Resistence On Jiguamiandó River
The Chocó region, located in the pacific north west of Colombia, is well known for the richness of its biodiversity and ecosystem. This is why it’s one of the most coveted areas of the world, with 46.530km2. At the river mouth of the Atrato exist 3 lost communities within the jungle, communicated by palisades and without any kind of medical assistance. These are the Jiguamiandó communities: mestiza, afro and embera. Populations that, forbidden by the government, survive and defend their Human Rights as residents of the basin and owners of their lands.
Nowadays, this forest area is being a victim of the violent occupation of its territories at the hands of armed groups and multinationals who want to seize the wealth of the place, either for the African plant cultivation either for the Cerro Cara de Perro gold mining, a magic mountain for the local residents and extremely rich in gold for the transnational corporations.
Since 2001 they request for unplugging the marsh of the river which gives access to their communities but the government don’t listen to them because they know that they have no way to survive and will end up fleeing. It’s 14 years now fighting to defend their territory. For the indigenous embera community , the earth is their mother, is what sustains them. They will not give endorsement to make the exploitation of Cerro Cara de Perro, but they will still do it with the use of arms.
This factor makes the people are suffering forced displacement and are forced to flee their homes not to be killed. They are part of the more than 2.5 million people in Colombia displaced into an unclear future.
‘We resists the army pressure, and we will resist until the end.’ (Communities voice)
About the Author
Andrea Lamount
I spent long periods of my life traveling, trying to build my own discourse of things, absorbing the social problems experienced in other countries. I was born in Barcelona, my parents taught me a multicultural education spending long summers of my childhood in Colombia, where they are from. A year ago I decided to move there to work with communities displaced by the conflict, to know them closely. I found an humanitarian mission to Chocó on march 2011 and after some meetings with the organization I was part of the team to go to the conflict zone. I met wonderful people victims of land expropriation. All of them were brave, with hope despite the violence suffered, always fighting for dignity, equality, respect.
‘Resistance in Jiguamiando river’ is now the heritage of Colombia coordinated by Claustro de San Agustín (Bogota) and was exhibited at Visa Off Perpignan in 2011 having been chosen by Clic Fotoperiodismo Joven ’11 and by Encontro Niterói América do Sul ’11 to represent Colombia.
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