Martha's Call for Support

After you watch this video, please send a message to U.S. Ambassador Brownfield in Colombia calling for protection and justice.

Please also send a message of support to Martha and her family, who have risked their lives to speak out about her father’s murder.

Watch a WFP exclusive video on this case.

Background Information:

U.S. Funding Supports a Colombian Military Accused of Killing Civilians

Since 2000, the U.S. government has provided nearly $5 billion in military and police funding to Colombia. Despite claims of an improved human rights record, thousands of civilians have been killed by this U.S.-funded military in recent years. This Witness for Peace original video highlights one recent case—the alleged murder of Jose Orlando Giraldo.

Colombian human rights organizations report that 1,122 civilians were murdered by the Colombian Armed Forces between July 2002 and June 2007, a 68% increase over the previous five year period. The rate of such extrajudicial executions is still on the rise. Human rights organizations report that 535 civilians were killed by the Colombian military between January 2007 and June 2008.

Typical of human rights abuses in Colombia, there are astoundingly high rates of impunity for these killings. Colombian human rights groups indicate that of the 535 cases reported in the last 18 months, only 22% of these cases are either under investigation or prosecution. In 78% of these cases impunity reigns. Jose Orlando Giraldo’s daughter indicates that, while one soldier is being held for his murder, the Capitan responsible for the troops’ actions the day he was killed has been promoted to Major.

The human rights conditions on U.S. funding to the Colombian military has clearly been ineffective in stemming these killings and bringing those responsible to justice. Therefore, all U.S. military funding must immediately be ended to prevent further support for a Colombian military accused by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navy Pillay, of a “systematic practice” of extrajudicial executions throughout Colombia .