Awareness about cocaine's ecocide in Colombia
Shared Responsibility
VP Santos Delivers Shared Responsibility's Message in UCLA
Written by UCLA Press Office Friday, 27 February 2009 16:47
Colombian VP: Add ecological devastation to cocaine's toll
In the past, Colombian officials have tried with little success to get their message across to drug consumers about the devastating toll coca cultivation and cocaine production have taken on their country.
They have taken Colombia's victims of violence directly to Europe, where cocaine consumption is escalating, to tell their traumatic stories of kidnapping, displacement and loss of lives and limbs.
But that message was too strong, they were told. Don't victimize the drug consumer, they were advised, especially in Europe and in the U.S., where cocaine use is seen as a personal choice.
So His Excellency Francisco Santos Calderón, vice president of Colombia, a former journalist and a victim of kidnapping himself by the Medellín drug cartel, is delivering a new message that he hopes the world will take to heart: Cocaine use is killing Colombia's tropical rainforests, poisoning its rivers and land with toxic chemicals used in production of the drug, and ravaging a fragile ecosystem that sustains species of birds, amphibians, reptiles and plants that can be found nowhere else on this planet.
Read more: VP Santos Delivers Shared Responsibility's Message in UCLA
SR's Message Present at Two UK Fairs
SR´s Message Gets Heard
On 19th of July 2009 at the “Colombianamente Carnival” at Lambeth and on the 2nd of August 2009 at the” Carnival del Pueblo” at Southwark the Metropolitan Police Ibero American Association (MPIAA) approached the community together with SCD7, the Drugs Directorate, SOCA, the Home Office, the Ibero-American Non Governmental Organisations and with the Bolivian, Colombian, Mexico and Peruvian consulates and launched a Cocaine Awareness Campaign.
All together, they created a greater understanding of the effects of cocaine use. On 12th of September 2009 at Lordship Rec Community Festival at Haringey the MPIAA will approach the community and will distribute as part of the campaign booklets provided by the Home Office “Frank Campaign” outlining the real effects of the drug.
Symbolic soccer game between ex producers and consumers of cocaine in Italy
Written by El Tiempo / Translated by Shared Responsibility Friday, 09 October 2009 16:44
The game was promoted by Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos
A friendly game of micro-football between Colombian ex-paramilitaries and a group of young ex-consumers of cocaine took place today in the rehabilitation foundation of San Patrignano in Italy.
The encounter is part of Shared Responsibility's efforts to generate awareness throughout Europe about the environmental and social effects that cocaine consumption brings to Colombia.
Luca, a young Roman who consumed cocaine over 12 years and who is now rehabilitated, affirmed: "These are two realities that cannot be separated - consumers and producers. Both sides won the game because we showed that there really can be a new beginning."
Read more: Symbolic soccer game between ex producers and consumers of cocaine in Italy
SR Makes Headlines in Guatemala
Written by Diario de Centro América / Edgar Alberto Quiñónez Thursday, 15 October 2009 10:33
La cocaína también perjudica el medio ambiente
Un gramo del polvo blanco supone la destrucción de cuatro metros de selva, que tardarán entre uno y seis siglos en recuperarse. El incremento del consumo del estupefaciente ocasiona la destrucción de la biodiversidad y del vital líquido.
El proceso de producción de la cocaína repercute de manera negativa en el medio ambiente, principalmente en la selva, que es donde se fabrica, expuso Francisco Santos, vicepresidente de Colombia.
Como ejemplo citó que, por cada gramo que se elabora del estupefaciente en los laboratorios clandestinos, se generan unas 1,361 libras de basura y se contaminan 200 litros de agua. Por consiguiente, el aumento del consumo de la droga repercute en la destrucción de la superficie de ecosistemas de gran valor ya que estos son destinados al cultivo de la hoja de coca.
HOW COCAINE WARLORDS ARE KILLING THE RAINFOREST
Written by Sunday Express / Stuart Miller Sunday, 21 March 2010 00:00
SCHOOLCHILDREN in Britain are being taught how cocaine production in South America is destroying the rainforest and driving a rare bird to extinction.
Colombia’s leaders hope that highlighting the problem will not only encourage youngsters to turn their backs on the drug but force the criminals out of business too.
The country’s campaigning vice president Francisco Santos met Government ministers last week to launch a drive that will link the drug and its effects on the environment.
His message is simple – for every line of cocaine snorted in Britain four square yards of rainforest is being destroyed.
By teaching environmentally aware youngsters that the splendidly named gorgeted puffleg hummingbird is facing oblivion because its rainforest haunts are being turned into cocaine-growing plantations will, it is hoped, have a two-fold effect.
Not only will the message help save Colombia’s precious wilderness, it will also drive the next generation of potential drug-users away from the scourge that is cocaine. Mr Santos has suffered more than most at the hands of Colombia’s evil drugs industry.
He was kidnapped by Pablo Escobar, now dead head of the infamous Medellin drugs cartel, in 1990 while working as a journalist and later had to go into exile after he appeared on a hit list drawn up by the cocaine-financed Farc rebel group. His brother-in-law was killed by the traffickers when they blew up an aircraft.
More Articles...
Page 1 of 57
"58% of Colombia's illicit crops are located in FARC-influenced areas: 58,879 hectares of coca capable of producing 252 tons of cocaine per year, valued at more than 7.5 billion USD."
Cambio Magazine. September, 2009
¡Subscribe to! Shared Responsibility's RSS:
Newsletter
