Christian Peacemaker Teams Las Pavas Action, Chicago Federal Building

Christian Peace Maker Team Action Supports Subsistence Farmers in Las Pavas, Colombia in Their Struggle Against Corporate Greed On Friday, July 26, 2013, Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) conducted a multi-site public witness in Chicago, Illinois, USA, standing with the people of Las Pavas, Colombia in their continuing struggle against palm oil companies who are trying to take over the villages' land. Armed militias hired by Aportes San Isidro, S.A. have attempted to plant palm oil plants on the villages' land and continue to attack the village by shooting out tractor tires, burning down the village community center, and assaulting a farmer with a machete. The Colombian Supreme Court has ruled that the land belongs to the village, but the village is still waiting to receive written title to the land. Four CPTers took a small palm tree and a letter to the Colombian Consulate explaining the situation in Las Pavas. They asked the Consul General to take urgent action to stop the corporate militia and to ensure that the villagers received title to their land. The receptionist told the CPTers that no one was available to talk with them. On the street below a dozen CPTers and supporters lined the sidewalk, holding several large photos of Las Pavas villagers and a sign saying "Palm Oil Displaces Colombian Families." They sang. They leafleted. Two CPTers dressed as palms trees and two as Colombian farmers faced off against each other. Palm trees pushed farmers. Farmers pushed back. On the megaphone a CPTer read individual farmers' testimonies and gave a firey speech about why they were standing in solidarity with the people of Las Pavas. Passersby got the message at a glance. One told the team, "I didn't know this was happening. Thank you for doing this." The group moved across the street and delivered a media package and small palm tree to the Chicago Tribune, urging them to publish Las Pavas' story. Continuing its procession through an outdoor art installation called the "Bean," unarmed security guards quickly whisked the CPTers out of the park saying, "You need a permit to do that here." As part of the group interacted with the security guards, three other CPTers wrote in large chalked letters "Palm Oil = Homelessness: Protect Subsistence Farmers from Corporate Militias. www.cpt.org". At the Federal Building, one CPTer was nearly arrested as he attempted to chalk the message about Las Pavas. Five CPTers took a letter and a palm tree to US Senator Richard Durbin's office asking to speak with the Senator or with one of his staff. Upon hearing that no one was available to talk with them, the CPTers sat down in front of the office door. Within minutes several armed federal and state police cornered the CPTers, demanding to see their IDs. The CPTers uneasily complied and were escorted out of the building. The police were firm, polite and very smooth as they explained that CPT is required to follow "proper protocol." The irony of the situation is that while the police in Chicago are "doing their job," the police in Colombia just stand by, doing nothing to protect Las Pavas. In the coming weeks, CPT intends to follow up with the Colombian Counsel, the Tribune and with Senator Durbin in a campaign to stop the palm-oil company's illegal seizure of the villages' land. —Jonathan Vogel-Borne