Two colombians, Rosana Cuama and Jorge Aramburo, from PCN (Proceso Comunidades de Negras) are in Manchester. They arrived today and a rally was held (we had a permit!?), in the Peace Gardens outside the Town Hall.
They braved the cold Manchester climate to deliver their message of peace as part of their ongoing European tour. The tour is in response to the approval of the US backed Plan Colombia which is "largest single build -up of US military aid and troops since the Vietnam War". The build up is supposed to enable the COlombian government to win the Drugs War by spraying large areas with Monsantos Round-up and potentially the genetically modified fungus Fusarium. This aattept at using Biological Warfare on the communities ability to be self reliant will destroy the livelihoods of many Colombians who are still being displaced by the government backed paramilitaries fighting with the left wing guerillas in the 40 year civil war. As Jorge Arumbaro said "You can use weapons to win a war but you can use violence to maintain hold over the lives of people"
The victims in this war are the unarmed civilians. It will be the none aremd civilians who will be te lose out with Plan Colombia. " It is not the Coca plant which needs to be destroyed it is the chemicals that process it"
It is our attitude which needs changing. The war isn't to be won in the jungle it is to be won within ourselves in our neighbourhoods
Events in manchester planned are:
Tuesday 6th March there will be a night of Latin
grooves and Afro-Cuban beats to raise money for PCN at
Copacabana, (1, Dale St. - 0161 237 3441) from 9 p.m.

On Wednesday 7th March between 7:30 and 9:00 p.m.
there will be a public meeting, with translation, at
the Friends' Meeting House (Mount Street- 0161 834
5797).

Jorje and Rosana are willing to give interviews,
(translation provided) preferably on Tuesday p.m. or
Wednesday a.m. please contact the Carrumba Collective,
Tel: 07939 391072.