The People Behind Coal in Colombia and Kentucky - post 4

KFTC members Cari Moore, John Capillo and Randy Wilson along with 2 KFTC staff visited Columbia from July 19th-26th to learn about the impacts of coal mining on Northern Colombia as a part of a Witness For Peace (WFP) tour. WFP, an international organization, aims to support justice and sustainable economies by changing U.S. policies and corporate practices that contribute to poverty and oppression in Latin America and the Carribean.

The tour, called "The People Behind the Coal in Appalachia and Colombia,â€ began with a Mountain Witness Tour in Eastern Kentucky. After that, tour participants spent 10 days in the Cesar region of northern Colombia, where coal mining has taken place for about 20 years. This is the third year that KFTC has participated in this exchange.

Read more about this trip by clicking here or by visiting www.kftc.org/colombia.

What can you do to help the people in Colombia that are affected by coal?

Here are a few ideas of some actions steps you can take:

1. Consider joining the Witness For Peace delegation to Colombia next year. Information will be sent out from KFTC about the trip early next summer.

2. Send this postcard to Gary Drummond, CEO of Drummond Mines, which are engaging in serious violations of human rights and in union busting activities, according to Colombians.

3. Send this postcard to the U.S. Embassy in Colombia to request improved security protection for union and community organizers.

4. Learn more - attend KFTC's Annual Meeting from October 8-10 to join in a discussion about the connections between Kentucky and Colombia.