Colombia - Cordoba - Christian Solidarity Worldwide

CSW Chairman Franklin Evans with one of our partners in Colombia

Colombian churches’ plea: “We are living in fear and need your prayers…”

Renewed threats on pastors in Cordoba

After facing threats from paramilitary groups during 2009, pastors in southern Cordoba are under threat again. Just a month after CSW returned from a fact-finding and solidarity visit to Colombia, churches in six villages received renewed threats from paramilitary group, The Rastrillos.

The churches are living under fear and have called for prayer and solidarity from the worldwide Church.

Here’s what the full letter says….

We make sure the international community hears their voice…

Without your support, lobbying and prayer, the situation facing Colombian Christian leaders would have gone unnoticed and unreported.

CSW’s partnership with CRVP has meant that Christians across the country are documenting these abuses. CSW used this information to lobby the Foreign Office and the European Union, which combined with your letters helped to change their view, recognising that persecution of Christians by the armed groups is taking place.

Top five facts

1. Christians living in conflict zones or areas controlled by illegal armed groups suffer direct and indirect persecution because of their faith. Churches have been closed and religious activity forbidden by order of the armed groups, entire Christian communities have been displaced, pastors and church leaders have been marked for assassination.

2. Christians become targets because paramilitary groups aim to exercise total control over communities and the Christians’ beliefs often directly contradict those of the paramilitaries.

3. The Rastrillos are a ‘newly emergent’ paramilitary group, one of many which sprang up following the government-supported demobilisation of the paramilitary groups in 2003. The government has ignored and even denied the existence of these new groups, allowing them to flourish, re-arm and re-group.

4. There are now regions of the country, like southern Cordoba, where the paramilitary groups are the only real authority.

5. Paramilitary groups in Colombia are famous for their brutality and violence and are responsible for some of the most horrific human rights atrocities.

Protest

We need you to campaign on behalf of the Cordoban pastors by sending protest letters to Baroness Ashton at the European Commission.
>>> Download your protest letter

Provide

Hope…
By sending an e-card to the churches under threat to encourage them and help them to know they are not alone. CSW’s partner organisation will translate the messages and give them to the threatened churches.

Training…
Buy a Unique Gift and fund training for volunteers working to document and report cases like this one. Past workshops included: basic documentation, personal and IT security, working with victims of trauma, and UN advocacy training.

Support for CSW’s work in Colombia…
Make a donation today to fund vital fact-finding visits and CSW’s advocacy work – writing and presenting reports and recommendations to the UK and US Governments, the European Union and the United Nations. Help make sure that the voice of the suffering Church in Colombia doesn’t go unheard.

Pray

Please pray...

- For protection and safety for churches under threat.

- For wisdom and discernment for the pastors and other church leaders.

- Against the evil plans of the paramilitary group, the Rastrillos – pray that they would repent and that they too would know God’s love and forgiveness.

- For a sincere and effective government response to the activities of these armed groups and for peace in Colombia.

Why not add a prayer to our Prayer Wall to show your solidarity with Christians in Colombia?
>>> Visit the prayer wall