People Transforming Policy

WFP Colombia begins human rights verification mission

2012-02-09T09:14:00.002-05:00

The Witness for Peace International Team in Colombia will be traveling to the northern part of the country this week to take part in an international verification mission.In collaboration with local Afro-descendent, indigenous and campesino communities, as well as with other non-governmental organizations, over 170 participants will document the threats facing rural communities inside and outside

Mexican Human Rights Defender Attacked for Second Time in Two Months

2012-02-07T12:01:00.002-05:00

By Moravia de la OLast Friday February 3rd, activist Norma Andrade was stabbed in the neck while returning to her home in Mexico City. This is the second time in two months that someone has tried to kill her.On December 2nd, 2011, Norma was attacked by a man as she was heading towards her car in Ciudad Juarez. Although she offered her keys and wallet, the man fired at her five times. Fortunately,

Peace Movement in Mexico Launches Multimedia Campaign to “Put Yourself in Another’s Shoes”

2012-02-02T14:11:00.004-05:00

By Moravia de la OThe Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity, headed by renowned poet Javier Sicilia, and the artist collective “El Grito Mas Fuerte” (the Loudest Scream) launched a multimedia campaign on Monday to raise awareness about the human cost of the drug war in Mexico. The campaign, called “En los Zapatos del Otro” (‘In Another’s Shoes”), aims to give voice to the victims of the

Canadian Mining Company Provokes Violence, Death in Oaxaca

2012-01-27T11:09:00.002-05:00

By Carlin Christy, WFP MexicoCommunity residents opposed to a mining operation in the Ocotlán Valley, just south of Oaxaca City, were met with gunfire from local officials last Wednesday January 18th. The attack has left one man dead and another woman injured. Both victims were part of the local coordinating committee that opposes the operation of a silver and gold mine in the community of San

Retorno 360

2012-01-27T10:28:00.003-05:00

By Tony MaciasFormer WFP International Team Member Tony Macias has just finished a short documentary video about a Oaxacan migrant named Inocencio Hernandez. You can watch it at the end of this post. Click here to learn more about Student Action with Farmworkers, the organization that sponsored his project.One of life's big truths is that most things don't matter until they happen to us. From the

How Many is Too Many?

2012-01-17T15:40:00.005-05:00

By: Claudia Ana Rodriguez Early last week, reports surfaced that the Mexican government would not release official data on how many narco related deaths occurred during 2011. The main concern was that releasing the data was a threat to national security. Many journalists and civil society members fired back noting that not releasing the numbers and not making that information public created more

Mi Casa fuera de Mi Casa

2012-01-12T11:48:00.001-05:00

Note: This blog post originally appeared on the Team Nicaragua 2012 blog of a Montclair State University group participating in a WFP delegation to Nicaragua.By: Leah McClishThe experience of staying with families within their community was an opportunity of a lifetime. The community was welcoming and friendly to every single one of us. My home-stay experience was difficult to handle at first,

"Si el dolor puede cambiar la vida de la persona, merece la pena todo el sufrimiento"

2012-01-09T10:16:00.003-05:00

Note: This blog post originally appeared on the Team Nicaragua 2012 blog of a Montclair State University group participating in a WFP delegation to Nicaragua.By: Stephanie D Hola! Soon we'll be off to the mountains to complete our home stays! I'm so excited to see what life will be like once I begin to live with my new family! If its anything like the rest of the delegation has been, it will be

Honduras: "Libertarians" Model Cities and the Resurrection of William Walker

2012-01-06T09:32:00.006-05:00

Written by OFRANEH (Organizacion Fraternal Negra Hondureña) and posted on January 4, 2012.Translated into English by the Witness for Peace Nicaragua Team. For the original Spanish version please visit OFRANEH's blog. This past December 10th, the British magazine, "The Economist" published an article that makes a reference to a memorandum of understanding between the government of Honduras and two

Paying the High Price of Gold

2011-12-01T21:34:00.008-05:00

By Brooke DenmarkWitness for Peace International Team- NicaraguaThis article originally appeared in the Canadian journal Alternatives International.It is no secret that gold mines wreak havoc on the environment. Less widely known is the incredible amount of power free trade agreements have granted to gold-mining corporations to cause this damage. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

Leading Honduran Human Rights Group Rallies Against U.S. Bases

2011-11-16T07:19:00.003-05:00

The following is a release from the Comite de Familias de Detenidos y Desaparecidos de Honduras. All credit for translation attributed to the Friendship Office of the Americas.The first executive order issued by Porfirio Lobo in January 2010 after assuming the presidency following the coup d’état was the authorization of another Gringo military base in Caratasca and an extension in the small

Lessons From Oaxaca to Occupy Movement: A Delegate Reports Back

2011-11-02T16:57:00.003-04:00

By Reid MukaiCAGJ Co-Chair and Delegate on joint CAGJ/Witness for Peace Delegation in September 2011, “Food, Farms, and the Roots of Migration: A journey for food sovereignty to Oaxaca, Mexico”On a sunny late September day in the dry hills of the Mixteca Alta region of Oaxaca State, twelve visiting food activists including myself plus two interpreters are in a small mud-walled hut meeting with

The Drug War and Migration Collide

2011-10-27T11:14:00.006-04:00

By Claudia RodriguezWitness for Peace's Mexico-based International TeamThe biggest news coming out of Mexico is the violence as a consequence of the warring drug trafficking organizations and the Mexican government attempting to dismantle them. The number of people dying and the brutal ways in which they are killed are making headlines. The death toll is nearing 50,000 lives lost since Mexican

Exiled: Honduran Human Rights Defenders and Effects of U.S. Policies

2011-10-26T09:08:00.003-04:00

By Brooke DenmarkWitness for Peace International Team - NicaraguaAfter a meeting with a rural community in Northern Honduras, we were approached by a young man.¨You all are working against militarization?" he asked.He explained that he also works against militarization in the region and as a human rights promoter. He recently exposed a member of the military entangled in drug-trafficking. Since

Think Globally – Act Locally on Immigration!

2011-10-24T16:01:00.001-04:00

By John Clark PeggWitness for Peace – Upper Midwest BoardAs we enter into the final phase of our Upper Midwest speaker tour, Nancy Garcia from Oaxaca and Moravia de la O from our WFP International Team, spent the past few days in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin. They were based in Duluth, Minnesota, a small city and regional center to a population of about 200,000 souls. Duluth, which

"We can neither eat bullets nor guns": the impact of U.S. military aid on Garifuna communities in Honduras

2011-10-20T13:09:00.004-04:00

By Riahl O´Malley and Brooke DenmarkWitness for for Peace International Team - NicaraguaDriving into Triunfo de la Cruz, a Garifuna community on Honduras´ northern coast, things seem normal. Children of all ages are dressed in uniform, making their way to school. Women sit in front of their homes chatting with their neighbors. When we arrive at Teresa Reyes´ house, the secretary of the

A Political Cartoon You’ve Got to See

2011-10-19T08:20:00.003-04:00

By Jess Hunter-BowmanAssociate DirectorWitness for PeaceI have to admit, I am a political junkie. As much as I love a 3,000 word New Yorker piece by Seymour Hersh, a good political cartoon gets me like nothing else.A good political cartoon is pure genius. It takes a complex policy issue and distills it to something I can digest in 30 seconds. It makes you angry and laugh at the same time. It

Record Deportations Tear Families Apart

2011-10-18T08:45:00.005-04:00

By Moravia de la OInternational Team - MexicoWitness for PeaceLast year a record 393,000 immigrants have been deported by the Obama Administration. That means that since President Obama took office, there have been over 1 million immigrants deported.The US government credits the high number of deportations to the growing implementation of its Secure Communities program. Launched in early 2008,

The Untold Stories of Female Migrants

2011-10-17T15:19:00.006-04:00

By Amanda TelloWitness for Peace Delegations AssistantEvery year, thousands of migrants risk their lives on a treacherous journey toward el norte, facing violence, extortion, kidnapping and discrimination. However, female migrants face a heightened risk of exploitation in the form of sexual violence and trafficking at the hands of many groups: criminal gangs, corrupt officials, law enforcement,

FTA- Not OK!

2011-10-14T06:22:00.001-04:00

By Paul MagnoFinance & Operations Director, Witness for PeaceLast month, the President spent Labor Day in Detroit talking to union workers (and unemployed not-quite workers) about “Jobs, jobs, jobs.” Next, he spoke to Congress, and pitched the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) as job-producers, applauded by Republicans and Democrats alike.The other day he didn’t get his jobs bill, but last night he

Foreign Direct Invasion: What “Free Trade” means for small producers

2011-10-13T08:47:00.003-04:00

By Riahl O'MalleyWitness for Peace International Team - NicaraguaIn Spanish, the verb “invadir” can mean a number of things: to encroach, to overwhelm, or to invade or attack. This is the verb that Maria Selina Valladares, co-founder of a small womens’ sewing cooperative operating out of Somoto, Nicaragua used to describe the role of big producers in Nicaragua under the Dominican Republic -

Faces of Migration: Those Left Behind

2011-10-12T09:11:00.007-04:00

By Carlin ChristyWitness for Peace International Team - MexicoPetra Juarez has six children living in the US who she hasn't seen in years. One of her sons, Paz, came home to southern Veracruz four years ago. This was after working many low-paying, grueling jobs for eight years in various states across America. The modest house where we met Petra was built with the money Paz had earned and sent

Lessons from a Canine Immigrant

2011-10-11T08:44:00.009-04:00

By Sara JosephCommunications Associate, Witness for PeaceDuring the year-and-a-half that I worked in Nicaragua with Witness for Peace, I lived less than two blocks from the U.S. Embassy. The colossal building is sandwiched between agencies that advertise help secure a “visa for a dream.” And long before the day heats up, the line for visa interviews extends well onto the sidewalk in front of

Refueling a Vicious Cycle

2011-10-11T07:50:00.007-04:00

By Bart EvansCoalition Coordinator, Student Action with FarmworkersIn the 17 years since NAFTA went into effect, agribusiness seems bent on continuing to insist that Free-trade Agreements are the answer to our current agrarian woes. Just days ago, Larry Wooten, President of the NC farm bureau, published an opinion piece calling for the acceleration and expansion of free-trade agreements with

Fleeing an unsecure world, only to come to one that you still feel unsafe in!

2011-10-07T08:58:00.001-04:00

By Emmy AnderssonIntern, Witness for PeaceHave you ever thought, “I am glad I was born here, I am glad I was born in a family that could give me food, safety and opportunity in life?” If you have, you are lucky. Unfortunately, not everyone can say that.I think that every mother wants their children to have that safe childhood or at least that when they grow up, a chance in life that they never

Transforming Guilt and Shame into Action and Community

2011-10-06T13:55:00.003-04:00

By Jeanine LegatoWitness for Peace International Team - Colombia We were in our hotel in Cali, Colombia debriefing the days events of a barbeque and charla with the parents of Jhonny Silva Aranguren and Katherine Soto. Over the course of the afternoon, we’d eaten grilled meat and plantains and swung contentedly in hammocks. Then we settled down to the business of hearing the circumstances of

Upper Midwest Speaker Tour on Migration Hits the Ground Running

2011-10-05T14:35:00.004-04:00

By John PeggBoard of Directors, Witness for Peace Upper Midwest RegionNancy Garcia, Administrator of the Center for the Orientation of Migrants in Oaxaca (COMI), along with Mexico-based WFP staffer Moravia de la O arrived this weekend to begin their month-long speaker tour in the WFP Upper Midwest region. Their arrival prompted a kick-off conference on immigration Sunday evening in Minneapolis.

When children are too scared to go to school, something is terribly wrong

2011-10-03T19:57:00.002-04:00

By Jess Hunter-BowmanAssociate Director, Witness for PeaceOur immigration system is broken. There is no denying it now.When states like Alabama and Arizona are left to set the agenda for immigration policy, the results are laws that turn police officers into de facto immigration officials and laws that turn public schools into places of fear.After Alabama’s harsh immigration law was upheld by

La Gotita Sobre el Acero: a poem in English and Spanish

2011-10-02T17:42:00.005-04:00

By Franciso "Chavo Romero" They call me El Chavo, and I was born and raised on the coastal city of Chiques (aka Oxnard, CA), territorio ocupado del Pueblo Chumash.I am an organizer in the barrio... organizando spaces of resistance with la gente de abajo y a la izquierda against repression in all its forms. Soy indigena, descendant of various pueblos orginarios on this continent, Guachichile,

Mexico’s Caravan for Peace Unites Voices of Resistance in Oaxaca

2011-09-16T13:21:00.012-04:00

By the Mexico-based International Team“Today confusion, fear, distrust, shamelessness, fraud, death, and impunity reign. But in our stubbornness, hope has not died. We have had it up to here with this senseless war that has Mexico wounded and covered in a sea blood. We can no longer stand the hunger, poverty, violence. We live in an emergency, without justice, without government, but no evil is

Oaxacan Mass Honors 97th World Day of Migrants

2011-09-09T12:47:00.007-04:00

By the Mexico-based International TeamOn Saturday September 3rd, the WFP Mexico Team attended a special Mass for Migrants in Oaxaca. We were joined by a number of our partner organizations and several migrants staying at the local shelter, where we heard testimonials from migrants and a homily that urged all of us to act in defense of those who are forced from home.Click here for voices from

Small Victory in the Struggle Against Dole, Thousands Still Waiting for Justice

2011-09-08T11:50:00.011-04:00

By Brooke DenmarkInternational Team - NicaraguaLast Thursday there was a rare excitement in the air when we met with the group of former banana plantation workers camped outside the Nicaraguan National Assembly. For almost 20 years, workers suffering from medical conditions due to their exposure to a dangerous pesticide popularly known as Nemagon have been struggling to receive compensation from

Martha Receives a New Death Threat

2011-09-01T12:47:00.006-04:00

By Jeanine Legato International Team - Colombia At 9:30 in the evening of August 23rd, Martha Giraldo, Technical Secretary of the Movement of Victims of State Crimes (MOVICE) in the Valle de Cauca province, received a death threat via text message from a well-known paramilitary group, the Black Eagles: "You will die, you communists, you concealed FARC supporters...We are the Black Eagles, a new

Support Jobs and Unions This Labor Day: Three Reasons to Tell Congress to Vote "No" on New Free Trade Agreements

2011-09-01T10:14:00.006-04:00

By Christine Goffredo International Team - Nicaragua Last week President Obama stated: “Let’s pass trade deals to level the playing field for our businesses…These are common sense ideas – ideas that have been supported by both Democrats and Republicans. The only thing holding them back is politics…That’s what’s holding this country back. That’s what we have to change.”There are certainly a lot

Reports on Violence in Bajo Aguan Fail to Capture Complexity of Conflict

2011-08-19T16:05:00.004-04:00

By the Witness for Peace International Team, Nicaragua Early this week, several major news outlets ran stories concerning continued violence in the Bajo Aguan region of Honduras. The current Lobo administration in Honduras increased military presence in the area over the last few days following several violent attacks that left close to a dozen people dead. While it is important to draw

Migrant’s Dream of Reaching the U.S. Cut Short in Mexico

2011-08-16T08:17:00.014-04:00

By Carlin Christy International Team - Mexico Like many other Central Americans, nineteen-year-old Julio Fernando Cardona Agustín left behind his loved ones and his home in Guatemala in search of better opportunities in the United States. Originally from a village in the eastern part of the country, Julio Fernando was indigenous Mam. His Spanish was limited, which would present an additional

Rural Families and the Roots of Migration: on the Road in Veracruz

2011-08-02T09:22:00.011-04:00

By Tony MaciasInternational Team - MexicoI'm talking with men and women in Coyolito, Veracruz, and I don't think I should be here.It's not the weather that's getting to me. Even with 90 degree heat and 100% humidity, my documentary partner Kate and I are still hanging in there.It's not the distance we traveled, either, even if it took an overnight bus and a two-hour truck ride to get here.

"We Returned Home Changed:" Reflections on the 2011 Teen Delegation to Nicaragua

2011-08-01T15:22:00.003-04:00

Gail Phares, one of Witness for Peace's founders and the organization's Southeast Regional Organizer, leads an annual teen delegation to Nicaragua. Here are some reflections from 2011's participants on their recent experience. “When you return to the United States you will not be the same,” Yamileth Perez told us as we visited the Chureca – the Managua dump in Acuhualinca. Yamileth used to

On the Migrant Trail in Veracruz and Oaxaca

2011-07-15T12:53:00.005-04:00

By Tony MaciasInternational Team - MexicoWitness for PeaceWhile in the Mexican state of Veracruz this week, Witness for Peace’ s Mexico-based International Team visited a small shelter where we met Central American migrants with firsthand accounts of how perilous the migrant journey has become for those traveling north through Mexico.“We ran from the Zetas, and now we don't have the courage to

Those Left Behind: Supporting Migrant Families in Acayucan, Veracruz

2011-07-15T12:25:00.010-04:00

By Carlin J. ChristyInternational Team - MexicoWitness for PeaceFriday nights are always busy at the bus stations in Mexico. Overnight travel is often preferred to day travel, as passengers can save on lodging expenses and arrive bright and early in their next destination. It was with this plan in mind that fellow International Team member Tony Macias, photographer Kate Fenner and I boarded a

51 Coffins in Front of the White House: Protesting the Free Trade Agreement with Colombia

2011-07-13T12:55:00.005-04:00

By Courtney JohnsonWitness for Peace Intern - Washington, D.C.I had been working for Witness for Peace for less than a week when I arrived in Lafayette Park for the July 11th protest against the Free Trade Agreement with Colombia. Although I have participated in local activists movements, this was my very first time in front of the White House itself.After a couple hours of preparation, I found

Honduras: Two Years After Military Coup, U.S.-Backed Repression Continues

2011-06-28T13:32:00.007-04:00

By Riahl O'MalleyInternational TeamWitness for PeaceTwo years ago today, Manuel Zelaya, then the democratically-elected president of Honduras, was forcibly ousted by the Honduran National Guard. The Obama Administration initially denounced the illegal coup as a threat to democracy in the region. Three months later Porifio Lobo was voted president in elections many considered illegitimate. Lobo

Voices Against the Free Trade Agreement with Colombia

2011-06-09T10:46:00.002-04:00

We all know that the debate over the proposed free trade agreement with Colombia is hot in Washington right now. But what are people in Colombia saying? Witness for Peace's Colombia-based International Team is filming a series of testimonies from their partners on the ground. Here's the first installation:

War on Drugs Has Failed, Declares High-Profile Commission

2011-06-08T08:06:00.003-04:00

By Kelly MillerWitness for Peace InternThose of you who follow Witness for Peace’s work know that the drug war has failed to reduce drug production and the violence associated with drug trafficking. For over a decade, Witness for Peace has called for an end to the failed drug war policies of militarization and incarceration and for a more humane drug policy at home and abroad.Now, in a stunning

Zelaya is back - but the human rights crisis in Honduras continues

2011-06-01T16:21:00.006-04:00

The Organization of American States has readmitted Honduras to the association, two years after the military coup that led to widely disputed elections and deteriorating human rights conditions.The vote came just three days after deposed president Mel Zelaya's return to the country, a deal brokered primarily by the presidents of Venezuela and Colombia. It also comes in the midst of an escalating

Back from the Campo

2011-05-25T12:03:00.002-04:00

This week students from the College of New Jersey's Bonner Center for Civic and Community Engagement are in Nicaragua with a Witness for Peace delegation. This is a direct account from those students.I can not believe that this trip is already coming to an end. It seems like just yesterday I was packing up the car to head to Newark airport. I know I have not written too much since the beginning

"I came home with a sense of hope, love, energy, happiness, and peace, knowing that I could take a stand and create positive change in my life."

2011-05-24T12:07:00.003-04:00

By Cecilia GreggLast summer I had the opportunity to travel to Colombia on a delegation with Witness for Peace (WFP), a politically independent, grassroots organization of people committed to nonviolence, peace, justice, sustainable economies, and policy changes in the Americas. Currently, there are hundreds of displaced farmers in the communities of Pueblo Nuevo, Alto Guayabal, Las Camelias,

Nicaragua: "There is so much the world can learn from you. There is so much I have learned from you."

2011-05-20T14:45:00.002-04:00

This week students from the College of New Jersey's Bonner Center for Civic and Community Engagement are in Nicaragua with a Witness for Peace delegation. This is a direct account from those students.Today I found a little bit of peace… in a place with a very uncertain future, filled with big hearts and hopeful spirits. Nicaragua. I came to visit you with no expectations, with no idea, but with

Celebrating Justice with the Guzman family

2011-05-19T15:18:00.003-04:00

By Kelly MillerWitness for Peace InternPedro, Emily and Logan Guzman have reason to celebrate today. And all the Witness for Peace supporters from across the country that have stood up for the Guzman family should celebrate as well.After over a year and a half spent in Lumpkin, Georgia’s Stewart Detention Center, Pedro is home. On May 16, after three tense hours of testimony and deliberation in

Environmental Lessons from a Witness for Peace Delegation to Nicaragua

2011-05-18T10:19:00.002-04:00

Last year a University of Portland student said that before joining a Witness for Peace delegation, "I was not politically aware, but going on this trip has opened my eyes. It has motivated me to be more aware and keep updated on what's going on in the world."Now you can follow the experiences of 2011 University of Portland delegates to Nicaragua live.It's Madie P. and Colton! We thought that

The Campo Homestay: "It's outside our comfort zone but stepping out for 3 days and embracing it is the way to go!"

2011-05-18T08:50:00.001-04:00

This week students from the College of New Jersey's Bonner Center for Civic and Community Engagement are in Nicaragua with a Witness for Peace delegation. This is a direct account from those students.It's day 3 in Nicaragua and everything is so far so good. Nicaragua this year has been great thus far. When I arrived here I wondered if I was going to have a similar experience then the last time I

"We Were Given $2 to Spend on Food for a Family of Six"

2011-05-16T14:41:00.000-04:00

This week students from the College of New Jersey's Bonner Center for Civic and Community Engagement are in Nicaragua with a Witness for Peace delegation. This is a direct account from those students.Today was a very interesting day. Each day of our delegation we will be doing a quick reflection or check in on how everyone is feeling. This exercise allows us to speak without interference from

Traveling to Nicaragua Tomorrow!

2011-05-14T23:14:00.005-04:00

This week students from the College of New Jersey's Bonner Center for Civic and Community Engagement are in Nicaragua with a Witness for Peace delegation. This is a direct account from those students.Right now, it is May 14th at 10:30PM in NJ and I am sitting in the TCNJ Bonner Center writing this blog post. You might think it is a bit unusual for me to be in the Bonner Center at such an obscure

"These past two days have undoubtedly changed the way that I see the world, and I can't wait to see what the next few days hold."

2011-05-13T15:01:00.002-04:00

Live from Mexico City: the No + Sangre march

2011-05-09T11:28:00.010-04:00

By Tony MaciasInternational Team - MexicoWitness for PeaceFor the past three days, thousands of Mexicans have been marching toward Mexico City to call for an end to the violence and impunity that have ravaged this country for several years. I could feel a collective sense of anticipation yesterday morning as we assembled in the southern end of Mexico City to complete the final leg of the historic

Live from Oaxaca: Mass Mobilization against the Drug War

2011-05-08T19:17:00.001-04:00

By Claudia Ana Rodriguez and Carlin ChristyInternational Team - MexicoWitness for PeaceQueremos escuelas, queremos trabajos, queremos hospitales, no queremos militares! (We want schools, we want jobs, we want hospitals, we don’t want military!)This chant was heard in the Oaxaca City zócalo on Sunday, May 8th. A local march was held in coordination with poet and journalist Javier Sicilia’s

Second Major Peace March in Mexico is Mobilizing

2011-05-05T10:58:00.004-04:00

“Estamos hasta la madre!” ("We’ve had it up to here!") By Claudia Ana RodriguezInternational Team - MexicoWitness for PeaceThe chant was heard throughout Mexico last month in a series of marches occurring all over the country, crying out for an end to the violence endured in Mexico due to the U.S.-backed Mexican military’s anti drug efforts. This attitude is apparent throughout the country

Embattled Honduran Radio Station Reaches First Birthday

2011-04-14T12:11:00.011-04:00

“The security forces have the power and the weapons. What do we have? Our voices?” Noelia Nuñez, Honduran human rights lawyer Today marks the one-year anniversary of La Voz de Zacate Grande, a community-run radio station reporting on a violent land dispute in southern Honduras. The communities of the Peninsula of Zacate Grande have been struggling to obtain legal title to their land for eleven

Photos from the Peace March in Oaxaca, Mexico

2011-04-08T18:46:00.013-04:00

On April 6, 2011 protests erupted throughout Mexico, calling for an end to the violence and for the U.S.-backed Mexican military to end its role in anti-drug efforts.Witness for Peace's Mexico-based International Team documented the march in Oaxaca.

UN Urges the Mexican Government to Stop Using the Army in Anti-Drug Operations; Mexican Society Marches for an End to the Failed Drug War

2011-04-06T10:56:00.004-04:00

By Moravia de la OInternational Team - MexicoWitness for PeaceThis evening thousands of demonstrators will take to the streets all over Mexico in an outright rejection of the current drug war strategy that has already claimed the lives of almost 35,000 people.The protest comes on the heels of a report on enforced or involuntary disappearances in which the United Nations urged President Felipe

Today: International Day of Action in Solidarity with Honduras

2011-03-30T16:08:00.004-04:00

By Brooke Denmark, Christine Goffredo and Riahl O'MalleyInternational Team - NicaraguaWitness for PeaceIn Tegucigalpa teachers, students, parents and concerned citizens are protesting a proposed law that would pave the way for the privatization of education. Honduran military and police have responded to the peaceful protests with a brutal crackdown. Many protesters have been injured and one

The Inter-American Development Bank Meets in Canada: Development-Induced Displacement not on the Agenda

2011-03-24T17:42:00.009-04:00

By Riahl O'MalleyInternational Team - NicaraguaWitness for PeaceThe Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean. Today bank ministers, bureaucrats, corporate executives and (some) civil society representatives are meeting in Calgary, Alberta for its annual meeting.The Program of Activities displays a variety of

The Truth Commission vs. the True Commission: a report from Witness for Peace in Honduras

2011-03-22T12:34:00.007-04:00

By Brooke DenmarkInternational Team - NicaraguaWitness for PeaceThe official Honduran Truth Commission has finished its investigations into the events leading up to and surrounding the coup on June 28, 2009. The Commission is set to release its report shortly before the next meeting of the Organization of the American States (OAS) in June. The U.S. State Department has been pushing for the

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Resigns; Human Rights Activists Say, “Fire the Merida Initiative!”

2011-03-21T18:40:00.003-04:00

By Moravia de la OInternational Team - MexicoWitness for PeaceOn Saturday evening, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the resignation of the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Carlos Pascual. Responding to negative statements from President Felipe Calderon and tension generated by cables published by Wikileaks, Carlos Pascual decided to step down in order “to ensure the strong relationship

Honduran Teacher Killed During Military Repression of Peaceful Protest

2011-03-19T21:56:00.010-04:00

By Christine GoffredoInternational Team - NicaraguaWitness for PeaceYesterday in Honduras’ capital city of Tegucigalpa, members of teachers’ unions, parents students, and members of the National Popular Resistance Front staged a peaceful protest. When military and police forces turned against the protesters, schoolteacher and human rights activist Ilsy Ivania Velázquez Rodriquez was killed after

Free Trade's Winners and Losers in Latin America

2011-03-18T12:45:00.001-04:00

Scrapping tariffs can hurt poor farmers, and a deal with Colombia might boost coca production.By Jess Hunter-BowmanPresident Barack Obama is traveling to Latin America, seeking refuge from budget battles at home by promoting increased trade with countries across the region. During his trip to Chile, Brazil, and El Salvador, he's expected to highlight the benefits of so-called "free trade" to U.S.

Oaxacans Protecting Land and Culture: Citizens' March in Defense of the Rio Verde

2011-03-17T13:02:00.012-04:00

By Tony MaciasInternational Team - MexicoWitness for Peace“A river dies when a dam is built!” Cenobio Chavez called into a megaphone at the head of Monday's march in coastal Oaxaca.On March 14, the International Day against Dams, thousands gathered in the city of Pinotepa Nacional to protest a proposed hydroelectric dam in the nearby Rio Verde, one of the most important rivers in Oaxaca. Cenobio

The Elephant in the Room with Obama and Calderón

2011-03-04T19:46:00.002-05:00

By Moravia de la OInternational Team - MexicoWitness for PeaceAmid rising tensions between their governments, yesterday Presidents Obama and Calderón addressed the small problems while ignoring the elephant in the room: the U.S.-backed war on drugs is failing. The presidents reiterated their commitment to continue current anti-drug strategies.From the beginning of his presidency in 2006,

Dreams of "Trabajo Digno" on International Migrants Day

2010-12-15T17:50:00.004-05:00

By Amanda JordanShe holds her dreams close. Close like the brown earth that creeps under her fingernails, close like the morning dew soaking through her shirt.She begins the season in Texas, in Arizona, or in California. She harvests grapefruit, lettuce, or oranges. In the spring: cantaloupes or onions in Texas. In the summer, corn detasseling and seed sorting in Indiana or Iowa. Fall: apples in

Open and Shut: a Case of Hypocrisy and the Honduran Coup

2010-12-09T17:56:00.004-05:00

By Brooke Denmark, Witness for Peace International TeamLeaked State Department cables recently shed light on what was going on behind the scenes when Washington pretended to deliberate over whether or not what happened on June 28, 2009 was in fact an illegal military coup. The classified report filed by the U.S. embassy in Tegucigalpa was called “Open and Shut: the Case of the Honduran Coup.”“

Colombians and U.S. Ex-Pats Gather in Solidarity to Demand the Closure of Georgia’s SOA/WHINSEC

2010-11-23T12:19:00.003-05:00

By Andrea Bachmann, Witness for Peace InternThis past weekend, as thousands of protesters came together in Georgia to call for the closure of the U.S. Army’s School of the Americas (SOA)/WHINSEC, Colombians, too, were taking action at home. On Friday, Colombian and U.S. activists kicked things off with a march at the U.S. embassy in Bogotá. U.S. citizens delivered a letter urging Ambassador

Colombian Minorities Develop Policy Proposals for the New Santos Administration

2010-10-18T17:08:00.005-04:00

By Andrea BachmannLast weekend more than 17,000 people gathered at Bogota’s National University for the inaugural meeting of the Congreso de los Pueblos - the “Peoples’ Congress.” Known as the Minga in previous years, the event was originally established in 2008 to unite indigenous groups from different regions in a shared struggle for their cultural and traditional rights.This year, organizers

Students and Musicians Support Colombian Sugar Cane Workers

2010-10-07T12:04:00.007-04:00

by Andrea BachmannIn Bogotá this past Sunday, October 3rd, student organizers joined several music groups and social organizations to host a concert in support of Valle de Cauca sugar cane workers who are facing judicial proceedings for the 2008 strike against unjust working conditions.During the strike on June 14, 2008, over 18,000 sugar cane cutters and their families organized to demand fair

Support Teachers in Honduras

2010-08-27T14:05:00.006-04:00

On Thursday, August 5, members of Honduran teacher’s organizations from across the country began filtering into Tegucigalpa to participate in a nation-wide teachers' strike. The teachers left their classrooms in order to pressure Porfirio Lobo’s government to replace an estimated 4 billion lempira (approximately $210 million) that had disappeared from Inpremah (the National Institute for the

New Report Links U.S. Aid to Human Rights Violations in Colombia

2010-08-24T13:51:00.003-04:00

The Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) has released a new report on U.S. military assistance to Colombia and its association with human rights abuses in that country.According to the report, "U.S. military aid flowing to Colombia is having a direct, negative effect on the human rights of Colombians." In particular, the report links U.S. military aid to instances of extrajudicial killings.Based

A Partial Victory for Immigrants’ Rights

2010-08-12T19:51:00.007-04:00

By Beth Baker-CristalesThe infamous law SB 1070 took effect in Arizona on July 29th with some key provisions of the law blocked by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton in response to arguments by the U.S. Justice Department. For example, provisions requiring police officers to check the immigration status of people they believe are involved in criminal activity as well as the requirement to check the

Human Rights Backlog Illustrate Concerns about a Free Trade Agreement between the U.S. and Colombia

2010-08-05T17:38:00.007-04:00

By Denny ScottThe Washington Post recently commented on the startling backlog of Colombian human rights cases. Our congressional representatives should take note as they consider whether or not to persue a U.S.-Colombian Free Trade Agreement. While the Colombian government claims success in prosecuting human rights violations there are many thousands of cases that are being ignored or

Seeing migration from the bottom up...

2010-07-28T14:10:00.003-04:00

By Sarah MonroeIn the United States, the controversy over immigration is heating up. In my own community in rural Washington state, there is fear that immigrants are taking jobs from an already severely depressed economy and a suspicion of foreigners who are changing the demographic of a predominately white community. I came on this delegation after several years of research, interviews and

The Senselessness of Hate

2010-07-27T17:34:00.004-04:00

by Mark StevensI recently saw an article on abcnews.com that investigates whether Arizona law SB1070 has sparked or intensified anti-immigrant sentiments and violence. As I read about the growing number of these hate crimes, I immediately thought about those people I have met here in Nicaragua who have told me why they decided to venture to the U.S. illegally. With these stories in mind, the

Delegation to Mexico: Learning from the Heart

2010-07-23T14:41:00.004-04:00

By Arnie AlpertDon Gregorio was one of the first people our Witness for Peace group met in San Juan Sosola, a small village in the Mixteca region of Oaxaca. One of the first things he told us was a story about a young woman from the village who had died in Los Angeles without her family being able to contact her.You don’t even have to scratch the surface in Oaxaca to learn something about

Calling all activists for our annual Roots of Migration campaign!

2010-07-15T15:08:00.004-04:00

With each passing day, the joint demands for just immigration reform and just trade reform grow increasingly urgent. To unite and advance these twin struggles, our upcoming fall campaign will boldly connect the dots between unjust trade and forced migration. The next two months provide an opportunity for immigrant rights activists, trade activists, unionists, students, people of faith and all

Searching for the “American Dream”and falling victim to the “American Nightmare”

2010-07-09T11:27:00.007-04:00

At a recent workshop for migrants and their families that Servicio Jesuita para los Migrantes hosted in rural Nicaragua, one of the participants was willing to share his tragic, but not uncommon, story. Pedro has four children, and like any father, he wants the best for them. He knows that having an education gives them a chance to escape from the poverty that afflicts his home country, but his

Mexico Supports Lawsuit Against the SB 1070

2010-07-01T20:51:00.003-04:00

Mexico has formally offered its support for the lawsuit being put forth by a wide list of civil rights organizations calling on the Supreme Court of Arizona to declare SB 1070 unconstitutional. The announcement followed a visit to the U.S. where Calderó