From October 9–16, 2010, Colombia Vive presents a series of talks in the Boston area by two courageous Colombian women.

A single mother, Flor Hilda Hernandez lost her oldest son, Elkin Gustavo, in 2008 when he and 16 others from his neighborhood of Bogotá joined a countless number of falsos positivos, innocent young men kidnapped and murdered by Colombian soldiers motivated by government promises of bonus pay for each “guerrilla” killed in combat.

An attorney and human rights advocate, Pilar Castillo will describe how Elkin Gustavo’s story is emblematic of the thousands of cases of forced disappearance, torture, murder, and massacre resulting from Colombia’s long-running war between insurgent and government forces.

Extra-judicial killings must be placed at the forefront of the United States human rights agenda and NGOs working for human rights, the United States Congress and the State Department must work together to expedite the search for and prosecution of those responsible. This speaking tour aims to raise awareness about the plight of Colombian families victimized by extra-judicial killings, the impunity with which the perpetrators operate, and the Colombian government’s unconscionable abdication of its responsibility to protect innocent civilians.

• Sunday, October 10th, 9:15 am - 10:15 am
  Church of the Covenant in Fellowship Hall (located in the basement of the church)
  67 Newbury Street, Boston, 02116-3090
  More info...
• Monday, October 11th, 10:00 am
  Radio Interview with William Peña Lopera, WUNR 1600 AM Radio International
• Tuesday, October 12th, 7:00 am
  Radio Interview with René Funes, WUNR 1600 AM Radio International
• Tuesday, October 12th, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
  Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Room 6-120
  182 Memorial Drive (Rear), Cambridge, MA 02139
  More info...
• Wednesday, October 13th, 7:00 pm
  Tufts University, Barnum 008, Barnum Hall
  163 Packard Avenue, Medford, MA 02155
  More info...
• Thursday, October 14th, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
  Harvard University, William James Hall, Room 105
  33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
  More info...
• Friday, October 15th, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
  Chelsea Collaborative
  318 Broadway, Chelsea, MA 02150
  (617) 889-6080; chelseacollab.org
  More info...

Sponsored by the Colombia Human Rights Committee (Washington, DC), Movement for Peace in Colombia (New York), Colombia Vive (Boston), and the Colombian human rights organization Asociación Minga (Bogotá).

Contact Colombia Vive for more information.