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Delegation 2004 to Colombia - First-Hand
Reports
Cacarica: July 18-August 7, 2004
San José de Apartadó: July 18-31, 2004
Organized by
Chicagoans for a Peaceful Colombia
and Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR)
Fifth Report:
July 27, 2004
Tuesday morning we woke to the sounds of the animals. Many of the compesino
work groups were already out when we straggled back to the FOR houses from
our various beds with the families of the community. Everyone had tales
to tell of their creative sleeping arrangements and the hospitality. As a way to help us learn more about the community,
the "consejo" or
council, invited us to join them on their "embarque" or "shipping
day" for the primitivo, (a small banana) harvest. We divided into
two groups with one going to a site nearer to the community and the other
group going to a site about a 40 minute walk from the village. The plantings
are worked by a particular work group which feels a sense of "ownership" for
those lands. The group that walked further to the banana planting arrived
after a hike up the mountain through rain forest of green, green, green,
vegetation; huge tropical ferns and giant leaves, butterflies of brilliant
colors in droves, and a flower display.
The primitivos, while still on the tree, have been
bagged in plastic for some time. The bunches are then cut down and washed
in a solution of chemicals
that inhibit ripening and take the stains off the peels. Any fruit with
brown spots are not chosen for market and are thrown to the "bestias" [packing
animals - mules or horses] to munch on. When we arrived, the cutting down
of the bunches had already been done and they were washing and sorting
the fruit by size. Next, stickers are put on the bunches, and then they
are bagged and boxed. Our groups was able to "help" with the
activities but we were probably a little in the way. After the boxes were
packed they were loaded onto the waiting bestias and brought down the mountain.
From La Union they then go down to San Jose, (an hour and a half walk)
and then into Apartado. They return up the mountain later in the afternoon.
The price that they receive for a box of six bunches is 5,000 peso or about
$2.00! We were all struck by seeing what really goes into getting those
beloved bananas to our stores! The community sells to a large multi-national
company, Uraban, and there are complicated reasons for this. After the
animals left with their load, our group was led back from the fields by
a 6 year old little boy who tromped along the forest with complete confidence.
When our group returned, some of us worked on lunch. We had freshly picked
spinach from the FOR team's little garden, eggs, that had been brought
up from San Jose since all of the chickens of La Union had recently died
of a plague, potatoes with pepper, onions and garlic, and guacamole made
from a bunch of avocadoes that a campsino had just picked and given to
us. It was relaxing and spacious. That afternoon Sarah [FOR team member
and delegation co-leader] took a group of us on a tour of La Union. We
stopped at a the memorial for The Six, who were killed on July 8, 2000.
There is an area that is planted and stones are placed with each name written
on them. The site is the exact place where they had been separated from
the other members of the community, and in front of them, were shot. This
is the most important story of the community and those six are always remembered
and included in village festivals and ceremonies.
Sarah showed us the community meeting space and
the school. The children´s
school goes up to 5th grade. There is no further education in La Union.
One of the nuns who does human rights work in La Union, (there are three)
is the teacher. They do need another teacher that is not provided at this
time.
All through the muddy walk, we could see the animals
of La Union--the huge sows and their piglets wandering freely, the few
chickens, some turkeys,
dogs, mules and horses and one tiny kitty. Strolling around the village,
greeting people, having time to stop in for a chat and a cup of sweetened
maize milk, seeing the work of drying cacao, drying and picking through
dried frijoles, (beans), husking the dried corn from the cobs, grinding
the corn into meal, and food preparation, showed us the integrated daily
life of the community. Many people said, " La Union es bonita, Si?!
How beautiful La Union is, Yes! We have everything here." It is now
more vivid than ever, the tragedy of displacement for a community like
this who love their land so and are truly "of the land."
We saw many of the houses, all of them made of wood cut high in the mountains
and hand carried, log by log. The new FOR house was built in this way,
with everything else, cement, fixtures etc., brought up the mountain by
mule. A European foundation recently funded toilets and showers for 29
homes. This was a big project and now almost every house has a toilet.
That evening we met with the community and especially
with the community leaders. We sat in a circle with lean and muscled
men of different ages,
some women, and children children coming in and out of the room. We expressed
our gratitude for being there with them and for their hospitality, and
sent greetings from old friends and FOR team members, and presentd them
with Peace Banners from the communities of the San Francisco Zen Center.
We heard in detail about the history of La Union; the struggles they have
had with forces displacement and assinations of their leaders. We listenend
to their expression of commitment to non-violent resistance and their determination
to "struggle for life, stay on their land, and live in peace." They
wanted people to know in the USA and Europe and wherever we go that Colombia
is more than what one reads in the media of war and drugs. Their declaration
in 1997 of being a Peace Community has brought great consequences to many
people in the community. Since that time 120 people have been killed, by
all of the armed actors, and many human rights violations have occured.
We talked until it was dark, Sarah brought candles and poured melted wax
on the floor to place them in, since the electricity was still not working.
They let us know that even with all of the difficulties they feel surrounded
by many friends and filled with a love for them. They know why it is that
they continue to resist. "The smile of a campesino going off to work
and so our kids can grow up to be leaders."
After the meeting we went back to the FOR house and ate together and had
a check-in by candlelight.
More rain falling steadily, --everything damp-- fire-flies filling the
night.
____________________________
Fellowship of Reconciliation
Task Force on Latin America and the Caribbean
2017 Mission St. #305
San Francisco, CA 94110
phone: (415) 495-6334, fax: (415) 495-5628
www.forusa.org
©2004
Fellowship of Reconciliation |
