Espacio Bristol-Colombia is collective of people working in solidarity with Colombian social activists, communities and human rights defenders, who face threats, murder and imprisonment as a result of their struggles for another possible world. We are part of the Red de Hermandad y Solidaridad con Colombia (Network of Friendship and Solidarity with Colombia), a space for coordination between various Colombian and international groups.

We invite people who would like to help with organizing events, actions and creative projects or who would like to volunteer in Colombia accompanying organizations and communities to get involved.

Current accompaniers from Espacio in Colombia
For news from Bristolians currently volunteering with Colombian social organisations see the following indymedia updates:
Colombia: Beyond Petroleum
More climate news

Communities plan for life

Friend gets death threats

Three threats in five days

March for war

Homage to victims of state terror

Agro-fuels and gold mining: the human cost

Bristol speaker gets death threats

Archived reports from Guayusa Andina and Guayabo Pastuso, who are working with communities affected by oil exploration are available at the blog

venid a ver

Since early 2008, Frog Lover has been accompanying social organisations and working lon the impact of agro-fuel crops. See her blog bio-duels

Guarapo Meloso arrived at the end of March 2008 after a period in Mexico. See his blog las cartas marcadas

Agro-fuels and climate chaos



Colombian organizations recently held a Climate Justice Tribunal, which highlighted how climate chaos has the worst effects for the poorest populations and is a consequence of a system based on economic growth and huge levels of consumption by those who can afford it. The promotion of agro-fuels was also high on the agenda. Agro-fuel crops, especially African Palm, now cover large parts of the Colombian countryside, with small-scale farming communities and the production of food staples being violently displaced by right-wing paramilitary death squads to make way for agro-industry and monocultures. The Tribunal called for grass-roots social movements to unite in radical action against climate chaos and capitalism, and not wait for ‘solutions’ from an establishment that is part of the problem. More info…

Twin with a threatened Colombian in BP’s oil exploration zone



Espacio helped organise a recent international delegation which found that army units protecting BP’s installations are still murdering rural community members, whilst the British oil giant continues to reap ecological destruction. You can read the report here (Spanish version here). You can help prevent this violence and support people in the region by twinning with a Colombian under threat under the Pen-Pal Protection Plan.

More info on BP in Casanare

More info on becoming a pen-pal

Police brutality: justice for Jhonny Silva



Some of us were part of a delegation to Colombian universities in September 2005, and present at a peaceful student protest during which riot police killed the student Jhonny Silva. It took two years for the Colombian authorities to begin to investigate the case. Please take action to make them feel the pressure from outside Colombia. Most human rights violations by the state forces and paramilitaries remain in impunity, which gives the green light to keep killing protesters - so it’s really important to keep up the pressure, even years later. More info coming soon....