Overview: Four laureates from Colombia were named RFK Human Rights Laureates in 1998:

Ms. Berenice Celeyta Alayón, President of La Asociación NOMADESC: La Asociación para la Investigación y Acción Social (Association for Social Research and Action), is currently targeted by an assassination plot because of her valiant work with labor rights and accountability. The assassination plot, known as “Operación Dragon,” forms part of an intelligence surveillance operation that targets Berenice and over 175 important union leaders, human rights defenders, and members of political opposition groups. No real progress has been made in investigating Operation Dragon thus far, in spite of the fact that sufficient evidence points to the involvement of certain individuals who are a part of the Colombian military and other public security forces.

Ms. Gloria Inés Flórez Schneider, Director of MINGA, the Association for Alternative Social Policy, works tirelessly for economic rights in rural areas as well as for rights of those displaced by the war in Colombia.

Mr. Jaime Prieto Méndez, Formerly the president of the Committee in Solidarity with Political Prisoners, is a founder and leading figure of the Colombian human rights movement working for the protection of human rights defenders in support of the rule of law.

Mr. Mario Humberto Calixto, Teacher and former president of the Sabana de Torres Human Rights Committee in Colombia, narrowly escaped armed assailants in 1997 and currently lives in exile in Spain. Since he has left his country the Center for Human Rights no longer actively works with Mr. Calixto.

Current Goals:
The CHR is currently developing an infrastructure to provide ongoing support to the three Colombian laureates engaged in full-time, in-country, in human rights work. In particular, the CHR is looking for volunteers who are dedicated to human rights in Colombia and able to commit 4-8 hours per month to work with the Colombia Advocacy Team (AT). Members of the AT work with the CHR staff to help advance the social change goals and objectives of the Laureates. It is comprised of experts in the academic, legal, private sector, celebrity, religious and political communities who utilize their respective talents and connections to develop and implement projects that add value to the social change endeavors of the Laureates. The immediate objective of the AT is twofold: 1) Assure protection for 1998 Laureate Berenice Celeyta and her colleagues as well as work with Ms. Celeyta to achieve her overall social change objectives, and 2) eventually begin working concretely with Ms. Flórez and Mr. Prieto to attain their respective endeavors.

For more information, please contact Erik Manuel Giblin by phone at: 202-463-7575 ext. 226 or by email at: giblin@rfkmemorial.org.