Varying Thickness Of Drivers Licenses

17th to 22 September Sur de Bolívar

our boots at the end of the trip

The journey to the south of the department of Bolivar was probably one of the most adventurous trips that I have so far in my life have made. The occasion was a two-day meeting of the miners in this particular of the gold production from small mines and agriculture dominated section of Colombia. The "Sur de Bolívar" is characterized by up to 2300 m high mountain range and is a low populated, inaccessible region. Assume that is mined from the humanity so coveted gold metal, you realize the lifestyle of the residents of the small mining villages to much. There is a lack of infrastructure, medical care and education. The large gold reserves are far removed from small independent miners, who live on the value of gold sold.

"La Teta" (the tit) symbol of the Sur de Bolívar, is shown with pride when it is visible. "Pornografia geografica" ...

Since the late 90s, the international companies Goldminenbau Conquistador Mines and Anglo-American moved into the area, thousands of people living there were killed by paramilitaries or sold. Today, the existence of the mineros of the gold mining giant Kedahda (a subsidiary of the already notorious multinational Anglo Gold Ashanti), is under pressure, which has already licenses purchased in the area and wants to exploit its underground natural resources in a big way. The profits of this reduction would not, however, in Colombia's pockets, and certainly not flow into the general population. Only five percent of the profits will be the Colombian state, or rather the oligarchs who rule this country, given, in which even the "Compensation" are included for the enormous environmental damage to be adopted. The large remainder would flow directly to foreign countries. For the miners and their families, this means the imminent loss of their livelihoods and the destruction of their habitat. Before, they could defend themselves against these plans by the Federation in the agro-mining workers of the south of Bolívar - organize FEDEAGROMISBOL. Together and in national and international networking, they resist the release plans of the Colombian government to multinational enterprises, painstaking work to build the Muliwege to their villages from passable to motorized trails, create and maintain a school - just fighting "por una vida digna y la de el territorio Permanencia " (for a dignified life and a continued existence in its territory).

This organization is not immune from state repression. "Lideres sociales" - leaders of organizations in the region to be shot by soldiers of the Colombian army out of court, such as Alejandro Uribe Chacon on 19 September 2006, exactly two years ago. On the occasion of his second death anniversary of the Assembly mineros in San Pedro Frio was held, the purpose of our trip was. The murder of Alejandro Uribe broke Two years ago, a multi-day uprising of 1300 mineros out in the next town of Santa Rosa, as a result it to an agreement between them and the government came after this case should be solved legally. This has been happening within two years, the perpetrators remain unpunished, and the same Batallon that Alejandro shot two years ago, is still stationed in Sur de Bolivar. This is one of countless examples of the Colombian conflict is typical impunidad - the impunity of the perpetrators.

Other important personalities of the Federation had to leave for safety reasons the area, as Teo and Gabo, which we support as part of several international and national facilitators now on its way to the meeting of FEDEAGROMISBOL after because of the challenges it risk more than a year could not visit the area.

Wednesday evening (17 September) began a long time our arrival in Bogotá. Eleven hours of night we went to Aguachica, from there take a taxi to Gamarra, a beautiful, small and very hot place at the Rio Magdalena. From there it goes on about a half hour on a speed boat up the river to Santa Rosa, where we spend the night on Friday in a small modest hotel and already considerable heat.

boat trip on the Rio Magdalena

place on the Rio Magdalena

is in our hotel in Santa Rosa

The next day, further up in strong SUV up the mountain. Our target is the small gold mining town of San Pedro Frio (as the name suggests, out of the heat), is to take place Friday and Saturday the Asamblea. A year ago, the only passable way to four-handed in front of San Pedro Frio Fußstunden. Now we can only run for one hour. Without rubber boots is very little to achieve, the way is softened by the many rain so that we hochstraucheln in ankle deep mud of the mountain. I turn on staying focused mode can hardly breathtaking wilderness left and right perceive of me, but just check the depth of the sludge in my next kick.

roadside

sweaty and dirty, we reach San Pedro Frio, and for me totally unlikely place near one of the gold mines, above and in the clouds, where the man in my ideas living in extreme poverty. The houses are fashioned entirely of wood boards, plastic sheeting and corrugated iron. Flush toilet and shower work with small plastic buckets, with which one draws the spring water of the toilet bowl or your own body. Cook on wood fires. It is a place of rubber boots, all residents of small to large to trudge through the ubiquitous red mud, they hardly even seem to notice.

View near San Pedro Frio - above the clouds

San Pedro Frio

San Pedro Frio. Rare moments in the sunshine

San Pedro Frio
gold mine near San Pedro Frio

girl washing dishes

two guys in front of the window

clicking the little "town square" will be built a rain cover made of plastic sheets, among which held the two-day meeting.

covered "village square" of San Pedro Frio

The square is surrounded by amazing colorful equipped shops, where everything possible is being sold rubber boots to even fresh fruit. Lucky for me, otherwise I would have for breakfast, lunch and dinner, rice, potato and yucca eat - the meat, which is part of the customary here grinding it, I give away out of habit (not really a moral imperative - and I see only happy, free-grazing animals) to flesh-hungry compañeros.

The "soup kitchen" in the Many guests of the meeting in the morning cooks, both lunch and dinner with meat, rice and yuca. It can happen that you get stuck with the hot plate in his hand in the mud before. - The people around me helped, in which they were tugging at my pant leg to free the foot again ... :)

children, dogs and mules characterize the village. Mules present here the main means of transport dar. heavy loading, they enable both the colorful abundance of goods in the shops of San Pedro Frio, and the descent of pregnant women traveling on her back about fifteen days before the expected birth to the next village with medical care need.

"Getränkemuli" on the way to San Pedro Frio

Two days and two nights we spend here. I am stunned and impressed. Could imagine a life in this place ever. It seems absurd that people set up under these harsh conditions, given their home. But that's what they do, with daunting commitment, just to fight for this habitat.

Asamblea FEDEAGROMISBOL

Asamblea of FEDEAGROMISBOL

memorial speeches for the murdered Alejandro Uribe Chacon. Chorus: "!? Alejandro - Presente Presente Presente Hasta cuando Hasta siempre Hasta siempre Hasta siempre!"

I live the various speeches and discussions at the meeting, but do not understand much. Note only annoyed that the participation of women in the discussions virtually non-existent. The typical for Colombia machismo is undeniable. The women hang around with children on their lap, or stay in the homes and kitchens to feed the families and the many guests Assembly ... Besides mud, gray skies, cool air and the society of cockroaches, this is another reason for me, this place just can not really find appealing. - What my amazement still does not detract. Daisy bakes in the semi-darkness of my beloved arepas (sweet cakes made of various cereals)

indefatigable cook in the guest kitchen

here for incredible documentation: a Colombian (Costeña - from the coast), which is almost as big as me!

create some very few are even WITHOUT rubber boots in San Pedro Frio. Do not know how ...

Sunday morning half past five breaks our group again. The mud is even deeper, it has rained in the night. The drive back to Santa Rosa is an adventure, we are happy to survive thanks to a virtuoso charioteer and an almost unbreakable determination SUVs (now I know what these cars are good! not for the dam Kottbusser!). That same evening we can take the night bus to Bogotá, where we arrived on Monday morning shortly before seven clock - to arrive tired but happy and no worse incidents - of course in the rain.

Rio Magdalena - early Sunday evening