Despite the return, the minga remains in a permanent assembly and will continue in Bogotá to follow up on the signed agreements and negotiate with the national government entities that have not yet signed agreements.
DIARIO DEL HUILA, CLOSE UP
After eight days of peaceful demonstrations on Route 45, near the El Pescador bridge in the municipality of Hobo, the indigenous people of Huila have decided to return to their ancestral territories. These protests were motivated by non-compliance with the agreements signed in the CRIHU Action Plan 2023-2026, based on resolutions 1515 of 2021 and 0972 of 2022, filed in February 2023.
“The resistance minga returns to the ancestral territories to continue strengthening the bases of the organizational political process, but makes it clear that, following the guidelines of our spiritual experts, the traditional authorities and the assembly, the minga will move to the city of Bogotá to visit the entities and ministries that did not show political will to respond to the call of the native peoples of Huila,” said a spokesperson for the minga.
Despite the return, the minga remains in a permanent assembly and will continue in Bogotá to follow up on the signed agreements and negotiate with the national government entities with which agreements have not yet been signed. This monitoring will be carried out under the principles of progressivity, immediacy, coordination and collaboration, based on the good living of the native peoples of the Regional Indigenous Council of Huila (CRIHU).
The minga expressed its gratitude to the government entities that participated in the dialogue and coordination during the demonstrations. In particular, the effort and responsibility of the territory’s caretakers was highlighted, who maintained order and territorial control during the days of concentration at the resistance point.
“It is important to mention that what identifies our territory’s caretakers is their responsibility for establishing order and territorial control of each ancestral territory,” said the spokesperson, recognizing the pedagogical value of the actions carried out on the road.
Agreements reached
During the negotiations on Route 45, several agreements and commitments were reached with different government entities. These are some of the notable achievements:
Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Knowledge: Five agreements and three commitments were achieved with the director of Populations, Diana Quigua González. These agreements are aimed at the survival of the ancestral territories affiliated with the CRIHU, in accordance with Resolution 1515.
Administrative Department for Social Prosperity (DPS): Six commitments were established for the minutes of agreement within the framework of the action plan for the survival of indigenous peoples.
Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF): Several commitments were concluded for the follow-up report of the action plan for the survival of indigenous peoples.
National Disaster Risk Management Unit (UNGRD): Four commitments were generated for the record of monitoring budget goals and indicators.
The mayor of Hobo, Alexander Martínez, recognized the effort and responsibility of the “caretakers” of the territory, who were in charge of maintaining order and territorial control during the days of protest. «The minga thanks our territory’s caretakers for the exercise carried out during these days of concentration at the resistance point. The effort, struggle and responsibility to advance actions on the road through pedagogy are recognized,” Martínez stated.
Pending challenges
Although significant progress has been made, the minga acknowledged that challenges still lie ahead. The lack of political will on the part of some entities and ministries has been a major obstacle, and it is expected that the visit to Bogotá will help advance the conclusion and compliance of pending agreements.
The return to the territories does not mark the end of the protests, but rather a reconfiguration of the strategy to guarantee compliance with the commitments made and the improvement of the living conditions of the native peoples of Huila. The minga will continue in a permanent assembly and will continue fighting for their rights and the survival of their ancestral territories.
With these achievements and the renewed commitment of the indigenous communities, it is expected that the national government will comply with the agreements and support the comprehensive development of the native peoples of Huila. The fight for justice and the recognition of indigenous rights continues to be a priority on the agenda of the minga and its allies.
Protection of minors
One of the most important agreements was the protection of children and adolescents. According to the UN Human Rights Office, the agreement reached between the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF) and the indigenous minga of the Regional Indigenous Council of Huila (CRIHU) stands out to protect minors and prevent their recruitment by actors non-state armed forces. The UN accompanied the dialogue on June 12 and 13, committing to provide technical support and follow-up.
The ICBF ratified the construction of a Protection House for indigenous children, guaranteeing prevention and protection routes, protection analysis with a differential approach, support for the “Seeds of Life” policy and attention to families prioritized by the CRIHU.
The implementation of the agreement and programs such as “Semillas de Vida” and “Tejiendo Interculturalidad”, agreed between ICBF and CRIHU, will contribute to protecting children, especially from recruitment.
Reasons behind the mobilization
The mobilization of the Minga in Huila responded to a series of fundamental motivations that led indigenous communities and various social sectors to take action. Among the main reasons were the lack of attention to the territory, the failure to comply with previous agreements and the paralysis of projects that dated back to 2019. In addition, the aim was to address the growing concern about the deterioration of public order that affected the ancestral peoples of the southwestern Colombia.
A total of 33 indigenous territories of Huila gathered in the El Pescador bridge sector to participate in this mobilization, which was also joined by the popular, social and community Minga. The latter integrated various social sectors, including peasants, Afro-descendants, trade unionists, indigenous people and urban groups from various departments of southwestern Colombia.
The main objective of the Minga was to propose concrete actions that promoted the recovery of the social fabric in the territories from the base. This involved supporting and proposing alternative solutions through humanitarian dialogues and the strengthening of indigenous peoples.
