Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

National SDS stands with Simon Trinidad and Colombia

By staff

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)

Students for a Democratic Society stands with Simon Trinidad and the peace process in Colombia. Simon Trinidad is an important political leader in the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP). He served as a peace negotiator before the CIA pushed for his extradition to the US for trumped up charges. The US government sentenced Simon Trinidad to 60 years in prison when it got a conviction after Trinidad beat three of the four kangaroo court trials. He's forced into solitary confinement and denied basic human rights.

If the United States government's gross violations of Simon Trinidad human rights were not enough, it actively supports, funds, and trains the Colombian government to engage in a dirty civil war. The vast majority of human rights violations in Colombia occur either by the government itself or by the government supported narco-paramilitaries. Yet, Colombia has received nearly 8 billion dollars in US aid primarily for military operations under the guise of “counter-narcotics.”

The FARC-EP demands the release of one of their main peace negotiators, Simon Trinidad, from inhumane conditions. The United States and Barack Obama must meet this incredibly reasonable request for the sake of the peace process in Colombia. National SDS will mobilize on September 21st to demand Simon Trinidad's release at the Florence Colorado Supermax prison known as the “Guantanamo of the Rockies”.

#UnitedStates #SDS #Colombia #PeoplesStruggles #SimónTrinidad #Columbia #Americas