With a pilgrimage led by the Mutilated Christ, the community of Bojayá (Chocó) crossed the Atrato River in the middle of an act of commemoration, reparation and non-repetition in Bellavista, remembering the more than 100 victims of the massacre of May 2, 2002.
The demonstration, held every year by the community, included a healing ritual and performances by local groups such as the Pogue Singers. Read: $39,000 million ready for culture in Chocó
“We victims do not stop singing to mitigate the pain and to be left alone. Peace, peace, peace we want,” the group sang.
Starting from the church of the new Bellavista, those who walked continued along the Atrato and arrived at the church of the old Bellavista, where 22 years ago a cylinder bomb fell, operated then by guerrillas from the now extinct Farc. A religious ceremony gave new meaning to the place along with musical performances. Read: Pilgrimage remembers 20 years of the Bojayá massacre, a pain that does not end
According to the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Knowledge, which accompanied the day on behalf of the national government, the Alabaos had the full role, who remembered the victims and “demonstrated the capacity for resilience and reconciliation of this municipality.” ”, also demanding guarantees of non-repetition.
“We want a municipality of colors, where life is respected, education, culture and the environment prevail; where peasants, leaders and human rights defenders can walk freely without any fear,” said Yúber Palacios Córdoba, representative of the committee of victims of the massacre.
The Minister of Culture, Juan David Correa, for his part, stressed that the municipality has demonstrated, even “today, in the middle of the war,” that “the only possibility of resistance in the territory” is “culture, the relationship “deep with memory, with territory and with sensitivity.”
Correa also promised that he will advance a special plan to safeguard Bojayá to declare it as an Asset of National Cultural Interest and, later, as a place of memory before UNESCO. Read: Pilgrimage remembers 20 years of the Bojayá massacre, a pain that does not end
Together with the Ministry of Education, present this Thursday, he promised to allocate $5,000 million to the public libraries of the 31 municipalities of Chocó.
The commemoration of the anniversary of the massacre included a choir made up of nearly 80 children and young people from the Batuta, Quibdó and Bojayá training centers, and the César Conde Educational Institution, who shared with the National Symphonic Band of Colombia, present for first time in the municipality.
