Colombia’s Truth Commission and Nodo Alemania recognize the voices of Colombian exiles
Colombia’s Truth Commission will host an event entitled “The return of our voices. Recognition of the exile, the victims abroad and the returned population”, promoting the truth and the recognition of thousands of victims of the Colombian armed conflict, who are in exile or who have returned to Colombia. #verdadsinfronteras for those outside Colombia.
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Despite the fact that in 2016 the Colombian government and the guerrilla group FARC-EP signed the peace agreements, the hope of thousands of Colombians to be in their country was not fulfilled. By 2017, more than 550,000 Colombians had to leave their country because of the armed conflict. Being the second largest increase compared to the 2018 figures, the following year – 2019 – Colombia became the fourth most numerous non-European nationality to apply for asylum in the European Union, after Syria, Afghanistan and Venezuela. The most common causes are threats to the right to life, forced internal displacement, the killing of a family member and lack of state protection.
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Those Colombians who have had to leave the country to protect their lives and who are currently in the process of applying for asylum in Germany will also be heard.
Nodo Alemania, The Truth Commission’s support group in Germany, joins the acknowledgement of these voices through a recognition event, which will take place on Saturday, November 14, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. (Colombia time), 3:00 p.m. (German time).
The event will be transmitted live on the Nodo Alemania Facebook Live page: @NodoAlemaniaCEV
Programme
Opening: Fernando Ortega.
Moderator: Susanne Brauer and Pilar Mendoza.
Guests: Xiomara Loango Carabali, Julieth Marcela Martinez and Magdalena Bonavente.
Cultural Exhibition: Presentation of the work concerning the recovery of memory and truth involving Colombians, victims, and exiles in Germany.
Note: CAPAZ is not the organiser of this event, for more information, please contact the organisers directly.
(NWText: Claudia Maya. English: Tiziana Laudato)