Photo by ACVC-RAN.
On February 11, the Peace Brigades International-Colombia Project posted on social media:
“Today we accompany and celebrate the awarding of the Order of Democracy Simón Bolívar to @credhos_paz, @acvc_ran and @ascamcat.oficial, a recognition of their courage and unwavering commitment to the defense of human rights.”
The Simón Bolívar Order of Democracy is awarded by the House of Representatives of Colombia. It honours exceptional service to democracy, social, or economic progress in Colombia.
Peace Brigades International has accompanied the Regional Corporation for the Defence of Human Rights (CREDHOS) since 1994, the Small-Scale Farmer Association of the Cimitarra River Valley (ACVC-RAN) since 2007, and the Catatumbo Peasant Association (ASCAMCAT) for more than half a decade.
CREDHOS also posted:
“At the Congress of the Republic, we received the Order of Democracy Simón Bolívar, which recognizes CREDHOS’s work in defending human rights and pursuing social justice in the Magdalena Medio region.
This recognition is for all the people of the region, the human rights committees in the territories, and the teams that work daily with the communities and whose activism defends and promotes human rights, denounces injustices, and builds actions to consolidate peace in the country.”
ACVC-RAN also posted:
“Today, we received with profound pride and gratitude the Order of Democracy ‘Simón Bolívar’ in the rank of Commander’s Cross, awarded by the Congress of the Republic to the Cimitarra River Valley Peasant Association – National Agroecological Network (ACVC-RAN).
This recognition honors an organizational life dedicated to the defense of the territory, community strengthening, the promotion of peace, agroecology, and human rights. It is a tribute to the peasant communities who, with commitment and resilience, have built alternatives for a dignified life in rural Colombia.
We receive this decoration on behalf of every peasant man, woman, young person, and child who sows hope, cares for the land, and believes in peace as the path forward.
‘For Life, Peace, and the Territory’.
The video of the ceremony can be seen here.
From PBI-Canada, we congratulate the organizations on this well-deserved honour.
