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Association of Displaced Afro-Colombians (AFRODES)
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Based on a presentation given to a Witness for Peace delegation in Bogota in
July, 2001. From ZMAG, 2014.
Reconstructed from notes taken by Justin Podur
Afrodes is the name of the organization of displaced Afro-Colombians. Although
we didn't have enough time with them, we had the privilege of hearing from some
of the most courageous and effective organizers in the hemisphere. They were
incredibly generous with their time and energy, opening their office to talk to
us at great personal risk.
We heard from Alexis, Luz-Marina, Jayler, Heluserio, Alfonso, Gelner, Hatan,
Gustavo, and Marino.
Alexis described the coastal state, Choco, from which many afro-colombians have
been displaced. Choco has 60% of the country's pacific coast. Here are
mega-projects for magnesium mines, bays, maritime routes, and an inter-oceanic
canal. Alexis mentioned one immediate reason for the current round of
displacements: the 1991 constitution recognized the land rights of
Afro-Colombian peoples. That means mega-projecters might have to actually
negotiate with the people who live in the places where they want to build their
projects. The way to avoid that is to brutally displace the people instead.
Marino talked about this in more detail. First he talked about Afro-Colombian
history. Afro-Colombians have lived on the coast for 400 years. A population of
10 million (25% of Colombia, 900 000 of whom are displaced now) they have
developed cultures and methods of organization that have enabled them to live on
their lands and maintain biodiversity. Their life in Colombia has been a
constant struggle for land and life against racism and neglect. One victory in
their struggle was the recognition of their cultures, and lands, in the 1991
constitution. Their lands were to be recognized, instead of being classed as
'vacant', as they had been historically.
To Afrodes, the 'standard' account of the conflict as one between the army,
guerrilla, and paramilitary, is wrong. They know because they aren't armed
actors but are in the conflict. They have very good reason to suspect there are
other interests at work. Where Marino and others lived, in Riosucio in the
Choco, paramilitaries arrived on December 20, 1996-- 7 days before a law
transferring land to the community was to pass. The paras accused the community
leaders of guerrilla collusion. They followed their accusation with killings.
The paras moved out to the rural areas and continued killing, displacing huge
numbers.
What followed was four years of paramilitary control, during which the paras had
plenty of time to fight guerrillas if that had been their intention. They didn't
fight the guerrillas. When some of the refugees returned, however, the paras
renewed attacks on them.
Victor, who was the human rights ombudsman for a community in Cauca, describes a
similar displacement process. In that community, residents were trying to fight
destructive megaprojects. A mysterious garbage dump, the toxicity of which was
unknown and unannounced. A re-routing of the Ovejas river for a dam, and another
dam on the Timba and Maria Lopez, that would displace 10000 people with no land
for resettlement.
For protesting projects that would essentially destroy their environment and
existence, the community received a massacre. The state claims 42 were killed.
Witnesses say 140. Victor's efforts as a human rights worker in denouncing the
paramilitary incursions, killings, and massacres won him threats to his life.
His co-workers were killed. He fled to Bogota.
Afrodes organizes those who were displaced like Marino and Victor. Since
inception in August 1999 with 50 families, Afrodes now works with 270 families.
They see all displaced Afro-Colombians as their mandate, although they work from
Bogota. Their work has 3 lines: The first is simply to help the displaced to
survive in the city from day to day. This is to advocate and get the appropriate
aid from the state and NGOs, as well as organize for mutual aid. The second is
to organize for an eventual return and to try to deal with many of the social
ills that accompany displacement, as well as to build alliances and solidarity.
The third line is to press for peace and reparations for the community for all
the injustice and theft they have suffered.
Impeding their progress is racism, neglect-- no one has received any government
aid yet-- and US and wealthy violence and interests. They ask that we tell and
re-tell their story, so that the injustice they've suffered, their just demands,
and their stories be known. I would add that we would do well to learn from
their courage, humility, and organizing skill-- facing horrific repression and
with no resources they have built an impressive and growing organization. In
addition to supporting them with whatever resources we can bring to bear, it's
worth recognizing how much we could learn from them in organizing and
constructing alternatives.
An Introduction
to AFRODES: An Organization for Afro-Columbian Liberation 1/30/2019 Praxis
Center: "At the Praxis Center, we occasionally feature profiles of organizations
doing movement work across the globe. Erlendy Cuero Bravo and her colleagues Luz
Marina Becerra and Paola Rivadeniera from AFRODES joined the Arcus Center family
at the With/Out – ¿Borders? global gathering this year. We are very fortunate to
have been able to establish a relationship with this Colombian afro-descendent
activist group, and are happy to share a profile of their work below. This piece
was translated from its original Spanish. "
WOLA Colombia Partner AFRODES a Finalist for Martin Ennals Prize 10/26/2018 WOLA: "The
Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) is thrilled to report that one of its
longtime Afro-Colombian partners, Marino Cordoba of the Association for
Afro-Colombian Internally Displaced Persons (AFRODES), is among the three
finalists for prestigious human rights award the Martin Ennals Prize. Cordoba,
the current head of AFRODES, advocates for the human rights of Afro-Colombians
and displaced people in Colombia. Founded nearly 20 years ago by Cordoba,
AFRODES is a coalition of 96 organizations from across the country, representing
90,000 displaced individuals."
NED Annual Report 2012 Colombia 6/1/2013 NED: "Asociacion de
Afrocolombianos Desplazados, $42,000. To defend the rights and promote greater
attention to the needs of displaced Afro-Colombians. AFRODES will monitor the
implementation of Colombia's "Victims' Law" and provide recommendations based on
the concerns of displaced Afro-Colombian communities throughout the country.
AFRODES will also brief members of its national network about new procedures to
seek reparations and the restitution of lands under the Victims' Law."
The Afro-Colombians: Afrodes 4/29/2004 Zmag: published 7/01 - "Afrodes is
the name of the organization of displaced Afro-Colombians. Although we didn't
have enough time with them, we had the privilege of hearing from some of the
most courageous and effective organizers in the hemisphere. They were incredibly
generous with their time and energy, opening their office to talk to us at great
personal risk."
A
call from family 10/29/2003 SF Bay View: "H., a current member of Afrodes,
accompanied the African North American delegation through the Choco region where
he is from. As we walked through the busy streets of the capital city of Quibdo,
he told me his story. He has worked with Afrodes since 1993, I believe, and used
to live about an hour or so down the river from Quibdo. There, he worked to
secure land title for the earth historically inhabited by Afro-Colombians in the
region. This was before 1996, when the FARC, who then controlled the region,
didn’t like what he was doing and told him so. But they did not attempt to harm
him. Circa 1996, paramilitaries took over the region. In about 1997,
paramilitaries started threatening folks, and some of H.’s fellow organizers at
Afrodes were killed. H. learned that he was on a list of people to be dealt with
and decided to escape to Quibdo. But he discovered this was not far enough when
he learned that the paramilitaries were still after him. So, he with other folks
fled to Bogota, the capital of Colombia. He has lived there since, though not
without risk. At one point, an attempt was made on his life. His friend Marino
was shot in the leg."
www.facebook.com/Afrodes-Colombia-517955778235287/
YouTube, AFRODES COLOMBIA Canal/Channel
Biography of Marino Córdoba, founder of
AFRODES. He survived 5 assassination attempts.
AfroColombia News
National Endowment for Democracy
From NED Annual Reports:
Asociacion de Afrocolombianos Desplazados
2017, $40,000
To strengthen the capacity of Afro-Colombian and indigenous organized
communities to advocate for their inclusion in the accord implementation
process. The group will assist the Ethnic Commission for Peace in ensuring
respect for the proposals included in the Ethnic Chapter of the accord during
implementation. It will carry out an advocacy campaign to raise awareness of the
accord’s Ethnic Chapter and bring together community leaders to discuss how they
can oversee the process at the local level. www.ned.org/region/latin-america-and-caribbean/colombia-2017/
Human Rights
2014, $50,000
Defending the Rights of Displaced Afro-Colombians
To contribute to the national dialogue on guaranteed rights for Afro-Colombian
victims. AFRODES will carry out workshops for Afro-Colombian leaders on the
framework for transitional justice in Colombia. The organization will also
facilitate strategy discussions among activists to enable them to share their
ideas for a post-conflict future, the results of which will be published.
2012, $42,000
To defend the rights and promote greater attention to the needs of displaced
Afro-Colombians. AFRODES will monitor the implementation of Colombia's "Victims'
Law" and provide recommendations based on the concerns of displaced
Afro-Colombian communities throughout the country. AFRODES will also brief
members of its national network about new procedures to seek reparations and the
restitution of lands under the Victims' Law.
2011, $40,000
To defend the rights and promote greater attention to the needs of displaced
Afro-Colombians. Following passage of Colombia's Victim's new Law, AFRODES will
work with the Ministry of the Interior to ensure that the law's administrative
regulations and procedures attend to the specific interests of Afro-Colombians.
Lastly, AFRODES will brief members of its national network about new procedures
to seek reparations and the restitution of lands under the Victims' Law.
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