The gospel invites us to know how to "interpret the signs of the times" (Matthew 16:3). For this reason, "with fear and trembling", we dare to write to you in this moment of confusion and pain that the Colombian people are suffering, in search of solidarity and fraternal discernment.
The government of the United States of America, the most powerful hegemonic force in the world, has turned its eyes upon our small country. Congress recently approved an "aid" package to the Colombian government for $1.3 billion U.S. of which almost 90 percent goes towards military support for the army, in other words, to escalate the war.
In the same manner, the Colombian government is soliciting a similar amount of money from European governments with the so-called "Plan Colombia," which seeks to gain military advantages over the guerrillas in order to supposedly reach peace.
During the last 50 years, Colombians have been living through a serious social and armed conflict that leaves a disastrous count of 30,000 violent deaths annually, close to 2 million displaced people, a destroyed economic infrastructure in the country, an illegitimate government, a fragmented and desperate civil society, and millions of common people's life-dreams frustrated.
In the last 15 years, the problems of this social conflict have been augmented by drug-trafficking, financed by international mafia and carried out by Colombians. It is a business that takes advantage of people's greed, the government's weakness, the corruption of many politicians, and the displaced and unemployed people's hunger and misery. Drug-trafficking has become a source of financing for the guerrilla groups, paramilitary and self-defense groups, and turns into an excuse for the United States to intervene in Colombia.
Just as throwing oil into flames produces more fire, more arms produce more war. This military "aid" will not put an end to the war nor eradicate drug-trafficking. It will only increase the number of deaths and the suffering of the Colombian people. In order to survive, farmers plant coca, producing more drugs. This vicious cycle increasingly involves more and more foreign powers, takes away the government's legitimacy and gives more power and authority to guerrilla groups.
The Colombian people are not a drug-trafficking cartel, but rather a caring people that shows solidarity to others. Just like all other people, Colombians dream and seek a better future.
What the North is sending is a message of death and destruction, amplified by the silence of so many Christians. For this reason we are sending out this message to the churches in the North that come from countries where their taxes paid to their governments are economically supporting, in their name, the annihilation of the Colombian people.
We are asking you, just as Mordichai desperately pleaded with Esther regarding the threat of annihilation of the Jews, to unite your voices with ours in order to denounce the perverse nature of this "aid" and the ever-closer danger that this war-like conflict may affect your homes and produce the death announced in the Biblical passage.
We plead with you, just as Esther did, to call together all believers and to fast and pray for the Holy Spirit to change the minds of your government, and to give strength and wisdom to the members of Colombian churches so that we might console, offer hope and continue to take a message of life and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ to this people and this suffering church.
We ask you for support to transform this vicious cycle of death and destruction that military aid produces, into a virtuous cycle of abundant life and peace. In this way our people can receive an alternative message from the people of the North, sent by the churches there. This message would show that life, respect and solidarity can also come from the north.
Perhaps, brothers and sisters, it is precisely in order to support the Colombian churches in turning the governmental message of death from the North into life that God has placed you there in the nations of the North at this time, just as God did with Esther.
Ricardo Esquivia Ballestas, Member of the Mennonite Church of Colombia, Director of Justapaz, and director of the Peace Commission of the Evangelical Council of Colombia (CEDECOL),
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