Peace Vigils

Join peace advocates across the United States non-violently protesting U.S. support for Colombia's military despite its continued violations of human rights. Your public witness will help prevent the San José case from ending in impunity like the vast majority of violent deaths in Colombia.

Take a stand for accountability and justice! Mother’s Day Peace Vigils: April 26 - May 8. The first Mother’s Day was a protest against the bloodshed of the Civil War by women who lost their sons. Learn more by reading the Mother’s Day Proclamation. Let’s reclaim the day for Colombia activism in 2005.

Locations Across the Country

Add your town! Organize a vigil at an accessible public place in your town, Congressional district offices or simply a place that is meaningful to you, such as your church. Organize friends, neighbors, members of your place of worship, and family members to gather.

Some groups will hold vigils at Colombian Consulates: Colombia has at least nine operating consular offices in the United States are found in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Washington DC.

Vigils held on and around the 8th Anniversary of the Peace Community helped raise the profile of the case and provided opportunity for engaging State Department officials on our requests. But Colombian Peace communities need a groundswell of support. By organizing a vigil in your town May 6th, you are standing with the thousands of unarmed Colombian civilians struggling with determination and illogical courage for peace. You will relay your desire for U.S. policy promoting human rights and dismay with military solutions.

We stand with people seeking justice. Demand accountability. Refuse complicity.

Colombian and U.S. Government Response to the Massacre. In short, the Colombian Uribe Administration is blaming the victims. The U.S. Embassy is silent. This is outrageous.

Rather than extending condolences to the community and investigating these severe allegations of military misconduct, Colombia's government, led by President Álvaro Uribe, is lambasting the community for excluding the security forces from the town. The community says it fears and mistrusts the government and rejects the presence of all armed actors, including the Colombian armed forces. 

President Uribe publicly accused the Peace Community of collaboration with the guerrillas. Vice President Francisco Santos named the FARC guerrilla group as the party responsible for the massacre, even without investigations. 

U.S. Government: Despite strong requests from Colombia peace advocates, the U.S. Embassy has yet to publicly condemn the massacre and call for vigorous investigations and prosecution in civilian courts.  What’s more, U.S. aid to Colombia is contingent on the Colombian military meeting certain human rights benchmarks. “Certifying” Colombia for appropriate behavior now would send the wrong message. The U.S. government must be accountable for how it spends U.S. taxpayer dollars and must not be complicit with this unacceptable conduct! Diplomatic pressure could go a long way in preventing impunity and encouraging human rights.

Our Requests:

Hold the U.S. Government accountable:

Hold the Colombian Government accountable: