Persistent, If Nothing Else

I have been busy this week organizing the Bitterroot leg of the up-coming tour of Yaneth Perez, president of Dawn of Women for Arauca Association. Arauca is the region of Colombia which has been caught in the terrible cycle of war and violence for almost sixty years now and Yaneth and the people of Saraveno have certainly seen their share of misery. It is an old and by now familiar story, oil and other resources coveted by major global powers, ideological sectarianism, drug lords and corrupt politicians and in the middle are poor working people who just want to have some level of control over their own destiny, who just want to see their children fed , clothed, educated and presented with basic opportunities for growth.

If you were to go back through my blog archives you would find a similar entry about a year ago, the last time Yaneth came to tell her story and reach out for solidarity in this remote region. Her situation certainly hasn't seen much improvement in the intervening time, more union leaders murdered, more crops destroyed and people poisoned with US pesticides sprayed from US helicopters, more teachers, doctors and leaders of cooperatives imprisoned and threatened and killed. More George Bushes visiting with corrupt right wing leaders to promise continued "aid and cooperation". Sometimes it is hard to see the effects of opposition, to keep hope alive , but the struggle for justice is like water against rock. Eventually we wear the bastards down.

With the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and decimated social programs and shredded constitution and corruption and deciept so rampant in the Homeland I almost feel guilty making the poor citizens of Ravalli County sit through another depressing description of their governments criminal complicity but hey, its my job. Week after week, year after year, till it finally starts to sink in. Sunday and Monday we take to the streets to protest the occupation and Missoula will see some Red and Black!