Wayuumsurat Women for Peace

Wayuumunsurat

Sister Deborah Fince is a lawyer and head of Wayuumunsrat, a women’s organization for peace in the Guajira region. In particular she talked to us about the actions of the paramilitaries and the affect of mining on the Wayuu people.

The Wayuumunsurat were the first organization to denounce the paramilitary forces in this area. The paramilitary killed 12 people in Bahia Portete in 2004. The “North Block” was the paramilitary group in this area, lead by Jorge Cuarente, one of those now extradited to the United States. After the massacre 346 people were displaced from the area. Bahia Portete is a natural bay in an area not far from a large open pit coal mine. The coal mining company would like to load coal into transport ships from that bay.

We have also denounced the way the government has modified the mining law to delete the requirement for prior consultation with aboriginal groups. This is a Constitutional requirement and it erodes our rights. The fact that they denounced the massacre meant that, at least, this story would be known and told. Otherwise it would soon be forgotten. The killings were done in a manner designed to terrorize others; methods included decapitation, burning to death and various methods of torture including evisceration and castration.

All of the atrocities emanate from the transnational companies. Serrahone Mines provides money to the paramilitaries for food, guns and ammunition. They say this is to protect the mine. But who are they protecting it from? There have never been guerrilla forces in this desert region. The climate cannot support a guerilla army. The Wayuu people are the only others here, with their culture and history. In Deborah’s case, it has been two years since she has had to have 2 police officers with her 24 hours a day for protection.

The Wayuu people are a large group in Colombia yet they have killed so many of us. It is difficult to bring these issues to the public. The paramilitaries have a presence in the premier’s office, the mayor’s office and the office of the attorney general. While President Uribe has said that the paramilitaries no longer exist, they are as strong as ever.

The Wayuu want groups like OPSEU to write strong letters to our President to demand that he respect the indigenous people like the Wayuu.

“One of the things we do to resist and honour the deaths of our brothers, is to annually celebrate the anniversary of the massacre. We would like the international community to join us at these events so that one day the Wayuu people can return in safety to Bahia Portete. Many are still refugees from the violence and are across the border in Venezuela.”

“I am happy to meet with you in this tiny office today; I cannot be sure that I will be alive a week or a month from now. What is even more courageous is that other sisters are ready to replace me if I am killed. Sister Epinayuu is one of these. Others have already died.”

There are now about 200,000 Wayuu people on the coast of Colombia. There is another women’s matriarchal and as a result women are much more outspoken on issues. There are valuable male leaders as well.

Most of the upper Guajira Region is recognized as a reserve for the indigenous people. The coal mine is on aboriginal land and the mine pays royalties to the province but none of it gets returned to native people. These projects always come with claims of progress for the region. Instead they bring disgrace.

Fine coal dust causes skin and breathing problems. The coal trains also hit the Wayuu’s domestic goats. The Wayuu people herd goats as a traditional form of agriculture. When they go to the company to ask for compensation there is never any response.

The Wayuu work closely with ONIC and other central first nations confederations. Once again we are struck by the courage of the Wayuu women and commit OPSEU’s assistance to write letters demanding respect for their community and their right to live in peace on their ancestral lands.