Peace Community Tour Ireland August 5th-9th 2005

national | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Thursday July 28, 2005 16:54 by Cearbhuil Fhionnghusa - LASC events at lasc dot ie 5 Merrion Row, Dublin 2 01 676 0435

San Jose de Apartado is the first peace community to be set up in Colombia. A massacre took place there last february 21st where 8 people were murdered. 2 leaders of the higher council of san jose are coming to Ireland on August 5th to try and get Ireland to support their peace initiative.

San Jose de Apartado is the first peace community to be set up in Colombia. A massacre took place there last february 21st where 8 people were murdered. 2 leaders of the higher council of san jose are coming
to ireland on august 5th to try and get Ireland to support their peace initiative.

Two leading members of the first ever peace community San Jose de Apartado in Colombia are coming to Ireland
on an official visit. Jesus Emilio Tuberquias Gonzales and Brigida Maria Gonzales de Cartagena will
arrive in Shannon on August 5th and do a 4 day tour around Ireland. On August 9th they will be in Dublin to meet the Department of Foreign Affairs, Front Line Defenders,The Irish Council for Civil Liberites as well as the The Franciscian, Augustinian and Jesuit
Community to discuss how Ireland can support them in their quest for sustainable peace in war torn Colombia.

San Jose de Apartado is a small community situated in the department of Antioquia in Colombia. San Jose was set up in 1996 as a response to systematic human rights violations and massacres carried out in the
area. The peace community of San Jose de Apartado has been working for peace for the past 8 years. Situated in a military strategic zone where armed actors are present fighting one another over land ownership and
control, San Jose's members are constant targets for threats, attacks, murders from paramilitary groups, the guerrilla and the state army.

Due to this situation, an international human rights court has given special protection measures to the members of San Jose de Apartado and they regularly call on the Colombian Government to protect the lives
of the citizens of the peace community. Noam Chomsky is a honourary member of this peace community and many
international human rights organisations like Amnesty International have visited San Jose as well as Foreign Embassies, Bishops, and politicians.

Jesus Emilio and Brigida hope to drum up a lot of support when they come to Ireland. The would like to make links with church groups, women's groups, community development projects and local communities in the hope that they can establish strong connections
with local communities in Ireland.

'We are going to hire a bus to take the San Jose leaders around Ireland, so if you see the San Jose de Apartado peace bus in your village or town or if you want more details on the programme of events please contact:

cearbhuil@ 086 0554665.
http://wwwpeaceincolombia.org