We are all returning home after the Women of Courage delegation. It has been a rich and deep experience – unforgettable. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to travel with these amazing women and to get a glimpse of Colombia through their eyes. I also appreciated working with my colleague John, who shares a commitment to Colombia and to women’s rights. It was so powerful to hear women who have experience colonization, discrimination and violence in their own context and who are working for healing and change in their own communities, speak to Colombian women about their shared experience. Some of us have spent over sixty hours on the bus during this trip to Colombia, traveling to Narino and Buenventura and accompanying women from these communities in buses to the international women’s gathering in Barrancabermeja. Although I have been to Colombia several time over the past ten years, I have never had this experience.

It was incredibly moving to hear delegates make connections to their own experiences and contexts. Jill spoke about the similarities in the importance of women and land to Indigenous communities in Canada:

Women are the heart of the land. When women are dispersed the people become poor and scattered. 500 Aboriginal women have gone missing and nothing is being done. The men who committed these crimes are never called to account and the memories of these crimes are being erased. The similarities to the struggles of other women is encouraging us to take action.

At one point in the delegation Yolanda said:

Basically, the reason I decided not to “chicken out” of this delegation, is because we went through some of the same violence in Canada. I am glad to be here.

Vernie reflected the similarities with the Philippines: “ I am a delegate here, but these issues of militarization,development repression, resources extraction are also my issues”. Theresa spoke about the similarities with her work with women who have experienced violence in her communities, denouncing these violations to the police and ensuring justice is served, but also the need for healing. Cora reflected on her experiences with poverty in the Philippines, in Canada and in Colombia. Marie Do spoke from the experience of social movements in Quebec and Colombia and expressed surprise that despite grave concerns about human rights impacts, the Canadian Parliament passed the Free Trade Agreement in June.

I felt very proud of the delegation during our meeting with the Canadian Embassy on our last day. Delegates spoke about their experiences and the testimonies they had heard, relating them to their own experience. They also brought forward concrete recommendations and the messages we had heard from partners including the need for the Embassy to visit the regions and partners, the need for Canada to support international human rights missions to Colombia, the need to ensure that that the voices we heard are reflected in Canadian policy, the need for Canada to support a negotiated solution to the armed conflict in Colombia that includes women’s voices. There was a depth and humanity in this meeting. I think because officials were hearing from women who had themselves experienced violence, displacement and poverty and were working for change in their own communities.

In the last ten years I have learned so much from partners in Colombia, including the Organizacion Femenina Popular (OFP), about human rights violations, abuse and impunity in Colombia, but also about movement building, resistance with a feminine face and about hope. I wanted to be able to share this with other women – human rights defenders in their own communities. In planning the delegation we made a concerted effort to involve women who do not usually get the opportunity to travel and have these experiences outside their communities. I think we created a unique delegation which will have an impact that will go well beyond the women who participated. At one point Yolanda commented, “ A lot of times our reserves hear things last. We don’t get the opportunity for this firsthand experience.” I think if we want to make real change and create genuine solidarity, we need to reverse this trend.

I feel like this is a beginning. We have begun to get to know each others, to understand each other contexts and to understand Colombia. There is a depth of relationship and great potential. In our meeting on the last night we talked about follow up and several concrete actions were proposed including a commitment to do presentations, to meet with MPs, to write a comprehensive report to be launched on November 25- the International Day to End Violence against Women. Vernie proposed a women of courage delegation to the Philippines. We talked about a delegation to Canada.

On the last night Yolanda said, “ I feel like I left a little piece of my heart everywhere I went in Colombia”. This is the beginning of deep solidarity and ongoing commitment. The communities and women we met with asked us not to forget them to bring their testimonies and realities to Canada. I feel like there is a strong commitment within the delegation to do this and to continue to accompany these communities.

This is only a beginning.

This blog entry was written by CORA DE LA PENA

I feel fortunate to be invited by KAIROS to participate in this Women of Courage project. I feel so privileged to be able to accompany the women in Colombia. In the beginning I did not have much of an idea of what “Women of Courage” was, but I thought this would be the right time in my life, and thus I grabbed the opportunity without a second thought.

I arrived in Bogota August 29, 2010, and met up with another delegate from the Philippines, Vernie. We left Bogota the next day to Barrancabermeja.

The last few days in Barrancabermeja have been overwhelming for me.  The two day gathering was eye opening.  I heard the  voices of women and their struggles against rape, displacement and abuse.  As an advocate for migrant women in Canada, I have watched migrant women struggle because of unfair policies and regulations imposed by the government. I thought of this when I heard the struggle of women here in Colombia, especially the struggle of Indigenous women.  I had the opportunity to shake hands with them and I felt their purity and sincerity.  My heart went out to them and I pray that they will win their battle to beable to keep their land for their granchildren and the grandchildren of their grandchildren.  I totally support the women in Colombia against militarization.  On August 23, we went to Puerto Salgar where there was a vigil in front of the biggest military base in Colombia.

On August 24, 2010 at 3am, we arrived at the town of Giron. It reminds me of old town in the Philippines, the town of Ilocos Nortes – very Spanish Colonial. In the morning we met with Oganizacion Feminina Popular (OFP) for our round table meeting. We strategized and talked about recommendations to bring to the Canadian Embassy in Bogota.

After the roundtable, the OFP brought us to visit three communities. We met with locals in the neighbourhood, Espana. I was moved by their hospitality. They prepared lunch for us. The first question I asked Manuel, counselor for this municipality, was whether there was a public school in Espana. There wasn’t, nor was there a health centre. I asked myself a question: why would their government deny school for children? Why would their government deny education for children? Education is supposed to be for everyone.

The second place we went to was Las Nieves, we visited 6 families who live together in a very, very small place. There are 40 people there with one washroom. These families are marginalized and overlooked by their government. I saw indescribable poverty, my heart was overwhelmed. I felt ashamed, guilty and I could not stop crying, I had to leave the forum as I was embarrassed. It reminded me of 25 years ago when I left the Philippines but I must say that I thought I knew what poverty was, but perhaps not. I know when I go back to Toronto, I will do the best I can to share my experience. I truly believe that by making the world aware of what is happening here in Colombia, we will make a difference.

I would like to thank Diego and Dorothy for their effort as an interpreters.

By Theresa Halkett

We the Indigenous peoples that are representing Canada on this tour are very thankful to be here. It has been very moving over the past three days; it hurts us so much to see what the Colombian government has done to the people of this country. I am so fortunate that our leaders worked for our treaty rights, yet the Canadian government is still trying to break our rights. I often use the phrase “why I am the way I am!” because of my childhood, parenting, language, and most of all the Indigenous in me; but I am glad that our leaders worked for our rights. But it is not yet where the nations of Colombia are at today. I want to thank the Women of Courage and KAIROS for inviting us to come on this tour. We will continue to pray for everyone in wonderful friendly country, and hope that they find peace soon.

Par Marie-Dominik Langlois
L’ouverture de la délégation a débuté à Bogota, le 16 août, avec la rencontre pré-mission des observatrices et observateurs internationaux. Près d’une centaine de femmes étaient réunies, provenant de différents pays (Espagne, Pérou, Brésil, Honduras, Canada, Québec, etc.) et de nombreux secteurs de la société civile (environnement, juridique, droits humains, femmes, autochtones, médias alternatives, œcuménique, paysans, etc.).

Bien que provenant d’origines et de milieux socio-économiques différents, ces femmes avaient tous en commun leur combat pour la justice sociale et la paix.

Le 17 août à midi pile, après un dîner pris en 5 minutes en écoutant attentivement entre 2 bouchées les directives de José du Processus des communautés noires (PCN), John et Marie-Do, accompagnés de Clarisse de la Marche des femmes du Brésil et de Mercedes de la Marche des femmes du Pérou, ont quitté rapidement pour prendre leur avion à 13 h pour se rendre à la côte pacifique. Dans le voyage de Bogota à Cali, une dame nous a invités à sortir dans les discothèques avec elle. Cali est réputée pour être la capitale de la salsa. Lorsque nous lui avons dit que nous allions à Buenaventura, elle nous a répondu : ‘A Buenaventura, il y a beaucoup de fruits de mer. Mais il y a aussi beaucoup de Noirs…. Peut-être que vous allez quand même trouver des choses intéressantes à faire.’

Le racisme et la ségrégation sont omniprésents dans la ville. La population noire est en effet très importante. Les Afro-Colombiens sont arrivés dans la région il y a plus de 300 ans. Leurs ancêtres sont des esclaves qui ont été littéralement importés par les colonisateurs, lorsque l’apport en ressources humaines par les autochtones fut réduit drastiquement en raison des décès causés par les nouvelles maladies amenées par les colonisateurs, l’épuisement, le travail forcé et le manque d’alimentation. Ils ont établi des palenques (petits villages d’esclaves en résistance) tout au long de la côté pacifique, en particulier au Choco, Cauca et dans la vallée du Cauca. Les esclaves furent libérés au début du 19e siècle et laissés à eux-mêmes.

En 1993, presque 200 ans après la libéralisation des esclaves et le début des premières communautés afro-colombiennes, le gouvernement colombien a promulgué une loi qui reconnaît le droit aux communautés noires à leur territoire. Celles-ci doivent bien sûr en faire la demande, et le processus légal est complexe, long et pernicieux. Près de 20 ans après la mise en vigueur de la Loi, les communautés noires sans titre de propriété sont légion dans la région.

Le conflit armé, l’établissement de bases militaires et l’arrivée de transnationales minières (dont des Canadiennes) ont causé le déplacement forcé de nombreuses communautés qui vivent depuis plus de 300 ans sur leur territoire mais qui ne possèdent pas encore de titres de propriété les protégeant.

Lors de notre rencontre avec des membres du PCN, nous avons été mis au courant d’un déplacement d’une communauté afro-colombienne prévu pour le 18 août (soit le jour même de notre rencontre). Le leader de la communauté de La Toma (La Prise) s’est opposé à l’arrivée d’une multinationale minière dans la région. À cause de son activisme et de son opposition au capital étranger, il a été identifié comme objectif militaire et assassiné le 21 juillet.

Les communautés noires déplacées viennent alimenter la population urbaine et les rangs de l’extrême pauvreté. Très peu d’opportunités s’offrent aux jeunes: entrer dans l’armée, intégrer les forces paramilitaires ou de la guerilla ou encore participer dans des réseaux internationaux.

Vernie dropped into the KAIROS office on her way to meet up with the rest of the delegates in Colombia.

We took the opportunity to interview her.
This is Vernie’s response to the question, “Who are the women of courage?”.

“A lot of the women leaders who are involved in women’s organizations and movements are actually the targets of terrorism by the state and repression, but in that process they were not silenced.  These women were not silenced, these women did not fear, but they pursued, and they developed all the more their resolve to be part of the struggle, and to have that courage in order for the struggle to achieve its objectives.”

- Vernie Yocogan-Diano

This blog entry is by Jill Harris

There can be no other experience in my life that I can say would match what has happened to me in these past few days in Colombia. What did I expect? I didn’t want to even guess, I prayed that God would open up my spiritual eyes and my heart so that I could feel the stories I would hear and believe what I would see. I was awe-struck by the power I felt in the room when all the women came together in Bogota. It was marvellous to see women of all ages but mostly young beautiful women filled with passionate commitment to help to make the voices of Colombian women heard in the world. I have seen North American movies that depict the struggles of the Colombian people as though it was all about the illegal drug business. In reality it is more than a movie plot.

The struggle which began more than a few centuries ago for the Indigenous people is still raging on; the oppressors and perpetrators of violence have changed their costumes and wear different masks but the struggle is the same violent struggle. The people truly live in poverty to provide us people in the North with good coffee, bananas, etc.. The struggle for Indigenous lands and resources and the stories I heard from the people are familiar. We Indigenous people in Canada do not all experience the same kind of violence but none the less the struggle for our land is familiar.

The experience so far has been so moving; I’m happy that we have been provided with interpreters so that we can understand what is being said in Spanish. Today we made a three-hour journey through the mountains to visit Awa Indigenous people in the town of Ricaurte. We passed through at least three military/police check points which made me very aware of the military presence and as well made me quite nervous when we had to present our passports. Check your map kids: we landed in Bogota by Mexicana Airlines from Toronto and after a short stay at a Carmelite retreat centre headed to Pasto by way of an eight-hour overnight bus ride. A taxi was hired to take us on a three-hour ride to Ricaurte and after all day meetings headed back to Pasto. It’s 8:15 p.m. and we are now waiting for our bus to take us a thirty-hour bus ride to Barrancabermeja.

After the horrendous stories I heard today I asked a young Indigenous woman who was holding her little girl, “Do you love your land?” I felt tearful as she hugged her little girl and said, “Si”. I will struggle with her.

We arrived in Pasto Narino in the south of Colombia at 4am this morning, after a flight from Bogota to Cali and followed by an 8 hour bus ride. We were up a few hours later for a day of meetings local organizations, community members and the departmental government.

This blog entry is written by YOLANDA BIRD

Today we met with some of the local Colombian organization leaders to hear of the problems that they are facing  because of the military conflict in the area.  We heard the testimonies of women who have been affected by rape, impunity, poverty and the displacement of people in communities, in some cases entire families and also entire communities. We listened with heavy hearts as each told their testimonies with a strong need to help stop the violence that has been escalating for many years.

There were moments where we (Jill, Theresa and I) reflected on some of the encounters we have had, growing up in Indigenous First Nations communities and how the effects of colonization, specifically the “Residential School Syndrome”* still affect our children today. The references to the displacement of communities for the mining of natural resources on Indigenous traditional lands, and how the land was spoiled when the mining is done reminded us of our communities in Canada.

My heart goes out to the women here in Colombia. The abuse and human rights violations that these women go through are inhumane. I feel so guilty to say I am fortunate for what I have in life, for some of these people here have been left with nothing after being displaced. Please send your hope and prayers out to them, they need all our support from Canada, I really hope that our visit here  truly makes a difference for them and their children.

*The Canadian Government is working with Indigenous peoples in Canada to reconcile the history of residential schools through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  For more information please see The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada website.

Yesterday we met with Lilia Solano, another woman of courage in Colombia.  It was great to see her in person and in her element. I hadn’t seen her since the recent death threats and attacks to the office of Justicia y Vida.   We were able to tell her that in Canada there was a huge response to the urgent action and grave concern about her safety and well-being.

Lilia spoke about the political and human rights context in Colombia.  I was so glad the delegation had an opportunity to hear her.  Her analysis is always so clear, her message so strong.  She described the reality faced by communities and social movements in Colombia, very different from the reality that is presented by the Colombian and Canadian governments.    She spoke about the importance of visits by the international community like our delegation who meet with communities and see this reality, not the international community that meets only with government and business.  She spoke of the strength and wisdom of the women’s movement in Colombia.  Women’s groups together with the Indigenous movement and other social movements in Colombia are struggling for buen estar – the right to well-being and life for all.  In Colombia this struggle has been criminalized.  People like Lilia who struggle to protect life, have their lives threatened.   Lilia ended by quoting an African saying , in Spanish Soy si, tu eres which I think translates to – I am if you are.   We are connected.  Our actions and in-actions affect others.

I was very moved by the delegates’ responses to Lilia.   To quote a few comments from our debriefing: “She validated my struggle.”  “ She has electricity- she is sparkling”,  “ She is now a huge part of my heart” “The words of my father came back to me here”.  I hope Lilia will read this and realize what an impact she is having

Today we are off to the regions after a meeting with the OFP.  I will go with Jill, Yolanda  and Theresa to Pasto in the South of Colombia.  John and MaireDo are off to Buenaventura on the Pacifica Coast.  We are missing Chantal.  In the next entry,  I hope you will hear from the delegates directly.

Six of us arrived safely in Bogotá, last night. Jill, Marie-Do, Rachel and I flew through Mexico on bankruptcy-protected airline Mexicana. We didn’t know that the airline would be in trouble when we booked the tickets. The only supplies they had on board were lemon-flavoured peanuts and tequila. Fueled by what sustenance was on offer, we made it. Yolanda and her mother, Theresa, arrived a little later on much-better-supplied American.

Chantal Bililu was refused boarding at Nairobi. Kenyan Airlines claimed that she didn’t have the appropriate visa for transiting through Europe, something called a Schengen visa. While we’ve had visitors from the DR Congo travel through Europe without this type of transit visa over the last couple of years, Kenyan still wouldn’t let her board. It is very frustrating, and seems arbitrary. Chantal has returned to be with her family in Bukavu.

We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Cora and Vernie who will join us in a few days.

Today is a mostly a day of reconnecting with old friends and orienting ourselves to a new country. We will be meeting Lilia Solano later this morning to hear an update on her situation, and meeting later with Omar Fernandez to learn about the future work of COMOSOC, a movement of churches and other organizations working for reparations for victims of the war. Omar and I traveled to Halifax a couple of years ago, to meet with the local KAIROS group and exchange information about our work.

Last night we stayed at the Carmelite Mission in the capital. The nuns are treating us really well, but I have a question for them: how do they survive both the cold AND the mosquitoes at the same time? Last night was, like, 8 degrees and still the mosquitoes buzzed around like Apache helicopters. They must be some super-Colombian breed.

It’s just two days before we leave on the Women of Courage delegation and the excitement is building. We just heard on Wednesday that Chantal Bilulu, our delegate from the Congo, received her visa from the Colombian Embassy in Nairobi after weeks of work on the part of KAIROS and our Congolese and Colombian partners. Chantal was actually in Nairobi for over a week working through the visa application process. Although it shouldn’t be, just obtaining the visa is a huge victory and I think demonstrates the commitment and interest of Chantal to travel to Colombia to participate in this delegation and of our partners in Colombia to meet and work with a courageous human rights defender like Chantal.

Most of the delegates from Canada will be meeting on Saturday in Toronto before we leave. Jill Harris has already arrived from the Penelakut First Nation in British Colombia. Yolanda Bird and Theresa Halkett from the Cree Nation are flying in tomorrow from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Marie Do will be arriving by train from Montreal. Migrant activist Cora de la Pena from Toronto will join us for dinner tomorrow. Yesterday I met with Philippines partner Vernie Diano who was headed to Montreal to participate in the International Women’s Conference there before joining us in Colombia on August 19.

In Colombia, these seven outstanding defenders of human rights and social justice who make up the Women of Courage Delegation will be meeting with almost 100 international delegates and thousands of Colombian women. I look forward to meeting them and learning from them and to the opportunity to profile their important work.