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Showing posts from December, 2004

Light in the Darkness

Six people were killed in the month of December last year in the Opón. Sadly, December in Colombia historically has not been the month of celebration it should be. Again this year the Advent season is darkened by the presence of armed actors who continue to create fear in the communities of the Opón. Community members fear that the entrance of the dry season this month will increase the mobility and violent activities of armed groups. December is also a month when many national and international organizations that operate here reduce their activities, and the armed groups often take advantage of their absence to commit acts of violence. Part of the reason why armed groups fight for control of the Opón territory is due to an oil pipeline that runs through it. The illegal gas cartel (protected by the paramilitaries) taps the pipeline and extracts thousands of gallons of gas and other petroleum products each month. Money from the sale of this gas funds paramilitary activities and othe

IRAQ: U.S. soldiers invade CPT apartment and then stay for a visit

CPTnet IRAQ: U.S. soldiers invade CPT apartment and then stay for a visit On December 10, 2004, CPTer Tom Fox was on the roof of Christian Peacemaker Team's Baghdad apartment, enjoying the warm, sunny weather when he saw four humvees parked in the street below. About ten neighborhood kids were hanging out with the soldiers. When they looked up and saw Fox waving, the soldiers waved back. Fox then took several pictures. A soldier in one of the vehicles yelled, "Hey, you can't take pictures of our humvees!" Several soldiers started moving towards the building. Cliff Kindy and Sheila Provencher had just entered the building after returning from a meeting. Five soldiers followed them to the door and demanded entry. As Kindy went to open it, one soldier shouted angrily, "Open the door! Open the door!" Kindy did so, and the soldier said, "Did you take a picture? Give me the camera!" Fox reached the door and said, "I've got it; it's upstairs

As the Grass Grows

As God makes the trees and grass grow, so He makes justice, peace, and harmony grow among people. This is an insight I recently came to see as an ongoing reality in this world. Just like with the grass and trees, we can only notice this growth over time and so it seems to be with the coming of the kingdom of God. This is a reality I was unaware of before. This insight came thru reflecting on the fact that many people I talk to about CPT work are very moved and want to hear more about CPT. One example is the displaced former school teacher in Bogota who came to my slide presentation. He shared, “The paramilitaries made me and my friends watch as they cut up eight of our friends with a chain saw. I then abandoned my home on the coast and displaced to Bogota, eating cheap leftover restaurant food to survive. Having to live off of this kind of food was very humiliating, and often I would just cry. Looking back I see how God provided for me, giving me friends at just the right times.” He no