[UAH] Colombia: Attention Rajab Ali; Chaka Jay

I went to Colombia to the querrilla zones to report on human rights
violations. Because I don't speak the languages of Colombia, my
organisation arranged for a female interpreter who speaks English,
Spanish and Portuguese. And she is black, which I found very
surprising, because I never knew there are millions of black
Colombians, descendants of the slave trade. Our cover was that she is
my fiancee and she was going to introduce me to her parents in this
truly dangerous area, which then was a so-called liberated area. It is
in San Vicente de La Caguan. She took me to visit her parents on the
Pacific coast to attend the local carnival and it was so amazing,
seeing so many black people as you would see on the streets of Lira or
Mbale or Kampala.

Later, I went to spend a night at her family home and then to go back
to San Vicente. Saying good bye, the father said, with the daughter
interpreting, why are you going to those dangerous places? Why are you
pretending that my daughter is your fiancee? You can marry her right
now with my blessings and take her with you to London. She likes you.
You should just care about your family and not human rights.

The girl kept laughing while interpreting. And I also kept a smiling
face, but the old man was very serious. I would sincerely have married
his daughter, but I already had a wife with two children.

The Colombian government has not allowed me back into the country for
unrelated reasons regarding my entry and exit to the country.

George Okello