Some members spend the night near the BVVA ATM.
Photo: Mauricio Vanegas
The critical humanitarian situation of the nearly 800 Emberá Katio people settled in the National Park persists. After five hours of conversations at the Ministry of the Interior, the indigenous people did not reach an agreement with the National Government. Consequently, the leaders of the ethnic group decided to leave the dialogue table.
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Thus, in view of the gap that persists between their intentions and the Government’s position, approximately 180 indigenous people decided to move their camp from the National Park to settle near the Ministry of the Interior.
During this transfer, some members of the community settled in a BBVA bank ATM, which is located quite close to the ministerial building. However, the sit-in is being carried out peacefully, and there are no reports of disturbances in public order.
The ancestral people denounce that the authorities have not complied with what was agreed in relation to the medical and humanitarian care that the Emberá require. “We will stay until they comply with what we demand,” declared a community leader to the Noticiero. CM&.
It is expected that tomorrow there will be mobilizations from the National Park to the Ministry, to express the dissatisfaction of the indigenous people with the Government.
Critical situation in the National Park
The situation with children and adolescents settled in the National Park becomes more complex, especially if it is taken into account that they represent 55% of the population. Added to the difficulties for health care is the inefficiency of the administration and the Nation, which, after three years, have not been able to provide a definitive solution to the claims of the indigenous communities.
The situation reached such a point that a councilor had to file a protection action to demand protection of the rights of minors, which the 28th Labor Court of the Bogotá Circuit ruled favorably and gave the ICBF 30 days to follow up on the cases. indigenous minors and verify cases of non-observance of their rights, with the support of other entities that make up the National Family Welfare System.
What is the solution? For the administration, the Embera community, settled in the National Park, must be urgently returned to their territories. To do this, they have a route that, in two months, would allow 83% of the indigenous people, who have expressed their desire to leave, to return to their towns in Chocó. Compared to the 17% who want to stay, there are also plans for them to do so in decent conditions. This was explained by the Secretary of Government, Gustavo Quintero.
“What we have told the National Government, in recent conversations, is the need to strengthen and speed up the work we are doing and give them an offer of return, although it is not a definitive solution, since this Embera population is semi-nomadic, that is , they are going to go and return to the city.”
Although the majority of the Embera approve the plan, for Usiel Villazón Arias, president of the Association of Cabildos for Colombia, it represents security challenges for the State, since in a department like Chocó there is a high presence of armed groups such as the ELN. “150 homes are also needed, so that they can return, and for the Victims Unit to accompany us for a year with productive projects. And above all, benefit those who are there, because, otherwise, they would return to Bogotá.”
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