Extra Sceening Wednesday: Ciro y Yo
Good news! After much interest and a sold-out cinema on Thursday, we have put up an extra screening of the Colombian documentary Ciro y Yo tomorrow, Wednesday. Afther the screening, there will be a talk with Colombian human rights defender and survior Marino Cordoba.
Miguel Salazar’s new documentary Ciro y Yo highlights the serious challenges victims of the over 60 years conflict in Colombia face today, and asks what it takes to reconcile after a violent past.
War has found Ciro Galindo wherever he has run to. He was born in 1952, and his life encapsulates the terrible human costs of Colombia’s recent history. Guerillas, paramilitaries, the army, the police, they have all broken apart Ciro’s family and left him with only a wish of a life in peace.
The documentary takes us on an emotional journey through the six decades of war and devastation, telling a remarkable story of human resistance and adaptability in the face of arbitrary violence.
After the screening you’ll meet human rights defender and survivor Marino Cordoba in conversation with Elisabeth Langdal, Health and Human Rights Info.
More about the screening and ticket sales here.
Marino Cordoba Berrio
Marino Cordoba is a human rights defender and survivor. Nominated for the Martin Ennals Award, in recognition to his leadership fighting for the rights of his community, the Afro –Colombians, as well as other marginalised groups. Marino fought for the recognition of land rights of the local communities many of whom faced the loss of their land to powerful commercial interests, notably in logging and mining.
Marino was one of the key leaders behind the constitutional changes in Colombia in 1991 that recognized Afro-Colombians as one of the minority communities. This led to law 70 in 1993 that gave Afro-Colombians rights over their collective land, natural resources, minerals and their environment, as well access to political participation in the Colombian congress. In 1996 a joint military and paramilitary intervention “Operation Genesis” began to expel Afro-Colombians from their territories, take possession of their lands and install external economic projects. At that moment Marino began to faced death threats and attacks for his work for years.
Due to the constant attacks, supporters in the US congress arranged for him to seek asylum in the US. There he continued his work on behalf the Afro-Colombian community. He has mobilized political support to promote justice and restore lands taken by paramilitary groups and businesses, and block US funding for palm oil projects linked to the paramilitaries. He has also worked to have the US Congress link military assistance to human rights.
Marino currently lives in Colombia, under stringent security measures, hi is accompanied at all times by his two bodyguards and an armored bullet-proof car that is paid for by the government, but even they can’t guarantee their security due to the constant risks involved in being a leader in Colombia. Since the signing of the peace agreement more than four hundred (400) ethnic and social leaders have been killed.
