Sustainable Peace in Colombia A Panel of Four Colombian Women Peacemakers Convened by the Center for International and Strategic Studies and Women Waging Peace (May 12, 2004)
Catalina Rojas, author of the Women Waging Peace Report In the Midst of War: Women’s Contributions to Peace in Colombia
Catalina Rojas began her remarks by dedicating the presentation “to the women and men in Colombia who have died during the conflict and to those who remain stubbornly alive believing that there are ways other than war to deal with our differences.” She then presented a critical analysis of the conflict, explicitly discussing the multitude of sources fueling the violence. She made special note of the socio-economic contributing factors, which include a poverty level of 60% and an index of concentration of wealth that is higher today than it was during the 1970s. Rojas discussed “the pendulum-like quality of public opinion in Colombia,” which swings back and forth from supporting war to supporting peace. She noted that with the failure of recent negotiations, a fatigued civil society has once again shifted its support toward a military solution. However, Rojas claimed that women have risen as the vanguard sector in civil society to protest a military solution and to strive for alternative avenues to peace. Substantial groups of women in Colombia are now leading the charge for continued negotiations and non-militarized solutions to the violence. Rojas noted that while many women in Colombia are organizing at the local, national, and regional level, the assistance and cooperation of the international community remains imperative. She implored the international community “to learn more about the conflict and women’s involvement in the peace process from those in Colombia working for peace.” She concluded her remarks by asking for greater international cooperation on pressuring the Colombian government to continue negotiations rather than providing it with increased military funding.
© Victoria Stanski/Women Waging Peace
Maria Emma Mejia, Former Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Colombia
Maria Emma Mejia declared that “Colombia will see peace and is not bound to eternal war.” Mejia stated that one-third of the displaced population of 2.9 million people is female; of the 35,000 in arms, 11,000 are women, and of the 6,000 children killed by land mines, 3,500 have been girls. At the same time, women are also playing a dominant role in sustaining social and economic assistance programs. Mejia expressed concern over U.S. policies regarding Colombia, emphasizing problems with Plan Colombia and the “invisibility” of
the Colombian conflict in the shadow of Iraq. In regard to U.N. involvement, she stated that while the U.N. has increased its presence in Colombia, it is acting as a “passive observer without the power to respond.” Alma Viviana Perez Gomez, Consultant, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Colombia
Alma Viviana Perez Gomez discussed the current efforts to construct and mobilize a diverse coalition of women working for peace. This coalition is working to create a set of recommendations for peace that challenge the militarized solutions offered by the Colombian government. The primary intent of the women’s coalition is not only to assist in facilitating a negotiated transformation of the conflict, but also to include and prepare women to be involved in both the process of negotiation and post-conflict reconstruction. Martha Cecilia Quintero Garcia, Former Coordinator, National Network of Women
Martha Cecilia Quintero Garcia stressed the need to close the gap between policy makers and grassroots groups in Colombia. She felt it was also imperative to address domestic violence against women in Colombia as well as reforming the negative perception of women in the Colombian legal system. Q&A
There was a brief discussion on the role of globalization in the conflict. The participants held that globalization has led to a loss of jobs and created an economic disadvantage for Colombians, especially Colombian women. Perhaps the most poignant comment was that in Colombia there is “an absence of state” and a type of “blindness” to the factors that enable the violence. Thus, even if the military successfully retakes territory, without the presence of the state and the rule of law, peace will remain elusive. In essence, without addressing the underlying causes of the conflict, particularly the socio-economic factors, and without a policy of peace based on negotiation and social change, Colombia is likely to remain entrenched in perpetual war. Over all, the panel was characterized by both an impressive and humble sense of optimism and empowerment. The underlying message expressed was that there is an inherent “dilemma in finishing war to begin peace” and that protracted peace in Colombia cannot be won with a purely militarized strategy.
FOR MORE INFORMATION To view the 54-page report In the Midst of War:
Women’s Contributions to Peace in Colombia www.womenwagingpeace.net/content/ conflict_areas/colombia.asp
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