The communities and the member organizations of the Congreso de los Pueblos are demanding the dismantling of paramilitarism and solutions to the problems they are experiencing in their territories, which they call a humanitarian emergency (Emergencia Humanitaria). Without the dismantling of paramilitarism, there will be no peace in Colombia.
A quick historical overview
As a reminder, paramilitarism is a form of parastatal control that exists in many countries. More specifically, in Colombia, paramilitarism was set up by the army and landowners in the 60s and became very strong in the 90s, although it has since been outlawed. In theory, the paramilitaries demobilized in 2006, but in practice this is not the case. Closely linked to narco-trafficking, the paramilitaries occupy a very large part of the territory, and territorial progression is achieved through terror. The groups that make it up vary and evolve with the times, but its actions are always against the social movement. Their job is to reclaim territory, steal land and eliminate political opponents. They defend large landowners, multinationals, regional and national powers, often under the pretext of fighting guerrilla warfare. Testimonies of clashes between the army and paramilitaries are legion.
A significant part of the political world, at both regional and national level, is linked to paramilitarism and/or drug trafficking. Uribe, the famous ex-president of the Colombian republic, is one of them. The wealth of some would have been impossible without paramilitarism, and more broadly, the extractivist economic model is only imposed by the coercion exercised by paramilitaries. The paramilitaries' long-standing roots in the Colombian bourgeoisie and administration also explain the difficulty of acting against them.
According to historical surveys, paramilitaries are responsible for 70% of murders in Colombia's armed, social and political conflicts.
To give an idea of the scale of the catastrophe, an average of 3 social leaders are murdered every week. In 2024, for example, 75 people were murdered (as at 31/05) https://indepaz.org.co/lideres-sociales-defensores-de-dd-hh-y-firmantes-de-acuerdo-asesinados-en-2024/
A look back at the mobilization
Under the slogan “NATIONAL MOBILIZATION FOR LIFE AND TERRITORY”, peasant communities, black and indigenous peoples, urban sectors, workers, women, young people, students, human rights defenders and environmentalists rallied in Bogotá, at the Ministry of the Interior and at the headquarters of the Apostolic Nuncio; in Cauca, on the via Panamericana; in Cesar, on the Ruta del Sol; and in Chocó, on the road leading from Quibdó to Pereira.
In a communiqué, they denounce the counter-insurgency and anti-popular strategy directed against the social and popular movement via paramilitarism, targeting in particular the social and political movement Congreso de los Pueblos, which is why they have declared a humanitarian emergency since April 2019. They are also calling for a change in national security doctrine, which considers popular movements and political opposition as internal enemies.
In many territories, members of the social movement live under constant threat from paramilitaries. In regions such as Cauca, Arauca and Sur de Bolivar, for example, the social movement has denounced the paramilitary advance on the territory, and this is a new episode in the regional power base against left-wing forces. This is a new episode in the consolidation of the regional powers against the forces of the left. Everything is in place for this: reporting, forced displacement, confinement, kidnapping, threats and assassinations... A few examples from the last two months: In March, in Sur de Bolivar, theinvaded the village of Micohumado, forcing people into confinement and killing leaders in the region; on March 31, in Arauca, the EMC planted a bomb against a solidarity economy project in Tame, then assassinated several activists; in Barrancabermeja, on March 18, men on motorcycles shot a leader waiting for the bus; in Cauca, activists fled after denouncing paramilitary attacks... since March, almost 50 leaders have been assassinated. This is why social organizations are speaking of a Humanitarian Emergency and are mobilizing.
Communiqué du Congreso de los Pueblos
In a statement issued by the Congreso de los Pueblos on Tuesday as part of the mobilization, the social and political movement demands eight points from President Gustavo Petro's government:
- Change of national security doctrine.
- Dismantling of paramilitarism.
- Urgent protection and self-protection mechanisms to defend life and permanence in the territories.
- National plan to strengthen the Congreso de los Pueblos
- Initial plan for integral reparation.
- Permanent round table for dialogue and national negotiation.
- Mobilization guarantees.
- Implementation of agreements and reactivation of mechanisms for dialogue and negotiation in Chocó, Arauca, Cauca, Lizama, the human rights sub-commission and the CACEP's single national round table.
- The movement that began on Tuesday June 4 continues, with new regions mobilizing. On June 5, for example, the USO (oil workers' union) began mobilizing, while elsewhere encampments are being set up to keep up the pressure on the government.
Finally, the Congreso de los Pueblos and the various organizations mobilizing have made it clear that the mobilization is not an expression of opposition to Gustavo Petro's government.
However, the National Mobilization for Life and Permanence in the Territories demands concrete and immediate action to put an end to paramilitarism.
https://trochandosinfronteras.info/desmontar-el-paramilitarimo/
https://pasc.ca/sites/pasc.ca/files/2023-04/extractmilitarlow.pdf
https://pasc.ca/fr/article/histoire-et-analyse-du-paramilitarisme-en-colombie