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Campaigns: Support Colombian objectors

Despite 50 years of armed conflict, a new movement for conscientious objection is emerging in Colombia. This page contains links to CO testimony and to recent WRI alerts and reports on the situation of conscientious objectors in Colombia.


CO Alerts

COLOMBIA: Conscientious objector Cristian Camilo Henao Suaza since 8 October 2008 in the hands of the military
03 Sep 2009
English

War Resisters' International has been working for month for the release from military service of conscientious objector Cristian Camilo Henao Suaza.

Cristian Camilo Henao Suaza was recruited on 7 October 2008 against his will, and is presently serving as regular conscript in the infantry unit No 32 of Batallon Pedro Justo Berrio in Medellin, Colombia. He was recruited although he had made clear to the soldiers recruiting him that his conscience does not allow him to serve in any military.

COLOMBIA: Conscientious objector Diego Yesid Bosa Rico on hunger strike
27 Mar 2008
English

Colombian conscientious objector Diego Yesid Bosa Rico, who has been illegally recruited on 23 February 2008, began a hunger strike in protest against his recruitment and treatment on 26 March 2008. He is also refusing to enter the dormitories. In response, the military offered him to do his military service in an office, without the need to take up arms. However, on the morning of 27 March 2008, they threatened him with five soldiers.

COLOMBIA: Update on Carlos Andrés Giraldo Hincapié and Frank Yair Estrada Marin
18 Jul 2007
English

War Resisters' International is worried about recent developments in the cases of two young Colombian men, Carlos Andrés Giraldo Hincapié (COL14911) and Frank Yair Estrada Marin (COL14922). Both have been recruited illegally are forced to perform their military service against their will, and the
conscientious objection.

COLOMBIA: Conscientious objector Carlos Andrés Giraldo Hincapié threatened and verbally abused in the military / fear of safetyv
13 Jun 2007
English

War Resisters' International received information today that Colombian conscientious objector Carlos Andrés Giraldo Hincapié (COL14911), who has been serving his military service against his will for more than 10 months now, is being threatened and verbally abused in the military.

COLOMBIA: Conscientious objector Frank Yair Estrada Marin illegally recruited
01 Jun 2007
English
War Resisters' International was informed today that Colombian conscientious objector Frank Yair Estrada Marin (COL14922) has been illegally recruited on 5 May 2007, and is presently being held in the Batallon Pedro Justo Berrio in Medellin.

COLOMBIA: Update on Colombian conscientious objector Frank Yair Estrada Marin
01 Jun 2007
English
More than one month after his illegal recruitment, Colombian conscientious objector Frank Yair Estrada Marin is still in the hands of the military. On the morning of 5 May, Frank Yair Estrada Marin was taken by soldiers from the Batallon Pedro Justo Berrio to the batallon, under the pretext that they needed to perform a medical examination to verify his ability to perform military service.

COLOMBIA: Conscientious objector Luis Fernando Callejas recruited to military by force
12 Dec 2006
English

War Resisters' International learned today that Luis Fernando
Callejas (COL14912), who will turn 25 on 13 December, was recruited by
force on 9 December during a search of Colombian military in Cali.
Between 11 and 12 at night, soldiers of the 3rd brigade of the
Colombian military carried out a search of the neighbourhoods of
Mariano Ramos and Republica de Israel of Cali, and rounded up youth of
recruitment age.
Luis Fernando Callejas is officially a "remiso" (draft evader), and did
so far not publicly declare his conscientious objection. However,

COLOMBIA: Conscientious objector Carlos Andrés Giraldo Hincapié in the hands of the military
24 Nov 2006
English
War Resisters' International is very concerned about the treatment of Carlos Andrés Giraldo Hincapié (COL14911), a Colombian youth who has been forcefully recruited by the military on 4 August 2006. Since his recruitment, he has received maltreatment and abuse from the side of the military. Carlos Andrés Giraldo Hincapié is presently in the military hospital, and maintains a position that he does not want to be part of any armed group in Colombia.

COLOMBIA: Conscientious objector Andrés Daniel Giraldo detained by military
02 Nov 2006
English

On 1 November, declared conscientious objector Andrés Daniel Giraldo has been detailed by the military. He was travelling on the Bogota-Medellin road, when he was stopped by a squad of soldiers at Facatativa, and asked for his military papers. As a declared conscientious objector, Andrés Daniel Giraldo does not have any military papers. However, the soldiers did not understand his arguments and detained him. They brought him to the military base of Guaduas - Timate, where he has been kept at the time of writing.

COLOMBIA: Conscientious objector forced to serve in the military
13 Oct 2005
English

This week Colombian conscientious objector Juan Carlos Montoya Munera was forcefully recruited by the Colombian military in the city of Antioquia, and taken to the barracks of the BatallÃn Bombona Coronel DÃaz, where he is being forced to do his military service. At the time being, War Resisters' International does not have any information about his situation in the barracks.

Other posts

‘Haga que pase’: Make it happen!
25 Aug 2010
English

‘Haga que pase’: Make it happen! The short documentary 'Mi FinK' shows the process of community organization and resistance. This participatory action arose in the face of vulnerability to losing the land: one of the few things that keep the community united and free. Since the abolition of slavery in Colombia, the land has sustained the food supply and the economy of the Afrodescendant people of Villa Rica. Today the sugar companies dominate the area, planting sugar cane as a monoculture, thereby forcing out the traditional small farms of the region.

Colombia – the reality of conscientious objection during armed conflict
17 Aug 2010
English

Report on a visit to Colombia in May/June 2010

Andreas Speck, War Resisters' International's Right to Refuse to Kill programme worker1, visited Colombia from 19 May until 12 June 2010. During his visit, he spoke at two conferences on conscientious objection, and visited groups and individuals working on CO in Bogota, Sincelejo, Medellin, Cali, Villa Rica, and Barrancabermeja.

Colombia: Human Rights Committee criticises batidas
05 Aug 2010
English

During its 99th session, the Human Rights Committee also considered the periodic report of Colombia. On the issue of conscientious objection, the Colombian delegation was requested to provide more particulars on conscientious objectors and what protections were in place for them until the law concerning this matter was adopted. The Committee referred to the ruling of the Constitutional Court, had handed down nine months ago, but there was still no written ruling.

Observaciones finales del Comité de Derechos Humanos: Colombia
29 Jul 2010
Spanish

Comité de Derechos Humanos
99º período de sesiones
Ginebra, 12 a 30 de julio de 2010

Examen de los informes presentados por los Estados partes en virtud del artículo 40 del Pacto
Observaciones finales del Comité de Derechos Humanos
Colombia

CCPR/C/COL/CO/6
Distr. 29 de julio de 2010
Original: español

(...)

Implementación del derecho a la Objeción de Conciencia: Experiencias de la IRG
02 Jun 2010
English

Andreas Speck, Internacional de resistentes a la guerra

Presentacion en Bogota, 2 de junio de 2010

La objeción de Conciencia en Colombia ... Si pero No
13 Nov 2009
Spanish

Desde hace un poco más de un año, un grupo de organizaciones y colectivos ha trabajado en las herramientas jurídicas alrededor de la objeción de conciencia al servicio militar obligatorio. Como resultado de ello presentaron un demanda de inconstitucionalidad en contra de la ley 48 que regula el reclutamiento que hacen las fuerzas militares colombianas, acción que muchas otras organizaciones estimamos y apoyamos.

Colombia: Constitutional Court recognises conscientious objection
05 Nov 2009
English

On 14 October 2009, the Constitutional Court of Colombia ruled on a "demand of unconstitutionality" submitted by several Colombian organisations in March 2009 (see CO-Update No 46, April 2009). Suprisingly, the Court ruled that the right to conscientious objection to military service is protected under the Colombian constitution. The Court gave it as a task to the Colombian Congress to now pass a law on conscientious objection to military service.

Lo Logramos Muchachos! Soy Libre
30 Sep 2009
Spanish

Cristian Camilo Henao SuazaCristian Camilo Henao SuazaQueremos expresarles desde la alegría, la resistencia, la gran noticia que el joven CRISTIAN CAMILO fue desacuartelado; pues a partir del trabajo conjunto de todos lo que enviaron cartas de presión y apoyo; además de la fuerza y la enorme resistencia de Cristhian dentro del cuartel, pasando tratos degradantes y al mismo tiempo de tener que vivir en un lugar en donde solo se respira miedo y muerte.

Military Recruitment and Conscientious objection in Colombia
17 Aug 2009
English

Colombia does not recognise the right to conscientious objection. Conscientious objectors live with the permanent risk of recruitment by the Armed Forces of Colombia, in one of the frequent batidas, checkpoints set up by the military on busy streets or places, to check the papers of young people at recruitment age. In addition, they face further violations of their human rights.

Estefanía Gómez Vásquez: Mi historia de vida
05 Aug 2009
Spanish

En una familia matriarcal, como muchas familias colombianas, de mujeres valientes que sacan adelante a esos hijos e hijas que tal vez fueron negados, y olvidados, nací y crecí, como una hija insólita y afortunadamente consentida. De pequeña conté con la compañía de un primo al que quiero profundamente, recuerdo cómo me gustaba ir al parque para verlo con su uniforme naranja de defensa civil, y también, cuando decidió regalarse al ejército nacional.
 
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