Friday, May 23rd, 2008
6:30-9pm
Eastside Cultural Center
2277 International Blvd. Oakland

Enjoy an energizing evening of spoken word, dance, music and community building
— Kick off the BAY-Peace Youth Manifesto Campaign
against aggressive military recruiting in our schools
— Interactive report back from the FOR Youth Arts and Action
Delegation to Colombia
— Silkscreen Workshop--Bring your own T-shirt to silkscreen
or buy one at the event

$8-20 donation requested
Free for youth, no one turned away for lack of funds,

download the flyer in English or Spanish

The protest against the FARC February 4 was impressive, no doubt. Considering the fact that the government gave public employees the day off and cut the school schedule in half, it is not surprising that so many people were able to make their "no more FARC" voices heard. Days before the protest, human rights organizations in Colombia issued comuniques to their networks encouraging them not to participate in any kind of counter-protest; some held a mass instead.

Here in San Francisco about 300 people mobilized: many wore the official t-shirt, held Colombian flags and roses were distributed to all. The protesters listened to speakers and marched around Civic Center square a number of times.

On January 29th, 2008 the Berkeley City Council passed a resolution calling for an end to military funding of the Colombian Army as part of the “drug war,” and re-direction of money to domestic drug treatment efforts.

The city government urged Congresswoman Barbara Lee to “step up her leadership to terminate all military assistance to the Colombian Army, and to re-direct these funds” to “substance abuse prevention, harm reduction, and treatment programs.”

The city’s Peace & Justice Commission submitted the resolution, and supporters include the local treatment center Options Recovery, the peace group Fellowship of Reconciliation, and local Colombian activists.