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This video is an insight into the slums of Bogota and the lives of the people who live there.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Carrier pigeon apprehended by authorities
Photo: Colombia Reports
A trained carrier pigeon was apprehended by authorities on the outskirts of the Cómbita prison in the north-west department of Boyacá. The bird had an external card for a cellular phone attached to its back.
W Radio reported that Boyacá Police Chief Juan Carlos Polanía said that due to heavy rains in the region, the pigeon had become soaked and was unable to fly. The bird was found sheltering in a tree by prison guards patrolling the area. It was then intercepted and failed to complete its mission.
Polanía said the incident should be of concern to authorities, as it provides an ingenious way for prisoners to continue committing crimes from inside prison without detection. He added that authorities were not equipped to combat this new means of communication.
The nearby prison houses some of Colombia's Most Wanted, including leaders of criminal gangs, guerrillas and drug traffickers.
According to El Espectador, carrier pigeons are also used to transport illegal drugs such as cocaine and marijuana.
Authorities did not comment on whether the pigeon will remain in police custody.
........................................
I though this was pretty amazing. I can't believe they actually train pigeons to go on missions. I would love to know what mission this pigeon was on but they don't say in the story. The desperate measure some people take are crazy. I guess it is a pretty smart way of communicating if you are in prison because as mentioned in the article "authorities are not equipped to combat this new means of communication."
Photo: Colombia Reports
A trained carrier pigeon was apprehended by authorities on the outskirts of the Cómbita prison in the north-west department of Boyacá. The bird had an external card for a cellular phone attached to its back.
W Radio reported that Boyacá Police Chief Juan Carlos Polanía said that due to heavy rains in the region, the pigeon had become soaked and was unable to fly. The bird was found sheltering in a tree by prison guards patrolling the area. It was then intercepted and failed to complete its mission.
Polanía said the incident should be of concern to authorities, as it provides an ingenious way for prisoners to continue committing crimes from inside prison without detection. He added that authorities were not equipped to combat this new means of communication.
The nearby prison houses some of Colombia's Most Wanted, including leaders of criminal gangs, guerrillas and drug traffickers.
According to El Espectador, carrier pigeons are also used to transport illegal drugs such as cocaine and marijuana.
Authorities did not comment on whether the pigeon will remain in police custody.
........................................
I though this was pretty amazing. I can't believe they actually train pigeons to go on missions. I would love to know what mission this pigeon was on but they don't say in the story. The desperate measure some people take are crazy. I guess it is a pretty smart way of communicating if you are in prison because as mentioned in the article "authorities are not equipped to combat this new means of communication."
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Floods and landslides cause chaos in Bogotá
Public life in large parts of Bogotá was severely disrupted after heavy rainfall made the Fucha river flood and caused numerous landslides. Whole areas are disconnected from the rest of the world and local authorities declared a yellow alert to face the problems.
In 12 of the capital´s zone, authorities called emergency because of landslides. Most affected were Bosa, Fontibón, Kennedy and Tunjuelito.
According to newspaper El Tiempo, last night 3 inches of water per minute fell from the sky, too much for the city sours and rivers to deal with. Hundreds of houses reportedly were destroyed.
Authorities expect worse problems if it keeps raining and the water of the Fucha does not have the oppurtunity to lower. Several buildings are feared to collapse because the water is destroying their fundaments.
There are no reports of injuries.
........................................
Hopefully the situation improves in Bogota with the weather. It is very unfortunate that houses were destroyed because of the rain. I wonder what kind of houses or buildings are being destroyed and what kind of standards they are built from.
Public life in large parts of Bogotá was severely disrupted after heavy rainfall made the Fucha river flood and caused numerous landslides. Whole areas are disconnected from the rest of the world and local authorities declared a yellow alert to face the problems.
In 12 of the capital´s zone, authorities called emergency because of landslides. Most affected were Bosa, Fontibón, Kennedy and Tunjuelito.
According to newspaper El Tiempo, last night 3 inches of water per minute fell from the sky, too much for the city sours and rivers to deal with. Hundreds of houses reportedly were destroyed.
Authorities expect worse problems if it keeps raining and the water of the Fucha does not have the oppurtunity to lower. Several buildings are feared to collapse because the water is destroying their fundaments.
There are no reports of injuries.
........................................
Hopefully the situation improves in Bogota with the weather. It is very unfortunate that houses were destroyed because of the rain. I wonder what kind of houses or buildings are being destroyed and what kind of standards they are built from.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Colombia not Columbia
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I thought this video was funny and informational. It pokes fun of the people who think Colombia is so dangerous and shows what most people see when they visit Colombia. The thing you have to remember is that most of the problems in this country are not happening to the general population but to the indigenous areas of Colombia.
Colombia designs 'strategic leap' to combat FARC
Photo: Colombia ReportsColombia's Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos Tuesday announced a "strategic leap" to further diminish the military capacity of the FARC.
The plan consists of a joint offensive by the several branches of the armed forces in areas where the FARC has strong military presence.
"The beast is wounded and we have to keep the initiative to give it the final blow, to take it to a point of no return," Santos said.
According to the Minister, the armed forces will first determine on what locations the guerrillas are at their strongestand begin a massive and long lasting offensive in those areas, using troops from all over the country.
"We will combine this with intelligence work to identify and hit the high value targets that are there," the Minister added.
Santos also says Colombia will strengthen its military presence on its borders to prevent guerrillas taking refuge in neighboring countries.
"We will also fight the political and legal war of these groups that, while being beaten in the military field, choose to infiltrate civil society with militias and presence in universities and NGOs," Santos said.
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It is good to see that action by the Colombian government is being made to fight the drug war in Colombia. They are coming together to try and end the drug problem but it is going to take more than just spraying the crops. I hope this effort will ultimately cause some improvement to the ongoing situation with the FARC.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
BBC News:
Incest accusations shock Colombia
A Colombian man has appeared in court accused of raping his daughter over many years and fathering several children with her.
Arcebio Alvarez, dubbed the "monster of Mariquita" by the local media, allegedly abused his daughter, now in her 30s, since she was nine years old.
The case has shocked Colombia, and the 59-year-old needed police and army protection for his court appearance.
Mr Alvarez denies incest and rape, saying his daughter was adopted.
"We agreed to have a romantic relationship because we really loved each other. But she was not my own child," he told the court in the central Tolima province.
Sometimes I would ask him [why we were doing it] and he would say it was God's will
Arcedio Alvarez's daughter
It is not clear whether his claim is true, or whether it would affect the charges he faces, but the woman says she always saw him as her father.
"I always respected him as my father and he is my father," she said.
"He never spoke about [incest], about why we were doing it. Sometimes I would ask him and he would say it was God's will."
The woman told police how her mother died when she was five years old, leaving her in the care of Mr Alvarez.
She says she was raped repeatedly and became pregnant 14 times. Eight of her children, aged between one and 19, survived.
The woman and her children are now under state protection.
Child welfare campaigners have called for a life sentence if he is convicted, saying there are hundreds of thousands of child sexual abuse cases in Colombia not being prosecuted.
The case has also prompted a movement to change Colombian law, says the BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Colombia, to ensure that those found guilty of raping children go to prison for life.
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I posted this article from BBC News because it gave a more in depth description on the story about the man raping his daughter that I previously posted. I am glad that the case has prompted a movement to change Colombian law when it comes to raping children. This is a sad story and I hope that justice is ultimately served.
Incest accusations shock Colombia
A Colombian man has appeared in court accused of raping his daughter over many years and fathering several children with her.
Arcebio Alvarez, dubbed the "monster of Mariquita" by the local media, allegedly abused his daughter, now in her 30s, since she was nine years old.
The case has shocked Colombia, and the 59-year-old needed police and army protection for his court appearance.
Mr Alvarez denies incest and rape, saying his daughter was adopted.
"We agreed to have a romantic relationship because we really loved each other. But she was not my own child," he told the court in the central Tolima province.
Sometimes I would ask him [why we were doing it] and he would say it was God's will
Arcedio Alvarez's daughter
It is not clear whether his claim is true, or whether it would affect the charges he faces, but the woman says she always saw him as her father.
"I always respected him as my father and he is my father," she said.
"He never spoke about [incest], about why we were doing it. Sometimes I would ask him and he would say it was God's will."
The woman told police how her mother died when she was five years old, leaving her in the care of Mr Alvarez.
She says she was raped repeatedly and became pregnant 14 times. Eight of her children, aged between one and 19, survived.
The woman and her children are now under state protection.
Child welfare campaigners have called for a life sentence if he is convicted, saying there are hundreds of thousands of child sexual abuse cases in Colombia not being prosecuted.
The case has also prompted a movement to change Colombian law, says the BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Colombia, to ensure that those found guilty of raping children go to prison for life.
..........................................
I posted this article from BBC News because it gave a more in depth description on the story about the man raping his daughter that I previously posted. I am glad that the case has prompted a movement to change Colombian law when it comes to raping children. This is a sad story and I hope that justice is ultimately served.
...........................................
This video is about the current drug problem in Colombia and how it came to be. It is from Al Jazeera news and tells of how Mexico has now become the number one place for drug trafficking. The demand for the cocaine in America seems to be the main issue in the countries that are fighting drug wars. It will be interesting to see how the U.S. leaders and other country leaders deal with the problem.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
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Interesting video, it was neat to see a documentary on the drug problem in Colombia from a different perspective. You can watch parts 3 & 4 to this video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtGG0EOGTPg&feature=player_embedded
Photo: Colombia Reports
'How is it possible that no one reported this?
How is it possible that the Monster of Mariquita, who raped his daughter for thirty years, impregnating her 14 times and was sexually abusing the girls she gave birth to, was able to do this for so long, Tolima authorities ask.
"How is it possible nobody reported this?" Director Carlos Eduardo Buenaventura Gómez of Tolima's Family Welfare institute openly asks.
The official, who says he knew nothing of the situation until news broke Friday about the 59-year old farmer who had been sexually abusing his siblings for thirty years. Buenaventure Gómez does not understand why nobody said anything over this long period of time.
Buenaventura Gómez says he was warned by the national Family Welfare office last Thursday after daughter Alba finally reported the abuse by her father.
After the story became known, a team of psychologists and social workers was sent to the small Tolima town to attend the victims of the abuse. The welfare workers are now trying to help the daughter and her eight children, all born from the "Monster".
"We are working with the family now and are looking for ways to keep them together, is that's possible. Experts are currently assassing and analyzing the situation and we welcome their recommendations," teh regional Welfare director told newspaper El Tiempo.
According to Buenaventura, he is instructed by the national office for Family Welfare to give the victims all support and collaboration possible and that they will be offered the best programs available to overcome their destructive past of abuse.
The Welfare director denounces how nobody in the community sent warning signals to the authorities that something was wrong in teh farmer's household.
The horror story stayed within the family until Alba turned to the local priest and told him what happened. The priest then warned the authorities.
"How is it possible nobody reported this?" Director Carlos Eduardo Buenaventura Gómez of Tolima's Family Welfare institute openly asks.
The official, who says he knew nothing of the situation until news broke Friday about the 59-year old farmer who had been sexually abusing his siblings for thirty years. Buenaventure Gómez does not understand why nobody said anything over this long period of time.
Buenaventura Gómez says he was warned by the national Family Welfare office last Thursday after daughter Alba finally reported the abuse by her father.
After the story became known, a team of psychologists and social workers was sent to the small Tolima town to attend the victims of the abuse. The welfare workers are now trying to help the daughter and her eight children, all born from the "Monster".
"We are working with the family now and are looking for ways to keep them together, is that's possible. Experts are currently assassing and analyzing the situation and we welcome their recommendations," teh regional Welfare director told newspaper El Tiempo.
According to Buenaventura, he is instructed by the national office for Family Welfare to give the victims all support and collaboration possible and that they will be offered the best programs available to overcome their destructive past of abuse.
The Welfare director denounces how nobody in the community sent warning signals to the authorities that something was wrong in teh farmer's household.
The horror story stayed within the family until Alba turned to the local priest and told him what happened. The priest then warned the authorities.
----------------------------
This story was pretty shocking to me as well as repulsive. I hope that the man who did this gets some kind of major punishment because it is obviously not right. It will be interesting to see how the Colombian government handles the situation.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
This is a documentary on Pablo Escobar by Manuel Francisco Contreras. It shows two different perceptions on the most famous drug lord of Colombia. One is by the poor people who Escobar gave money to and the other is by the government who fought to capture him. It is very interesting to see these two perceptions compared. He was both a hero and a killer in Colombia depending on who you talk to. Check out this video to get a better understanding.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Garry Leech
Photo: Colombia ReportsInterview with Gary Leech, the gringo who goes where no gringo goes
Independent journalist Garry Leech is one of the few foreigners who have seen the Colombia that hardly anyone sees. He has spent nearly ten years in Colombia's war zones and has seen a side of Colombia that most prefer not to know about.
Leech, editor of colombiajournal.org, has recently finished the book 'Beyond Bogota: Diary of a Drug War Journalist in Colombia' about the years he spent investigating Colombia's conflict. A book he decided to start writing while he was held at gunpoint by FARC guerrillas and realized his son would never know the kind of work his father did if at that point or anytime something would happen to him.
Without Leech' reporting, the stories of the Colombia that most of us never see would not be told. The reality that hardly anyone of us know, is still hitting hard on the rural areas of Colombia, the reporter assures. The American does not report on the beautiful women of Medellín, the architecture of Cartagena and the vibrant nightlife of Bogotá. Leech reports the stories of the Colombians who live in areas where you and I are smart enough not to go.
According to the independent reporter, there is no one-sided answer as to whether Colombia has improved over the years he has spent researching the country. "The situation has improved incredibly in cities like Bogotá, Medellín and Cali and large parts of central Colombia, but if you go to the rural areas the situation is equally bad and in some cases even worse than ten years ago," he says.
Most people are not aware of the seriousness of the conflict that's still going on, because they're simply not told about it, he says. "All mainstream media and press agencies are based in Bogotá and rarely leave Bogotá. They do not see or show what goes on in the country. Because of this lack of investigative reporting they are over-dependent on official information. This causes a lot of misconception of Colombia and a lack of awareness of what is really going on here."
"There are very few foreign reporters who have been to the war zones. Even Colombian journalists hardly report from where the war is taking place, except for guys like Hollman Morris," he says.
Having spent that much time in the conflict areas and having seen so many sides of the country, Leech sees very little future in the military approach to the conflict with the FARC or in Plan Colombia as a way to end the cultivation of coca. "To be able to achieve peace in Colombia, it is necessary that the FARC lay down their weapons. The problem is that the FARC are not like the AUC and won't demobilize without real compromises made in the economic system in Colombia," Leech says. "The AUC could demobilize, because they never demanded change, they were protecting the system. The FARC does demand change and now, although it is using terrorism and violates human rights, tries to achieve that. The only way to stop the violence is by addressing the inequalities and poverty so prevalent in Colombia, which is something that many Colombians are struggling non-violently to achieve."
Leech's 'Beyond Bogota' is not an analysis on the situation of Colombia's violent conflict, but more an eye-witness account of the gringo that goes where no gringo goes.
.............................
The same seems to be true in the video posted above. Most of the drug problem in Colombia exists in the rural areas and has the biggest affect on the indigenous people. This is why Colombia seems to be getting better to some but really as Leech says in the interview it is worse now in some areas. It is a good thing there are reporter like Leech who is face to face with the situation because it keeps the people somewhat aware of the situation in the rural areas. I think it is going to be hard for Colombia to get the FARC to hand down their weapons because the FARC are now a terrorists group that wants change and to take over the country. It will be interesting to see how the Colombian government handles the FARC over the next few years or longer. Reporters like Garry Leech bring the public valuable information about places that are not often covered and I am appreciative of his work.
Independent journalist Garry Leech is one of the few foreigners who have seen the Colombia that hardly anyone sees. He has spent nearly ten years in Colombia's war zones and has seen a side of Colombia that most prefer not to know about.
Leech, editor of colombiajournal.org, has recently finished the book 'Beyond Bogota: Diary of a Drug War Journalist in Colombia' about the years he spent investigating Colombia's conflict. A book he decided to start writing while he was held at gunpoint by FARC guerrillas and realized his son would never know the kind of work his father did if at that point or anytime something would happen to him.
Without Leech' reporting, the stories of the Colombia that most of us never see would not be told. The reality that hardly anyone of us know, is still hitting hard on the rural areas of Colombia, the reporter assures. The American does not report on the beautiful women of Medellín, the architecture of Cartagena and the vibrant nightlife of Bogotá. Leech reports the stories of the Colombians who live in areas where you and I are smart enough not to go.
According to the independent reporter, there is no one-sided answer as to whether Colombia has improved over the years he has spent researching the country. "The situation has improved incredibly in cities like Bogotá, Medellín and Cali and large parts of central Colombia, but if you go to the rural areas the situation is equally bad and in some cases even worse than ten years ago," he says.
Most people are not aware of the seriousness of the conflict that's still going on, because they're simply not told about it, he says. "All mainstream media and press agencies are based in Bogotá and rarely leave Bogotá. They do not see or show what goes on in the country. Because of this lack of investigative reporting they are over-dependent on official information. This causes a lot of misconception of Colombia and a lack of awareness of what is really going on here."
"There are very few foreign reporters who have been to the war zones. Even Colombian journalists hardly report from where the war is taking place, except for guys like Hollman Morris," he says.
Having spent that much time in the conflict areas and having seen so many sides of the country, Leech sees very little future in the military approach to the conflict with the FARC or in Plan Colombia as a way to end the cultivation of coca. "To be able to achieve peace in Colombia, it is necessary that the FARC lay down their weapons. The problem is that the FARC are not like the AUC and won't demobilize without real compromises made in the economic system in Colombia," Leech says. "The AUC could demobilize, because they never demanded change, they were protecting the system. The FARC does demand change and now, although it is using terrorism and violates human rights, tries to achieve that. The only way to stop the violence is by addressing the inequalities and poverty so prevalent in Colombia, which is something that many Colombians are struggling non-violently to achieve."
Leech's 'Beyond Bogota' is not an analysis on the situation of Colombia's violent conflict, but more an eye-witness account of the gringo that goes where no gringo goes.
.............................
The same seems to be true in the video posted above. Most of the drug problem in Colombia exists in the rural areas and has the biggest affect on the indigenous people. This is why Colombia seems to be getting better to some but really as Leech says in the interview it is worse now in some areas. It is a good thing there are reporter like Leech who is face to face with the situation because it keeps the people somewhat aware of the situation in the rural areas. I think it is going to be hard for Colombia to get the FARC to hand down their weapons because the FARC are now a terrorists group that wants change and to take over the country. It will be interesting to see how the Colombian government handles the FARC over the next few years or longer. Reporters like Garry Leech bring the public valuable information about places that are not often covered and I am appreciative of his work.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Photo: Flickr.comBarranquilla hotels full for carnival
Adriaan Alsema
Hotels in the northern Colombian city of Barranquilla have filled up completely for the four days of its annual carnaval. The city will be the center of Colombia until Tuesday.
The pre-carnavals started weeks ago already, the preparations for the highlight of the city's culture way before, but Saturday until Tuesday is the Big Carnaval. The streets will be filled with dressed up people dancing cumbia.
The official start is teh traditional Battle of the Flowers, a parade of more than 400 traditional dance groups showing their art on Vía 40, popularly renamed Cumbiódrome.
Large metal constructions on the side of the road should give the tens of thousands of visitors a chance to see the beauty passing by.
Barranquilla authorities have 1,500 police officers ready to secure the safety of those visiting the carnaval and 450,000 condoms will be given away for free to those who want to take the carnaval back home or to their hotel.
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I think Carnival would be an absolute blast and I hope to experience it one day. It sounds a lot like Mardi Gras but with a Latin twist to it. I wonder if there are a lot of encounters with the police during these types of events. I also found the part about the distributed condoms quite interesting. It is interesting how they handle sex so openly compared to the U.S., I am not sure that condoms would be handed out at Mardi Gras but I don't know.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Calls for an investigation into the killing of Indigenous People in Colombia
16 February 2009
The Colombian authorities are being urged to initiate an investigation into the killing of 27 Indigenous Awá People in the department of Nariño this month.The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group killed 10 Awá on Wednesday, according to the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia (ONIC).
.......
FARC is also reported to have been responsible for the death of 17 Awá on 4 February. There are also reports that an unknown number of Awá have been abducted.In a public statement on Friday, Amnesty International called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the killings and for those responsible to be brought to justice.
.......
"If verified, these killings represent yet another tragic example of the numerous serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses committed against Indigenous communities by all the parties to Colombia's long-running armed conflict, including guerrilla groups, paramilitaries and the security forces. The deliberate killing of civilians is a war crime," said Marcelo Pollack, Amnesty International’s Colombia Researcher.
.......
Amnesty International called on the Colombian authorities to guarantee the safety of the humanitarian commission which is seeking to travel to the area to verify the facts. The organization also called on the guerrilla groups to prohibit the deliberate killing of civilians and to free all Awá and other civilians they hold captive.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU200902169441&lang=e&rss=recentnews
This is yet another instance the FARC are reeking havoc in Colombia. They are killing and abducting innocent civilians for no apparent reason. The problems with the FARC in Colombia have gone on for way too long and they need to be stopped for their recklessness. Though the Colombian government is an active force against the FARC they are still a powerful entity that needs to be stopped.
16 February 2009
The Colombian authorities are being urged to initiate an investigation into the killing of 27 Indigenous Awá People in the department of Nariño this month.The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group killed 10 Awá on Wednesday, according to the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia (ONIC).
.......
FARC is also reported to have been responsible for the death of 17 Awá on 4 February. There are also reports that an unknown number of Awá have been abducted.In a public statement on Friday, Amnesty International called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the killings and for those responsible to be brought to justice.
.......
"If verified, these killings represent yet another tragic example of the numerous serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses committed against Indigenous communities by all the parties to Colombia's long-running armed conflict, including guerrilla groups, paramilitaries and the security forces. The deliberate killing of civilians is a war crime," said Marcelo Pollack, Amnesty International’s Colombia Researcher.
.......
Amnesty International called on the Colombian authorities to guarantee the safety of the humanitarian commission which is seeking to travel to the area to verify the facts. The organization also called on the guerrilla groups to prohibit the deliberate killing of civilians and to free all Awá and other civilians they hold captive.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU200902169441&lang=e&rss=recentnews
This is yet another instance the FARC are reeking havoc in Colombia. They are killing and abducting innocent civilians for no apparent reason. The problems with the FARC in Colombia have gone on for way too long and they need to be stopped for their recklessness. Though the Colombian government is an active force against the FARC they are still a powerful entity that needs to be stopped.
FARC History
Photo: APThe Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) started during the civil war in Colombia from 1948- 1958. The war was between the Liberal and Conservative political parties and it devastated Colombia. The war was sparked when members of the conservative government assassinated the leader of the liberal party, Jorge Eliecer Gaitan. The civil war was the cause of more than 200,000 deaths and the spawn of a guerrilla group known as the FARC. The FARC make most of their money off of Colombia's flourishing drug trade which gives them the ability to acquire firearms and new recruits. The FARC is considered a terrorist group in Colombia and the Colombian government continues to fight against them.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
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