Media Mouse is proud to announce the creation of the News on Colombia webpage. This webpage is a colaborative project between the Grand Rapids Chapter of the Colombian Support Network and Media Mouse. On this page, the GR Chapter of CSN will be providing regular updates about the work of the Colombia Support Network, articles about Colombia and news about local events pertaining to Colombia.
What is Colombia Support Network?
COLOMBIA SUPPORT NETWORK is a grassroots organization, with 501 (c)(3) status, created to give solidarity to the Colombian people through sister city projects, delegations and petitions to educate members of the U.S. government. We also invite guest speakers and carry out outreach activities through the newsletter Action on Colombia, the CSN web page www.colombiasupport.net, and the CSN e-mail list. CSN also has an Urgent Action service to provide immediate action on emergency cases in Colombia
CSN works for a negotiated solution to the Colombian conflict and peace with justice in Colombia, through strengthening civilian society. By civilian society CSN means giving support to the myriad of budding groups that come from the grassroots in Colombia, such as women's groups, teachers, cooperatives, unions, environmental groups, indigenous movements and different associations that make a society a vibrant group of human beings. CSN believes that the armed struggle has destroyed so many lives for such a long time, that it is time to experiment with peaceful means.
CSN is developing an organized movement with chapters around the country. To be a chapter we request that a group of at least 5 people get together and start organizing in its community around a sister community in Colombia besieged by the war. The war is very real to people living in remote rural areas of the country. We support the sister cities concept because we believe that it reflects the idea that civilian societies have a duty to be an integral part of the reconstruction of a social fabric that has been destroyed by the war. Diplomacy and international relations should not be left only in the hands of governments, because governments reflect interests that are not necessarily the interests of the majorities and consequently diminish democracy. Sister cities reflect a "people to people" diplomacy that expresses the most beautiful qualities of a nation. In this case the generosity and respect for justice and democracy, which are an integral part of the bases upon which the US was created, before the development of a voracious capitalist system.
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