Catholic Priest begins UK Speaking Tour amidst Death Threat

A Colombian Catholic priest, who is also a world renowned human rights advocate, will soon begin a speaking tour of the UK. Father Javier Giraldo is constantly under death threats because of his 25 years of constant efforts to draw world attention to human rights abuses in Colombia.

Giraldo’s tour of the UK will see him visit Bristol, Brighton, Oxford, Crewe, Derby, Sheffield and Liverpool between November 12th and 21st. The highlight of the tour are two public meetings, which will be on the theme of Human Rights and Impunity in Columbia. These will take place on Tuesday 16th November 2004.

London School of Economics will host the first in their centre for the Study of Human Rights from 1pm to 2.30pm. The later that same day at 7.15pm Giraldo will speak publicly at the House of Commons. This event will be hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Human Rights, and will be chaired by Jeremy Corbyn MP.

The Colombian worked as General Secretary of the Colombian Inter-Church Commission for Justice and Peace for a decade between 1988 and 1998. He became known internationally for being the spokesperson for the victims of human rights violations in the Colombian Courts on numerous occasions.

The body he worked for, the Commission for Justice and Peace has the mission to reach out and provide humanitarian and legal support to victims in regions of intense conflict. Impoverished communities are connected with by the group, and staff often develop close relationships with the sufferers in the face of the brutal conflicts.

Giraldo has also worked for the Centre for Investigation and Popular Education, and the Association of Relatives of Disappeared Detainees. He was been awarded the III Juan Maria Bandres Peace Prize in Spain for Refugee Aid.

The details of his meetings in the UK are set out below:

Monday November 15, Brighton: The Meeting House, University of Sussex, Falmer, 6pm.

Tuesday November 16, London School of Economics, 1-2.30pm.

Tuesday November 16, House of Commons, 7.15pm. Organised by Colombia Solidarity Campaign and Peace Brigades International (UK). Supported by Latin America Bureau. You will need to register in advance for this meeting, as attendance will be on a ticket-only basis. Please contact the Colombia Solidarity Campaign at colombia_sc@hotmail.com or on 07743 743041.

Wednesday November 16, Oxford and Crewe.

Thursday November 17, 7.30pm, Diocesan Centre, Mornington Crescent, Mackworth, Derby

Friday November 19, daytime, Sheffield: Urban Theology Unit, 210 Abbeyfield Road, Sheffield S4

Friday November 19, evening, Liverpool Quaker Meeting House.