Colombia: Freedom March Around the World · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

After the rescue of 15 high profile hostages held in the FARC's power on July 2nd 2008, the same group that organized the last global march on February 4th against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) decided that there should be a another one on July 20th, the day when Colombia's Independence from Spain is celebrated. The following videos and photographs show the way this Independence celebration and liberation march was celebrated around the world,
In the capital city of Colombia, Bogota, journalist Víctor Solano uploads a video of the crowd walking by, with a surprise appearance of a TV character beloved by toddlers throughout the world. On his blog, other videos and images.
From Panama,  uploaded by daydreamer191, a video of the excitement lived on the march, which took on the air of a parade.
In Australia, China and Holland, Colombians also celebrated, in groups and sometimes, all on their own.
Colombian bloggers wrote about their reasons for marching or deciding not to join the festivities.
Mauricio Duque Arrubla succinctly explained his reasons:
Caminando, se cura la herida…
Walking, the wound can heal…
Also, his wife took the picture which illustrates this post, titled “Flags”.
Dianacats who lives in another main city in Colombia, Medellin, views the march from the commercial perspective and is a bit befuddled by the campaign a pizza parlor sent to her email, thinking that marketing a pizza on independence and freedom marches is going a bit too far.
From the coastal city of Barranquilla in Colombia, El Gerente posts pictures of his day at the march.
Blogger Arlovich Correa Manchola writes about the ideal of Nation, and how hope for the march has overshadowed the murders of syndicalists on the hands of the state.
La patria olvidará mañana al sindicalista del Polo que se entierra hoy, detenido y desaparecido por fuerzas oficiales, según éste comunicado. Guillermo Rivera llevó a su hija a la ruta del colegio y luego desapareció, después de ser abordado en plena vía pública de Bogotá, por sujetos que a la postre lo torturaron y asesinaron.
La patria ha asesinado a 29 sindicalistas como Rivera, en lo que va corrido del año.
La patria mata 5 sindicalistas al mes.
La patria mata un sindicalista a la semana.
La PATRIA está ensangrentada, tiene las manos y la boca y el alma sedienta de sangre.
Al final del día la patria reza el rosario. Y se lava las manos.
The nation will forget tomorrow the Polo [Opposition Political Party] syndicalist who was buried today, detained and disappeared by official forces, according to this release. Guillermo Rivera took his daughter on her way to school and then disappeared after being intercepted in the middle of the public road in Bogota,  by individuals who later tortured and murdered him.
The nation has murdered 29 syndicalists like Rivera just this year.
The nation kills 5 syndicalists a month.
The nation kills a syndicalist a week.
The NATION is bloodied, has their hands and mouth and soul thirsty for blood.
At the end of the day the nation prays with a rosary. And washes its hands.