Javier Giraldo Moreno, S.J., passed away on 25 August in Bogotá at the age of 82. A key figure in Colombia’s dramatic human rights history of the last 50 years, he was an indispensable point of reference on the international stage for all liberation movements.
Since the 1970s, he was involved in the work of the institutions of Fondazione Lelio e Lisli Basso, beginning with the Lega Internazionale per i Diritti e la Liberazione dei Popoli, he later became a member of the presidium of the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal. His involvement embodied the overarching ethos of a history of resistance and liberation, aimed at ensuring that fundamental rights are recognised and accessible, in the most comprehensive way and in the most challenging circumstances.
The role of Javier, a Jesuit with an incredible knowledge of theology and law, in establishing and residing in the San José de Apartadó Peace Community, where he lived amidst daily threats of paramilitary violence, will forever be his most faithful and challenging legacy. It is a concrete expression of peace, the only possible response to the violent denial of dignity and life.
This ‘urgent’ note conveys the depth of feeling: a barely perceptible thank you, just as Javier would have wanted. His life story will soon become an integral part of this website and our future journey.
