Colombia Partnership

Since the adoption of the Colombia Resolution (01-GS-23) by the 2001 United Church of Christ General Synod 23, the historic Connecticut Conference - a predecessor of the Southern New England Conference - has partnered with the Peace Commission of the Evangelical Council of Colombia. The Peace Commission works with a wide array of churches in Colombia, seeking to build peace and work for human rights in the midst of Colombia’s ongoing armed conflict.

Since the 2001 resolution, the Christian Church/Disciples of Christ and the United Church of Christ, through Global Ministries, have partnered with JustaPaz, a Mennonite organization in Bogota, and the Peace Commission of the Evangelical Council of Colombia.

Read the items at left for recent news and more background on the Colombia partnership.

Contacts: 

• Charlie Pillsbury, New Haven: chapillsburymbb@gmail.com
• Lizette Merchán Pinilla, Tulsa: joshuamer@hotmail.com
• Angel Luis Rivera-Agosto, Indianapolis: arivera@dom.disciples.org

Visit and like our Facebook page: “ACCOMPANYING COLOMBIA.”

 

Why Accompany Colombia?

"Your presence has allowed us to be here in our village and be alive. You give us hope!"

• In 2006, U.S. assistance to Colombia amounted to an estimated USD $728 million, approximately 80% of which was military and police assistance.
• At least 25,000 people were forcibly "disappeared" in Colombia.
• More than 5.7 million people internally displaced.
• Syria: 6.5 million people displaced; Colombia: 5.7 million; Democratic Republic of Congo: 2.9 million; Sudan: 2.4 million.
• More than 27,000 people have been kidnapped, mainly by guerrillas.
• Guerrillas kidnapped 25,482; paramilitary groups kidnapped 2,541.
• More than 11,700 people killed in 1,982 massacres largely perpetrated by paramilitary groups.
• Over 256,000 people newly displaced in 2012.
• More than 16,800 people displaced in mass displacements in 2013. Of those, 73 percent were Afro-Colombian or indigenous.
• 359 people wounded or killed by landmines in 2013. 169 people were registered as forcibly disappeared in 2013. Of those, 10 were found dead; 36 were found alive; 123 remain missing.
• 26 union members assassinated in 2013. 78 human rights defenders assassinated in 2013. [Statistics by Amnesty International and Latin American Working Group.]