–by Stewart Vriesinga
On Thursday, October 16th, representatives of the mining and agricultural communities of Southern Bolívar decided that unless the government agrees to resume meaningful dialogue by Monday, October 20th, they will mobilize thousands of their members in a bid to force the government back to the bargaining table. The decision comes after national and state government representatives failed to appear on Wednesday, October 15th, at a meeting in Santa Rosa that they themselves had scheduled –and rescheduled and rescheduled. As happened in San Pablo on September 15th of this year, the governmental representatives did not communicate their decision to cancel until 900 community members had already traveled at great effort and expense, in some cases for days, through knee-deep mud, by foot, mule, four-wheel drive trucks, boats and buses in hopes of having their voices heard and their concerns addressed.
Amongst those futilely awaiting the government’s arrival were the mayors of Santa Rosa and Morales, both of whom committed to stand with their constituents in a bid for justice and the right to be heard. Other attendees included representatives of the Government Ombudsman’s Office, the Vice President’s Office on Human Rights, the Organization of American States, the Program for Peace and Development in the Middle Magdalene, and international accompaniment organizations, including Christian Peacemaker Teams.
Being ignored is nothing new to local citizens. Apart from military presence, there is little state presence or infrastructure in most of the area –very few schools or teachers, roads, health-clinics, electricity, telephone service, etc. Further, despite previous occasions in which governmental representatives have come to the table, the government has yet to implement any decision or policy addressing the specific concerns or demands of the local population.
The primary concerns of the communities and their representatives are the right to life with dignity, and protection from being dispossessed of or displaced from their homes, communities and livelihoods. Community and local organization leaders have been threatened by paramilitaries, assassinated by government security forces, and unjustly accused of treason and arrested. Small miners and small land owners, denied titles to their mines and the lands they have occupied for decades, are in danger of being dispossessed by encroaching agro-industry (oil palm plantations etc.) and multinational mining interests. The latter, ironically, is receiving land titles and/or exploration and mining rights as well as state protection.
The violence against the indigenous people of Cauca in the south highlights the risks the Southern Bolivar mining and agricultural communities face as they prepare to take their struggle to larger urban centers in an effort to force negotiation. Three days ago indigenous organizations in Cauca, taking similar measures to have their rights respected and their voices heard, came under direct attack from government security forces—illustrating how dissidence and non-violent resistance are not tolerated in this country. The indigenous organizations have suffered casualties but gained strength in terms of support and numbers.
Christian Peacemaker Teams has regularly accompanied and supported the non-violent initiatives for justice and peace of several of these organizations and communities for years –the Southern Bolivar Agricultural-Mining Federation, Micoahumado, Tiquisio, and Garzal. We also visit many of the other communities affected and will continue to do so.
As a first step, please urge your political representative to push the Colombian government for a negotiated peaceful solution to the urgent concerns of the people of south Bolívar and all of Colombia. Please be prepared to take further action on short notice, since the situation remains volatile and is evolving rapidly.
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