COLOMBIA: DISPLACED COLOMBIAN OCCUPY A UNITED NATIONS' OFFICE IN BOGOTA AS PART OF AN ONGOING STRIKE DEMANDING THAT THE GOVERNMENT ADDRESS THEIR PLIGHT

Record ID: 230286

  • Title: COLOMBIA: DISPLACED COLOMBIAN OCCUPY A UNITED NATIONS' OFFICE IN BOGOTA AS PART OF AN ONGOING STRIKE DEMANDING THAT THE GOVERNMENT ADDRESS THEIR PLIGHT
  • Date: 20th August 1999
  • Summary: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (AUGUST 19, 1999) (REUTERS) 1. MCU/CU OF MAN SEWING ANOTHER MAN'S MOUTH SHUT (4 SHOTS) 0.33 2. MCU (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED DISPLACED MAN SAYING "The government has to solve the problem of the displaced. We will continue with our sacrifice in peace. The whole point is to call everyone's attention." 0.49 3. SV MAN WAVING WHITE FLAG 0.51 4. MCU/CU MAN SEWING SHUT ANOTHER ONE'S MOUTH (2 SHOTS) 1.12 5. MCU/CU OF MEN HAVING THEIR MOUTHS SEWN SHUT (4 SHOTS) 1.58 6. MCU (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED DISPLACED MAN SAYING "We are here present. We are the displaced. We are humble people who want to go back to our lands and want to be able to give our children an education. For that reason, we are doing this to see if the United Nations pays attention to our demands. We will not leave because our government has abandoned us completely." 2.23 7. MCU OF POLICE NEXT TO MAN WHOSE MOUTH IS BEING SEWN (2 SHOTS) 2.37 8. LAS/PAN PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE EXTERIOR OF THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE (2 SHOTS) 2.51 9. MCU MEN DOING THE SIGN OF THE CROSS 2.55 10. MCU MAN WITH MOUTH SEWN SHUT 2.59 11. CU MAN NAILING ANOTHER ONE ON CROSS 3.06 12. SV/CU MEN BEING NAILED ON CROSS (2 SHOTS) 3.19 13. CU/SV VARIOUS OF CRUCIFIED MEN (3 SHOTS) 3.30 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 4th September 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
  • Country: Colombia
  • Reuters ID: LVA1KA634K3QJUW9ZDG0NCVGFM0C
  • Story Text: Displaced Colombians peacefully occupying a United
    Nations' office in Bogota have sewn their mouths shut as part
    of an ongoing hunger strike in which they are demanding that
    the government address their plight.

    Close to a dozen men occupying the United Nations High
    Commissioner for Human Rights office in Bogota sewed their
    mouths shut and crucified themselves on Thursday (August 19)
    as part of an ongoing protest against the government.

    The men are part of a group of 120 Colombians displaced
    by the country's guerrilla war and are demanding that the
    government provide housing, education and health care.

    "The government has to solve the problem of the
    displaced.We will continue with our sacrifice in peace.The
    whole point is to call everyone's attention," explained one
    protester inside the office.

    The displaced, who peacefully entered the United Nations
    Office about two weeks ago, have said that they will not leave
    until the Minister of the Interior Nestor Humberto Martinez
    commits himself to guarantee their list of demands.

    "We are the displaced.We are humble people who want to
    go back to our lands and want to be able to give our children
    an education.For that reason, we are doing this to see if the
    United Nations pays attention to our demands.We will not
    leave because our government has abandoned us completely,"
    said a displaced man.

    The director of the office of the High Commissioner in
    Bogota, Anders Kompass, has said that a quick solution to the
    problem was being discussed between those displaced and the
    Colombian government.

    According to the non-government organisation Consultancy
    for Human Rights and Displacement, between 1994 and the first
    trimester in 1998, the war between the guerillas,
    paramilitaries and the military has caused the displacement of
    at least 1.5 million Colombians.


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