On Friday, August 28th, the Arrupe Human Rights Observatory officially joined the Colombian Truth Commission as collectors of testimonies from refugees and exiled Colombians by the armed conflict. Members of the Arrupe Observatory have initiated a series of training to be able to interview victims to add their testimonies to the final work to be presented by the Colombian Truth Commission.

“The work that is going to be done by the Arrupe Observatory, and by other volunteers, is precious and indispensable for the Commission and for the peace in Colombia,” said Michelle Harb, who is in charge of the international work of the Truth Commission “For the Commission, the important thing is to be able to collect the most complete account, listening to all voices. And one of the central voices is that of refugees or exiles. Exile is one of the most silenced things, which has been less visible in what is understood by the universe of victims that there have been in Colombia,” added Harb.

Besides helping with interviews and testimony collection, the Arrupe Observatory has played a crucial role in the promotion of the Commission’s work abroad, hosting events for the dissemination of news. The latest one, “Your Truth Matters”, was co-hosted with UC Berkeley and the University of Arizona, reaching thousands of Colombians in the United States.