Assembly.

• We call on all intellectuals, artists and social movements of Our America and of the world to accompany in a decided way this peace process that the people of Colombia desire. We believe that at the same time this process will contribute to stopping the aggressions from foreign powers on Latin American territory and shall constitute an exemplary model to follow as an important step in building a world of peace with justice.

In Our America, September 23, 2016.

To add your name send your endorsement to apoyolapazencolombia@gmail.com

Initial Endorsers for Peace in Colombia

Evo Morales. Presidente del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia

Raúl Sendic, Vicepresidente de la República Oriental de Uruguay

Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Premio Nobel de la Paz, Argentina

Noam Chomsky, escritor, Estados Unidos

Pablo González Casanova, sociólogo, México

Roberto Fernández Retamar, Poeta, ensayista, presidente de la Casa de las Américas, Cuba.

Alfonso Sastre, dramaturgo, País Vasco

Fernando Lugo, ex –Presidente de la República de Paraguay.

Miguel d’Escoto, Pdte. 63va sesión de la Asamblea General de la ONU, Nicaragua

Martín Almada, Premio Nobel Alternativo, Paraguay.

Danny Glover, actor de cine, Estados Unidos

Miguel Barnet, Presidente Unión Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba

Silvio Rodríguez, trovador, Cuba.

Enrique Dussel, filósofo, Premio Libertador al Pensamiento Crítico, Argentina / México

Franz Hinkelammert, economista, Premio Libertador al Pensamiento Crítico, Costa Rica

Itsván Mészáros, filósofo, Premio Libertador al Pensamiento Crítico, Hungría /Reino Unido

Atilio Boron, politólogo, escritor, Premio Libertador al Pensamiento Crítico y miembro de la Secretaria Operativa de la REDH, Argentina

Gianni Vattimo, filósofo, escritor, Italia

Ignacio Ramonet, periodista, fundador de ATTAC y promotor del FSM, Francia

Gustavo Pereira, Poeta, crítico literario, Premio Nacional de Literatura, Venezuela

Theotonio Dos Santos, sociólogo y economista, teórico de la Dependencia, Brasil

Stella Calloni, periodista y escritora. Premio de periodismo José Martí, Argentina

Frei Betto, escritor, teólogo de la liberación, luchador social, Brasil

Joao Pedro Stedile, líder del Movimiento Sin Tierra (MST), Brasil

Bernard Cassen, fundador de ATTAC y director de Le Monde Diplomatique, Francia

François Houtart, sociólogo y teólogo, Bélgica

Marta Harnecker, científica social, Premio Libertador al Pensamiento Crítico, Chile.

Jorge Veraza, filósofo, Premio Libertador al Pensamiento Crítico, México

Carlos Fernández Liria, Filósofo, Premio Libertador al Pensamiento Crítico, España

Héctor Díaz Polanco, Premio Libertador al Pensamiento Crítico, Rep. Dominicana/México

Los cinco héroes cubanos: Antonio Guerrero Rodríguez, Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, Ramón Labañino Salazar, Fernando González Llort, René González Sehwerert

Ismael Clark, Cuba, Presidente de la Academia de Ciencias de Cuba

Juan Luis Martín Chávez, Presidente del Consejo Superior de Ciencias Sociales, Cuba

Bernard Duterme, Director del CETRI, Bélgica

Manuel Cabieses, Director Revista Punto Final, Chile

Mónica Bruckman, socióloga, científica y experta en geopolítica de recursos naturales. Perú

Michael Lebowitz, economista marxista ligado a procesos de cambio de A. Latina, Canadá

Emir Sader, sociólogo y polítólogo, Brasil

Pascual Serrano, periodista, fundador de Rebelion (web) y asesor de Telesur, España

Javier Couso, Eurodiputado, España

Luciano Vasapollo,  economista, profesor, ViceRector Universidad La Sapienza, Roma, Coordinador REDH-Italia, y miembro Secretaría Operativa de la REDH

Camila Vallejo, líder estudiantil, Diputada al Congreso, Chile

Eric Toussaint, porta-voz CADTM internacional, Bélgica

Fernando Buen Abad, Director del Centro Sean Mac Bride, Lanús, Argentina / México

Víctor Flores Olea, profesor, ensayista, analista internacional, diplomático, México.

Ana Jaramillo, Rectora de la Universidad Nacional de Lanús, Argentina

Freddy Ñáñez, Ministro del Poder Popular para la Cultura, Venezuela y Miembro de la Secretaria Operativa de la REDH

Farruco Sesto, arquitecto, Ex – Ministro de la Cultura y de la Vivienda, Venezuela

Pedro Calzadilla, historiador, Ex – Ministro de la Cultura y de la Vivienda, Venezuela

Fidel Barbarito, músico, Ex – Ministro de la Cultura, Venezuela.

Juan Ramón Quintana, Ministro de Presidencia, Bolivia

Reymi Ferreira, Ministro de Defensa, Bolivia

Carlos Romero, Ministro de Gobierno, Bolivia

Luis Arce, Ministro de Economía y Finanzas Públicas, Bolivia

René Orellana, Ministro de Planificación del Desarrollo, Bolivia

Verónica Ramos, Ministra de Desarrollo Productivo y Economía Plural, Bolivia

Roberto Aguilar, Ministro de Educación, Bolivia

Ariana Campero, Ministra de Salud, Bolivia

César Navarro, Ministro de Minería y Metalurgia, Bolivia

Hugo Siles, Ministro de Autonomías, Bolivia

Alexandra Moreira, Ministra de Medio Ambiente y Agua, Bolivia

Luis Alberto Sanchez, Ministro de Hidrocarburos y Energía, Bolivia

Marko Machicao, Ministro de Culturas y Turismo, Bolivia

Marianela Paco, Ministra de Comunicación, Bolivia

Milton Claros, Ministro de Obras Públicas, Servicios y Vivienda, Bolivia

Alfredo Rada, Viceministro de Coordinación con Movimientos Sociales, Bolivia

José Alberto Gonzáles, Presidente de la Cámara de Senadores, Bolivia

Gabriela Montaño, Presidenta de la Cámara de Diputados, Bolivia

Héctor Arce, Procurador del Estado, Bolivia

Carmen Bohórquez, historiadora y filósofa y Coordinadora General Red en Defensa de la Humanidad, Venezuela

Omar González, escritor y periodista cubano, Premio Casa de las Américas, Coordinador REDH-Cuba y miembro de la Secretaria Operativa de la REDH

Ariana López, editora del blog REDH-Cuba y miembro de la Secretaria Operativa de la REDH

Nayar López. Politólogo, latinoamericanista, profesor UNAM, Coord. REDH México y miembro de la Secretaria Operativa de la REDH

Angel Guerra, cronista y analista político, editor y articulista, y miembro de la Secretaria Operativa de la REDH, Cuba / México

Marilia Guimaraes, profesora, activista política, coordinadora REDH Brasil y miembro de la Secretaria Operativa de la REDH

Alicia Jrapko, activista y líder del comité de solidaridad con Cuba, Estados Unidos y miembro de la Secretaria Operativa de la REDH

David Comissiong, fundador del Mov. Clement Payne, Barbados, Coordinador REDH-Caribe y miembro de la Secretaria Operativa de la REDH

Juan Manuel Karg, periodista, analista político, investigador del CCC y miembro de la Secretaria Operativa de la REDH, Argentina

Roger Landa, maestrante en filosofía, equipo promotor cap. Juventud REDH y miembro de la Secretaria Operativa de la REDH, Venezuela

Nora Cortiñas, defensora de los derechos humanos, Madres de Plaza de Mayo, Argentina

Blanca Eeckout, periodista, coordinadora del Polo Patriótico, Venezuela;

Hugo Moldiz, abogado, periodista, ex – ministro de gobierno, asesor presidencial, Coordinador de la REDH-Bolivia y miembro de la Secretaria Operativa de la REDH

Katu Arkonada, escritor, politólogo, miembro de la Secretaria Operativa de la REDH, País Vasco

Juan Carlos Monedero, politólogo, ensayista y político español, España;

Hernando Calvo Ospina, Analista político, Colombia / Francia

Fernando Rendón, poeta, periodista, director del Festival de Poesía de Medellín, Colombia;

Antonio Elías, economista, presidente Soc. Lat. de Economía Política (SEPLA), Uruguay

Eva Golinger, analista política, periodista, Estados Unidos

James Early, antropólogo, Director de Est. Culturales, Smithonian Institute, Estados Unidos

Augusto Zamora, profesor de derecho internacional, ex embajador de Nicaragua en España

Irene León, comunicadora, socióloga y asesora política, Ecuador

Carlos Molina Velásquez, filósofo, columnista, coordinador REDH en El Salvador

Joel Suárez, Cordinador General Centro Memorial Martin Luther King, Cuba

Fernando Martínez Heredia, filósofo y ensayista, Premio Nacional de Cs Sociales, Cuba.

Vicente Feliú, trovador, Cuba.

Javier Biardeau, sociólogo, analista político, Venezuela

Mario Sanoja, antropólogo, escritor, Premio Nacional de Cultura, Venezuela

Iraida Vargas, antropóloga, escritora, Premio Nacional de Cultura, Venezuela

Jorge Sanjinés, director y guionista de cine, ganador del Premio Alba de las Letras, Bolivia.

Gilberto Ríos Mungia, coordinador REDH, Honduras

Luisa Vicioso, poetisa, escritora, República Dominicana

Daniel Viglietti, Cantautor, Uruguay

Michel Collon, escritor, periodista, fundador del colectivo Investig’Action, Bélgica

Gilberto López y Rivas, Antropólogo, columnista de La Jornada, México

Carlos Fazio, analista de asuntos geoestratégicos y políticos, Uruguay /.México

John Saxe-Fernández, escritor, Dr. Estudios Latinoamericanos UNAM, Costa Rica/México

Darío Salinas, sociólogo, coord. de postgrado en Cs. Sociales de la UIA, Chile / México

Rita Martuffi,  investigadora socio-económica, escritrora y directora de Redaccion de las revistas PROTEO y Nuestra América, Italia

Pablo Guadarrama, Filósofo, escritor, Cuba

Ana Esther Ceceña, economista, experta en geopolítica, México

Juan Paz y Miño, historiador, Cronista de la ciudad de Quito, Ecuador

Horacio Cerrutti, filósofo, profesor de la UNAM, Argentina / México

Adamos Katsantonis, compositor, poeta, escritor, Chipre.

Cindy Sheehan, activista antibelicista, Estados Unidos

Medea Benjamin, activista política y escritora, feminista y antibelicista, Estados Unidos

George Ciccariello-Maher, escritor, prof. de Política y Estudios Globales, Estados Unidos

Keith Ellis, escritor, crítico literario, Canadá/Jamaica

Rati Saxena, poeta, directora del Festival Internacional de Poesía de Krytia, India.

Ulrich Schreiber, director del Festival International de Literatura de Berlín, Alemania.

Thomas Wohlfahrt, director del Festival Internacional de Poesía de Berlín, Alemania.

Ekam Manuke, poeta, India.

Ayo Ayoola Amale, poeta, activista por la paz, Ghana.

See other endorsers here

SIGNED ORGANIZATIONS FOR PEACE IN COLOMBIA

Mujeres para el Diálogo, México Secretariado Internacional Cristiano de Solidaridad con América Latina (Sicsal-México), Comité Monseñor Romero (México), Red Nacional de Género y Economía, Movimiento de Solidaridad Nuestra América. Asociación Salvador Allende en México Grupo de Frenteamplistas de Uruguay en México por la Izquierda Grupo de Apoyo al Frente para la Victoria de Argentina en México Coordinadora Mexicana de Solidaridad con Venezuela Movimiento Mexicano de Solidaridad con Cuba Comité Mexicano de Solidaridad con Bolivia Movimiento de Solidaridad Nuestra América Asociación/Elkartean “ Jorge Adolfo Freytter Romero”. Fondation Frantz Fanon, Francia Convocatoria por la Liberación Nacional y Social, Frente Sindical, Argentina Agrupación Martín Fierro (Varela, Mar del Plata y Neuquén), Argentina Agrupación político sindical Tolo Arce, Argentina Centro Cultural “Alejandro Olmos”, Argentina Convocatoria Alte. Brown, Argentina Convocatoria Matanza, Argentina Convocatoria Capital Federal Convocatoria Comunidad campesina Tartagal-Salta Biblioteca Popular Fernando Jara, Cipoletti, Río Negro Organización de Solidaridad de los Pueblos de África, Asia y América Latina (OSPAAAL)

Posted 1 week ago by Cuba-Network in Defense of Humanity