PBI-Colombia accompanies Campesino Association of the Cimitarra River Valley (ACVC) general assembly

On March 17, Agencia Prensa Rural reported, “Before the start of the restrictions established to contain the coronavirus pandemic, in the hamlet of Puerto Nuevo Ité, known in the Cimitarra River Valley region as La Cooperativa, the general assembly of the Campesino Association of the Cimitarra River Valley was held.”

That article adds, “Nearly 200 peasants, representing a hundred community action boards from the sidewalks of the Cimitarra River Valley Peasant Reserve Zone, attended the call made by the ACVC to carry out its most important deliberative and decision-making space.”

“The assembly was officially opened [on Sunday March 15], which began with the greetings of sister organizations such as CAHUCOPANA, CREDHOS [and other including] accompanying organizations. International IAP (International Action for Peace) and PBI (Peace Brigades International) that have been together with the ACVC for almost 20 years.”

The full Agencia Prensa article can be read (in Spanish) here.

The Peace Brigades International-Colombia Project has previously noted on its website, “The Small-scale Farmer Association of the Cimitarra River Valley’s (ACVC for its Spanish acronym) principle objectives are the comprehensive defence of human rights, the struggle for land ownership and land redistribution, and improved and dignified livelihoods for peasant farmers in the short term in order to lay the groundwork to bring about structural change in rural Colombia in the longer term.”

“PBI has accompanied the ACVC since 2007. During 2007 and 2008 the ACVC publicly denounced threats from paramilitary groups and harassment from the National Army. Given the increased threat against members of the ACVC, PBI expanded its accompaniment, emphasizing political advocacy to raise awareness about the problems faces by the organisation and the region in which they carry out their work.”

To read more about the ACVC on the PBI-Colombia website, please click here.

Twitter photo by Agencia Prensa.