War and Peace Building in Colombia
"Death comes to all soon or late;
Peace is but a wandering fire."
From: Walescka Pino-Ojeda <w.pino-ojeda@auckland.ac.nz>
Sent: Monday, September 13, 2021 3:51 PM
To: Thomas Gregory <t.gregory@auckland.ac.nz>; Chris Wilson <chris.wilson@auckland.ac.nz>; Stephen Winter <s.winter@auckland.ac.nz>; Yvonne Underhill-Sem <y.underhill-sem@auckland.ac.
Subject: Zoom Seminar on Colombia Sep 28 10-11.30 am
Dear colleagues,
As some of you have visited Colombia with your students, have supervised PG thesis on this country, or are interested on Latin America, I am sending you this information, in case you have the time to attend, but also to request you to distribute it among your own contacts. The basic information is below, and full details are in the poster attached.
Latin American Social Movements Seminar Series
Seminar I: Colombia’s Recent Social Unrest
Tuesday 28 September | 10 to 11:30 am | Webinar in English
Zoom link: https://auckland.zoom.us/j/
In late October we will be running a Seminar dedicated to Peru.
Thank you very much in advance, and warm regards,
Walescka
Assoc. Prof. Walescka Pino-Ojeda
Director New Zealand Centre for Latin American Studies (NZCLAS)
Coordinator Latin American Studies Programme
School of Cultures, Languages and Linguistics (CLL)
Te Pokapū Ahurea, Reo, Wete Reo, Rerekē
The University of Auckland
ARTS 2 Building, Office 410
Private Bag 92019
Phone: 64-9 373 7599 Ext: 87107
Fax: 64-9 373 7483
Auckland, New Zealand
http://www.arts.auckland.ac.
Colombia is surrounded by Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Panama.
Venezuelan people are migrating to Colombia in search of basic necessities as explained by BBC. Soaring inflation is sometimes three thousand percent.
Is this the destiny of mankind? I do not agree. Human beings are intelligent bio-species. Young people shall find a solution to obtain peace in the challenging world. Political will is the need of the time. Venezuela is collapsing and young people want peace. They are looking at the United States for help. Venezuelans have lost 11 Kg weight in a few years. Ecological disasters is also affecting our lives.
Alexandra Guaqueta informs about "The Colombian Conflict: Political and Economic Dimensions". Ballentine and Sherman (2003) inform in their book "The Political Economy of Armed Conflict Beyond Greed and Grievance: A Project of the International Peace Academy." London: Lynne Rienner Publishers, INC that the International Drug Market, Transnational Crime, and the Growth of Illegal Armed Groups are quite prevalent in Colombia.
According to Ballentine and Sherman "The FARC and the ELN have become increasingly engaged in narcotics production and trafficking, extortion, and kidnapping. The paramilitaries have forayed vigorously into international drug trafficking, but have received local voluntary contributions" (p. 96). But FARC entered into an agreement recently.
Al Jazeera reports on 31 August 2019. FARC agreement is discussed.
Venezuela deploys army troops to the border with Colombia. But Venezuela's economy is in shambles. Black marketing is crippling Venezuela's economy. The distribution mafia exists as rationing time during Indian Congress time.
Can we think of peace without knowing the political atmosphere of neighboring countries? Corruption is prevalent.
