La Balsita

 
                                                          La Balsita [Dabeiba]

                                                                                                                                              
Official Title: Comunidades de Vida y de Trabajo de La Balsita.
Departamento: Antioquia; (Municipio de Dabeiba).
Region:
Population:  originally about 100 people
Location:
Ethnic mix:
IDP population:
Date of establishment: 100 exiles proclaimed themselves a peace community on 5 December 1999. 
Traditional political affiliation:

Trigger event[s]: After a 5 day incursion by paramilitaries in 1997, during with 30 people were killed, and over 1200 displaced, 500 fled to the nearby municipal capital of Dabeiba..

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Persons/organisations involved in establishment:
Leadership:
 
Supporters: Justicia & Paz.
 
Declared objectives.  Original declaration deamnded that the armed actors repect the community's right not to be drawn into coflict and sought guarantees for community safety.
 
Relations with local government bodies:
 Mayor’s office:
 
Governor’s office:
 
Memberships of regional organisations:
 
Organisational structure:
 Community meetings:
 Decision making bodies
 Functional committees.
 
Valued goods produced in region:
 
Local armed actors in the region:
Armed forces: Units of the IV and XVII Brigades stationed in Dabeiba.   
Paramilitaries:  Autodefensas Unidas de Cordoba y Uraba [AUCU]. 
Guerrillas:                                             
                     
Arrangements with L.A.A.s
 
 
Significant events: Attacks in the region by the FARC in October 2000 led to accusations that the community were guerrilla supporters [the FARC also accused community of supporting the paramilitaries]. In July 2001 the community was invaded by paramilitaries while suffering a three month blockade and in December 2001, members of the AUCU took over temporary control of La Balsita, claiming that there were many guerrillas in the community. In January 2003 the paramilitaries set up a permanent presence in Dabeiba
 
Further comments:
 
Contacts:
 
Last Updated:  September 2012