Confined Communities - Breaking Out
We sat in the boat and watched young men on the bank of the river playing cards around a makeshift table. It seemed innocent enough - until you noticed the guns. We had pulled in to shore along the Atrato river at one of the many checkpoints that control all movement on the river. In Chocó, one of the poorest regions of Colombia, there are almost no roads, so the river is the lifeline - the only way for people to move from place to place. Armed men control every movement in parts of Chocó. Some control the river, while others control the forest paths. In some areas these armed men are the guerrilla, in others they are the paramilitaries, and in other areas they are the army.
 Afro-Colombians on the Atrato river in Colombia |
In Colombia, the conflict is about the control of land and resources. The fight to control resources is fierce and the people who can, get out of the way to save their lives. But in recent years, armed actors have changed their approach; instead of forcing people to leave, they are often forcing them to stay. Sometimes it is because they want people to work in the coca plantations they control. Sometimes it is to maintain the population as a human shield. Frequently, one side feels that people are supporting the other side, and by preventing them from leaving their community they prevent them from aiding their enemy. Whatever the reasons, the consequences are the same; people are trapped in what have come to be called "confined communities."
When people are unable to leave their villages, it can mean the destruction of the local economy. There are severe restrictions placed on leaving the village to attend to crops. Fishing and hunting are often prohibited, and people are unable to sell the little they are able to produce. Being unable to leave the village means they have no access to food they cannot produce themselves, or to necessities such as clothing and medicines. Access to healthcare disappears at the point of the gun at the checkpoint. Schools do not function because teachers are afraid of not being allowed to leave, so instead decide to never arrive.
The armed actors impose strict codes of conduct in the villages they control. Often there are curfews, and people defined as "undesirables" are frequently killed. Women are particularly affected by confinement. Sexual abuse and rape are common in confined communities, especially at the checkpoints used to control people's movements. It is a slow death. Not the death of the bullet, but instead the death of isolation, malnutrition and untreated illness. People suffer physically and psychologically. Hunger and illness go hand in hand with fear and despair.
Inter Pares has supported Project Counselling Service (PCS) in its work with church and local organizations to raise awareness in Colombia and internationally about this situation. Working together, PCS, the Catholic church, and indigenous and Afro-Colombian organizations, launched a campaign to open up the Atrato river. With the participation of the United Nations and members of the diplomatic corps, including Canada, a convoy of boats sailed past the checkpoints to areas where communities were unable to move freely. They brought desperately needed supplies, but more importantly, they brought a message of hope and the belief that people could peacefully pressure the armed actors to respect basic rights and freedoms.
The campaign was not a solution, but it was a step towards one. There are still confined communities along the Atrato river, and elsewhere in Colombia. But now, people are talking about the problem. People continue to speak out and find ways to defend their rights. Inter Pares will work with them, and PCS will accompany and support their efforts.
In addition to the generous support of our donors, Inter Pares gratefully acknowledges the support and assistance of CIDA Americas branch and the Wild Rose Foundation for our work in Colombia.
| Reviewed January 31, 2005 |  |
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