The peasant farmers and mining communities of northeastern Antioquia have been expressing their concerns about the resurgence of violence in their territory, the increase in murders and armed strikes (forced shutdown) by illegal armed groups, the economic blockades, the ban on the entry of fuel, the illegal checkpoints by paramilitary groups, the historic abandonment by the state and more difficulties that are imposed and worsening. Because of this reality, the community of the township of Carrizal has declared itself a Permanent Humanitarian Refuge.
As CPT Colombia, we accompanied the “Humanitarian Action for Communal Defense and Protection,” an event organized by our partner organization CAHUCOPANA. This space brought together the voices of various leaders who could express their concerns to state institutions and international organizations that responded to the call to action.
The uncertainty and insecurity impose themselves as a cruel reality and shatter the hope for peace for which these communities have worked so hard, having had to survive for decades in the midst of the Colombian armed conflict. A sign displayed on the front of a house in Carrizal reads, “Only those who labour in the fields every day know that everything can be lost in the blink of an eye.”
We ask you to join us in prayer and solidarity with the communities of northeast Antioquia for the possibility of a negotiated solution to this conflict that destroys hope. We ask you to pray for the life and integrity of those who raise their voices and continue fighting for the defence of human rights, their territory and a dignified life despite this bleak context.
