PBI-Colombia present with CAHUCOPANA for opening of House of Memory

This recently posted article by two Peace Brigades International-Colombia Project volunteers tells the story of the inauguration of a House of Memory in Lejanías (Antioquia) on August 3 by the group CAHUCOPANA.

CAHUCOPANA refers to the Humanitarian Action Corporation for Coexistence and Peace of the Northeast Antioquia, a group formed by three hundred family farmers in 2004.

The House of Memory commemorates the men, women and children killed in the August 1983 massacre of Altos de Manila y Cañaveral.

CAHUCOPANA has posted, “We remember the 17 victims killed by a group of approximately 30 paramilitaries under Fidel Castaño on August 4 and 12, 1983. We keep the memory alive so that another massacre in Colombia never happens again!”

The photographs in the House of Memory also remind us that the National Army killed 18 peasants in the region between 2004 and 2009.

Along with the House of Memory, there is also a Memory Garden.

Each person who was present at the inauguration of the House of Memory planted a tree in the Memory Garden in commemoration of those killed in the massacre.

To read more, please see MEMORIA Y RESISTENCIA EN EL NORDESTE ANTIOQUEÑO by PBI-Colombia volunteers Diego Lantero (from Spain) and Jessica García (from Argentina).

PBI-Colombia has accompanied CAHUCOPANA since 2013.

Further reading

PBI-Colombia accompanies CAHUCOPANA family farmers in reparations process (August 15, 2019)

PBI-Colombia accompanies CAHUCOPANA in area with Canadian gold mines (August 8, 2019)