Class:COM352 - Group Dynamics - Spring 2008/course outlines and in-class activities/overview and notification of research study/No Mas Farc Press Release

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PRESS RELEASE

Beginning at 12 noon, on February 4th 2008, here in Boston’s City Hall Plaza @ Government Center, along with other people assembling in locations throughout Colombia, and main cities around the world, a major demonstration will be kicked off to say "NO MORE" to FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), and to demand the immediate cessation of hostilities against the civilian population of the country.

FEBRUARY 4TH: WORLDWIDE DEMONSTRATION AGAINST FARC

Boston, MA - January 29, 2008.

A monumental assembly is being called for Monday February 4, 2008. Men and women form the four corners of the world will raise awareness about the daily plight of the Colombian people at the hands of the terrorist group FARC. In Boston, the event will take place at City Hall Plaza beginning at 12:00 noon.

With the single purpose, that all citizens of good conscience bear witness before the entire world about the pain the Colombian people have endured for over 43 years, and unequivocally demand:

NO MORE KIDNAPING NO MORE MASSACRES AND ASSASSINATIONS NO MORE ATTACKS ON THE POPULATION NO MORE TERRORIST ACTIONS NO MORE FARC !

There will be a number of simultaneous gatherings and peaceful demonstrations in149 cities around the world for this coming February 4th. Boston is not the exception.

• 35 in Colombia including Bogotá, Barranquilla, Medellín and Cali. • 24 in South, and Central America, including Mexico, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, and Caracas. • 28 in the United Sates, including Washington DC, New York City, Miami, Boston, Los Angeles and Chicago. • 10 in Canada, including Ottawa, Montréal and Vancouver • 39 in Europe, including Paris, Madrid, Frankfurt, London, Geneva, Copenhagen, Stockholm and The Hague. • 13 in Middle East, Asia and Oceania, including Delhi, Dubai, Istanbul, Tel-Aviv, Auckland, Sidney and Melbourne.

COLOMBIA: A COUNTRY THAT SUFFERS FOR OVER 43 YEARS

Despite its origins as a peasant, self-defense organization, from its inception in 1964, this group never stopped using guns as means to power. Presently, the group has transformed into a powerful narco-terrorist organization which destroys the country, stifles its development by means of armed intimidation in the most vulnerable areas of the territory, has eroded the national heritage of the people, undermined the national infrastructure. Through intimidation and armed pressure, they have coerced many decisions, which affect national integrity. In recent years, they have contaminated vast areas of the country with mines that indiscriminately cripple and kill men, women and children. They have bombed and exploded homemade devises that destroy homes, business, and schools, and through deceitful practices or by force, have recruited minors into its ranks. They finance their activities through extortion and kidnapping, and use their paramilitary organization to promote and protect their drug trafficking operation. In the last 10 years, they have kidnapped and kept in captivity, over 750 citizens who remain lost or unaccounted for.

Kidnapping is definitely one of the most hideous crimes perpetrated against human dignity. Amnesty International, through its press release of January 10 declared, "Kidnapping represents a flagrant violation of international human rights, and can be cataloged as a war crime." Clara Rojas, in the course of her initial statement soon after her release, declared that the FARC "maintain people kidnapped," which constitutes "a crime against humanity."

THE NUMBERS ABOUT FARC:

- Over 750 kidnapped hostages remain captive in the jungles of Colombia (according to the Office of the President of Colombia). - More then 400 people were abducted in 2007 alone. - 6,772 have been kidnapped in the last decade. - Countless population centers have been destroyed with manmade explosive gas cylinders in indiscriminate attacks against innocent civilians. - FARC is the principal and largest cocaine/heroine producer and exporter in Colombia. - Over 10,000 civilians have lost their lives because of terrorist assaults.

AN INITIATIVE BORN IN FACEBOOK: “ONE MILLION VOICES AGAINST FARC”

The group "One Million Voices Against FARC," was born last January on Facebook, one of the Internet's largest social networks, as an individual attempt championed by native Colombians and others of multiple nationalities, who -following a failed attempt to rescue some of those kidnapped by the FARC, which unveiled once again the cruelty, deceit, and cruelty of the guerrilla movement- wanted to unite their voices to express their outrage and indignation product of the well publicized incident surrounding baby Emmanuel.

In less than 5 days, the group received the overwhelming support of more that 40,000 Facebook users, who joined the cause, and whose numbers continue to increase each passing minute. The goal of the group is to assemble ONE MILLION people. As of this writing (January 29, 2008), the number of supporters surpasses 238,000 members. Check out the current group info here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6684734468

In the interim, among the group members arose an initiative to decry by means of a march and demonstrations the actions of the FARC, and thus, in a spontaneous swelling of support people are organizing the February 4th MARCH. Added to the support of individuals throughout the world, reporters, media outlets, international and local social organizations, and prominent personalities in the public light, all have endorsed this important endeavor.

The group "One Million Voices Against FARC," has no political affiliation, is not associated nor bound to any organization or foundation. Those who have joined have done so out of their own sense of duty and personal interest, giving birth to an initiative, which primarily aims at voicing throughout Colombia, as well as many other locations around the globe, the people's rejection for the criminal actions of the FARC in Colombia and abroad.

ONE MILLION VOICES AGAINST THE FARC

Most of us, indeed the majority of the people on Colombia, deplore the use of violence as a tool for governing:

WE WANT A COLOMBIA FREE OF ARMED REVOLUTIONARY FORCES • WE WANT OUR CITIES TO BE FREE • WE WANT TO HAVE GROUPS WHOSE IDEALS REPRESENT TRUTH • WE WANT THERE TO BE TOTAL RESPECT OF LIFE AND HUMAN DIGNITY • WE WANT A COLOMBIA WITHOUT FARC !!!