Cavidad

 Wed, 05/13/2009 - 21:48

Local Zones of Peace: General Survey and Map; Associations 
 
                                              CAVIDAD
                                                                                                                                              
Official Title: Communities for Self Determination, Life & Dignity of Cacarica;
Departamento: Choco.
Region: in lower Atrato region, close to Panamanian border. 
Municipal Members/Settlements: Nueva Vida, [Nueva] Esperanza en Dios.
Overall Population: c4,000 [2004]
Location: area around the R.Cacarica basin.
Ethnic mix: Afro-Colombian
IDP population:
Date of establishment: 2000-2001
Traditional political affiliation:
Trigger event[s]:
 
Persons/organisations involved in establishment:
Leadership:
 
Supporters: Links with Chicagoans for a Peaceful Colombia since 1999 [visiting delegations 2004 & 2006].
 
Declared objectives:
 
Relations with departmental  government bodies
Governor’s office:
 
National government departments:
 
Memberships of regional or national organisations:
 
Organisational structure:
 Plenary meetings:
 Decision making bodies
 Functional committees: Communities have established own education system, local radio station and several publications.
Valued goods produced in region: Logging activities and the cultivation of African Palm by outside companies [e.g. Maderas de Darien] are prevalent, protected by the army and paramilitaries.
Local armed actors in the region:
 Armed forces: XVII Brigade; about 100 soldiers stationed nearby [2004].   
 Paramilitaries: Region largely taken over by paras in 1996-7.  
 Guerrillas: Originally controlled by FARC but guerrillas have now retreated from the region.                                            
                     
Arrangements with L.A.A.s
 
Significant events: Communities were among those dispossessed by Operation Genesis in 1997. Fleeing to the coastal town of Turbo [where the local authorities were apparently expecting them] they organised a return from there and also successfully filed claim to over 100,000 hectares of traditionally held land.
     In 2004 an army base at “El Limon” was established  near to Nueva Esperanza en Dios [which had already moved up-stream once before] harassing members of the local community. The community split, some moving again to establish another humanitarian community, others remaining but being viewed with suspicion as army informants.
Further comments: In Aug. 2003 the head of the Colombian army called a special press conference in Bogota to denounce the existence of a FARC “concentration camp” on the Cacarica.
 
Contacts:
 
 
Last Update: