Para la versión en español, haz click aqui.
Written by Thomas Power, international accompanier of FOR Peace Presence.

AGC grafiti on the poster with the Peace Community’s principles.

I currently live in a village called “La Unión” as an international accompanier and observer in the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó, located in the mountains of northwest Colombia. Normally, mornings consist of me making coffee while reading the paper and greeting campesinos (small scale farmers) on their way to work. On the morning of September 6th however, there was a tense apprehension behind the “buenos días”, as the community had received news that armed neo-paramilitaries had entered the neighboring village. The neo-paramilitaries were threatening the people living there, including Peace Community members, so the community was organizing volunteers to go verify the situation and make their presence felt.

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Escrito por Thomas Power, acompañante internacional de FOR Presente por la Paz.

Grafiti de Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia (AGC) sobre la valla con los principios de la Comunidad de Paz, abril de 2016.

Actualmente vivo en la vereda La Unión como acompañante y observador internacional en la Comunidad de Paz de San José de Apartadó, ubicada en la región montañosa del Noroeste de Colombia.

Normalmente mis mañanas consisten en hacerme un café mientras leo las noticias y saludo a lxs campesinxs en su camino hacia el trabajo. Sin embargo el día 6 de septiembre, se sentía una tensa preocupación detrás de los “buenos días”, ya que la comunidad se había enterado que neoparamilitares armados habían entrado a la vereda colindante. Los neoparamilitares estaban amenazando a lxs habitantes, incluyendo miembros de la Comunidad de Paz. Decidieron entonces organizar a voluntarixs para ir a verificar la situación y mostrar presencia.

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Para la versión en español, haz clic aquí.

PUBLIC COMMUNIQUÉ

Murder in Buenaventura of human rights defender Emilsen Manyoma, of the CONPAZ network and leader of the Bajo Calima Community Council, together with her partner Joe Javier Rodallega.

Bogotá, 19th January 2017

We wish to share with you our profound sadness and concern over the recent murder in Buenaventura of Emilsen Manyoma, human rights defender with the CONPAZ network and leader of the Bajo Calima Community Council, which we have been accompanying both with the Inter-church Justice and Peace Commission and CONPAZ.

Although the events in question are still under investigation, the Inter-church Justice and Peace Commission has reported that her body, together with that of her partner Joe Javier Rodallega, was found lifeless at dawn on 17^th January in El Progreso neighbourhood of commune 10 in Buenaventura, with her neck slit and multiple stab wounds. Different sources suggest that both had been picked up on Saturday night in a taxi which took them to Las Palmas neighbourhood, where contact with them was lost.

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Asesinato de la defensora de derechos humanos de la red CONPAZ y lideresa del Consejo comunitario del Bajo Calima Emilsen Manyoma, junto con su compañero Joe Javier Rodallega en Buenaventura

Bogotá, el 19 de enero de 2017

Quisiéramos compartirles nuestra profunda tristeza y preocupación por el recién asesinato de Emilsen Manyoma, defensora de derechos humanos de la red CONPAZ y lideresa del Consejo Comunitario del Bajo Calima que hemos venido acompañando tanto con la Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz como con CONPAZ en Buenaventura.

Aunque los hechos están aún en curso de investigación, la Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz ha reportado que su cuerpo, junto con el de su compañero Joe Javier Rodallega, fue encontrado sin vida, degollado y con múltiples heridas de arma blanca el pasado martes 17 de enero, en horas de la madrugada en el Barrio El Progreso, Comuna 10 de Buenaventura. Según diferentes fuentes, ambxs hubieran sido recogidxs el pasado sábado por la noche en un taxi que lxs llevó al barrio Las Palmas y de donde se perdió el contacto con ellxs.

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Para la versión en español, haz clic aquí.

Murder of human rights defender Emilsen Manyoma, of the CONPAZ network and leader of the Bajo Calima Community Council, together with her spouse Joe Javier Rodallega in Buenaventura.

 Dear Sir or Madam,

I trust this finds you well.

I wish to share with you my profound sadness and concern over the recent murder of Emilsen Manyoma, human rights defender with the CONPAZ network and leader of the Bajo Calima Community Council, in Buenaventura.

Although the events in question are still under investigation, the Inter-church Justice and Peace Commission has reported that her body, together with that of her husband Joe Javier Rodallega, was found lifeless, beheaded and with multiple stab wounds yesterday, 17^th January, at dawn in the El Progreso neighbourhood, of commune 10 in Buenaventura. Different sources suggest that both had been picked up on Saturday night in a taxi which took them to Las Palmas neighbourhood, where contact with them was lost.

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