A Tale Of Two Marches

Colombian protests the myth and the reality

The two marches recently held in Colombia to protest on the one hand against the FARC and the second march to protest against State Crimes were treated very differently by the media and the government.

Colombia - A Tale Of Two Marches
Gearoid O’Loingsigh reports from Colombia

9 March 2008

On February 4th millions turned out around the world to march in a protest called against the FARC. The march was initially called by the Colombian Vice-president Francisco Santos in response to Venezuela’s President Chavez’s call for the FARC to be recognised as a belligerent force by governments and international bodies. The call was quickly taken up a group of right wing students who proceeded to organise an international protest against the FARC through the internet group Facebook.

The march was called on the supposed basis of the organizers’ opposition to the FARC’s practice of kidnapping. However, such a basis for the march couldn’t last long and very quickly the organizers were forced to show their hand. The march was supposed to show support for the far right government’s policy euphemistically called Democratic Security.

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