Jesús Emilio Tuberquia from San José de Apartad

Tuesday, March 29, 7 PM
Colombian Peace Leader to Speak in Fairfax
Jesús Emilio Tuberquia from San José de Apartadó http://justf.org/blog/2011/01/11/colombias-san-jos%C3%A9-de-apartad%C3%B3-peace-community (has video interview) Colombia, is on a national tour to create people-to-people ties between citizens of the US and his village, which is affected by US foreign policy that funds a military that wreaks havoc on his community.
In 2006 the Fairfax Town Council initiated a sister-city relationship between Fairfax and Mr. Tuberquia's Peace Community in Colombia. In 1997 Jesús Emilio and 800 other small farmers claimed their territory as neutral and refused to cooperate with any armed group, including military or police. Although the community has been subjected to threats, killings, massacres, disappearances, and food blockades perpetrated by various armed actors, including the US-funded Colombia military, the Peace Community has succeeded in building a nonviolent community in resistance as an alternative to the war that surrounds them.
Mr. Tuberquia will talk about what led to his town's decision to become a "Peace Community" and the importance of international solidarity for their survival.
This event is sponsored by the Fellowship of Reconciliation http://forusa.org/ (FOR), Peace Brigades International (PBI) http://www.peacebrigades.org/ and the Task Force on the Americas http://mitfamericas.org/ A $5-10 donation is requested. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. The venue is wheelchair accessible. For more information call 415/924-3227.