DAVID ADAMS reports…
A “significant percentage” of the predominantly Christian population of Colombia are being subjected to “consistent and serious” violations of their religious freedoms with a soon-to-be-signed peace agreement expected to make little difference, according to a new report from Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
The report, released by the UK-based religious freedom advocacy this week, says that the organisation’s Colombia-based partners continue to document human rights violations against members of faith communities with church leaders the “regular targets” of threats, forced displacement and even assassination, saying hundreds have been killed since 2000.
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A slum in the town of Medellin, Colombia. PICTURE: www.freeimages.com “The guerillas are making peace but as I see it, the peace they are making is for over there, but it makes it more complicated here.”– An Indigenous Christian leader spoken to by CSW in Colombia |
It says young people, including Christian youths, continue to be forced into illegal armed groups or the military even when they attempt to declare themselves conscientious objectors based on their faith while Christian converts who attempt to leave illegal armed groups are forced into hiding or killed.
Illegal armed groups continue to impose “severe restrictions” on religious activity in many parts of the country and, in some cases, prohibit it altogether, while churches are “frequent targets” for extortion with church leaders who refuse to cooperate and turn over donations threatened and, in some cases, forcibly displaced.
Meanwhle, among Indigenous communities, traditional authorities – backed by a 1998 ruling of the Constitutional Court – have closed down some churches and made attempts to force members of their communities to reconvert back to traditional beliefs and religious practices. Those who refuse are forcibly displaced.
CSW says it expects the violations to continue despite the anticipated signing of a peace agreement between the Colombian Government and the largest leftist FARC-EP guerilla group on 23rd March in a bid to bring an end to the 50 year conflict which has left more than 220,000 people dead.
CSW cites evidence that another left-leaning guerilla group ELN and neo-paramilitary groups such as the Urabenos have been aggressively moving into territories now controlled by FARC-EP in recent months. It says there is also evidence that some local FARC-EP commanders are working closely with the ELN and in some cases appear to be “handing over power” while some rank and file FARC-EP members are transferring their allegiance to the ELN and other groups.
As a result, church leaders, CSW says, expect to see little improvement in their situation even if the peace agreement is signed. They quote one Indigenous Christian leader as saying: “The guerillas are making peace but as I see it, the peace they are making is for over there, but it makes it more complicated here.”
Mervyn Thomas, the chief executive of CSW, says the organisation welcomed the steps the Colombian Government and the FARC-EP guerilla group had taken towards a peace agreement but added that CSW remain “deeply concerned” at the situation in many parts of the country where illegal armed groups restrict religious freedom and actively target church leaders.
“We call on the Government of Colombia to take urgent steps to protect civilians and uphold the rule of law in areas of the country where the FARC-EP has until now maintained a strong presence, and we call on the international community to support them in these efforts,” he says.
“To do this, the Government of Colombia must take strong action to address persistent evidence of corruption and collusion with illegal armed groups by regional and local authorities.”
The report’s findings draw on a recent fact-finding mission CSW staff took to the country where they met with church leaders from five regional departments where illegal armed groups have a strong presence.
