revised speech coverage

Zarate-Laun Speaks About Colombia/McGovern
Colombian Peace Activist Cecilia Zarate-Laun Speaks At Kalamazoo College
By Munirah McGovern

KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Cecilia Zarate-Laun, M.A., the co-founder of the Colombia Support Network and an advocate for peace and social justice in Columbia, gave a speech last night at Kalamazoo College. Her topic was the current conflict in Colombia, what is being done to remedy the situation, and everyday United States citizens can do to help speed the changes.
Zarate-Laun, a native Colombian, spoke passionately, educating the crowd of nearly one hundred about the conflict that has been affecting her country for the past four decades. As she told those in attendance, Colombia operates as a democracy, and is home to 44 million people. While it is extremely rich in natural resources like gold, oil, gas, and coal, 65 percent of the population lives below the poverty level, which makes democracy unable to flourish. “A democracy can’t function, exist, or be competitive with such differences in wealth” she said, discussing the constant upheaval and rebellion occurring in Colombia.
Because most of those in attendance were uninformed about the source of the conflict, she related the facts of how it all began. According Zarate-Laun, the original source of conflict was military groups reacting to years of hard times and oppression. There are three main groups involved in the conflict: the left-wing guerillas, right-wing paramilitary, and the state security forces. In 1960 these problems came to a head, with 300,000 civilians losing their lives and a total of 3.8 million more fleeing leaving the country, more than any conflict except Darfur. Since then, the growing problem of cocaine has amplified the already volatile situation, causing it to escalate rather than diminish. The U.S. has been providing aid, but all the money has gone to military efforts rather than anti-drug efforts.
Zarate-Laun closed by recommending that everyone in attendance contact their senators and voice their support for the movement for peace in Colombia, and saying that young generation is truly the future of our world. “Young people are the future...physically carrying the torch for the whole world..it’s very important to be energetic to keep democracy alive and well.”

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