The Last Editorial
The department of Huila, made up of 37 municipalities, today receives number 18 of territories free of suspicion of antipersonnel mines.
Colombia, one of the largest municipalities in the department and known as the city of cacti, has been declared free of suspected mines thanks to the work of the soldiers of the Humanitarian Demining Engineer Battalion No. 5 of the National Army.
The villages Alcaparrosal, El Dorado, La Religiosa, El Diamante, Las Lajas, Santa Bárbara, Holland, Bernaza, San Pedro, Zaragoza, El Playón, Antilles, Armenia, Carrasposo, El Amparo, Isidro, La Cabaña, Santa Elena, Alcitania, Santa Ana, The Alps, Mongui, Horizonte, San Ambrosio, Las Mercedes, Ukraine, Potrero Grande, Belén, La Hondita, San Ezequiel, San José, Quebrada Negra, Bellavista, San Isidro, El Higuerón, Los Ríos, San Antonio Bajo, Altamira, Darién, El Valle, San Emilio, Palacio, Buenos Aires, La Florida, El Rubí, El Lebanon, San Joaquín, La Sonora, La Unión, La Esperanza, San Marcos, San Gerónimo, San Antonio Alto, Boquerón, Ariari, El Paraíso and El Silencio were intervened with manual demining techniques and non-technical studies; It should be noted that several of these sectors are part of the Regional Natural Park, PNR, Páramo Las Oseras and Bosque La Galilea, ruling out the suspicion of antipersonnel mines in those protected areas, where, according to residents, they have seen the spectacled bear.
The deminers investigated and closed 237 events, destroyed nine anti-personnel mines and one unexploded ordnance in a controlled manner, freeing more than 480,000 square meters with non-technical studies and clearing 7,305 square meters with manual demining.
Rodrigo Villalba, governor of Huila, recognized the humanitarian demining work of the National Army and emphasized: «You have already demined a municipality like Colombia, Huila. For me it is something very satisfactory, and in the entire department this campaign has had a very favorable balance given that only 2% of the demining is missing in the entire department».
It is worth mentioning that in that region 18 municipalities were not affected, 18 were decontaminated with humanitarian demining by the National Army and a civil organization. The only thing missing is the Baraya municipality, which is being intervened with manual demining to declare the entire Huila territory free of mines.
«We have 98% progress in the demining operation throughout the department. It is very important, since the people of Huila will be able to have mobility, progress, tourism and they will be able to continue investing in productive projects.», reported Lieutenant Colonel Julián Martínez Suárez, commander of the Demining Battalion.
In turn, Arbey Vargas Manguera, mayor of Colombia, mentioned: «Previously, farmers could not work in the different villages due to fear of antipersonnel mines in various sectors of the municipality. We are grateful that today this important project has been completed, because once this municipality is free of antipersonnel mines it brings development, tranquility and progress in the region».
An inhabitant of rural Colombia emphasized: “Thanks to deminers, we can go out without fear of finding mines”. On the other hand, Ferley Olaya Barón, who was a victim when he stepped on an explosive device in the region, highlighted the importance of being resilient: «There is hope, it is to be born again, to start again because God is with you. You have to ask him for strength, have peace in your heart and not hold a grudge. By having the municipality free of suspicion, it is good news since they can travel calmly along the paths and move with tranquility and peace.».
By ruling out the suspicion of explosive devices in Colombia, where a great biodiversity of flora such as ecologically important cacti and fauna prevails, it is expected that locals and tourists will continue enjoying tourist sites such as the Cabrera River, the waterfalls and the archaeological museum Culture from Valle Alto del Río Cabrera, located in the Santa Ana town center, among other places.
The humanitarian demining operations in Huila have the security of the troops of the Ninth Brigade of the National Army.
