PBI-Colombia accompanies Peace Community of San José de Apartadó who defend their territory from mining companies

On May 7, PBI-Colombia posted: “This week PBI has been accompanying the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó in Urabá where they have been in the village doing agricultural work. They sow to maintain the food sovereignty of their members.”

It adds: “In these weeks, the Community denounces that it has been the victim of threatening acts related to its opposition to a project to build access roads to some sidewalks, including a highway that would pass through their lands.”

“In their account, they say that the highway, instead of bringing better conditions for the peasant population, will open the way to the entry of transnational companies that intend to exploit the natural resources of the area.”

Earlier this year, PBI field team in Urabá also raised the concern about mining companies and provided this context for the situation:

“A consequence of the Peace Agreement between the former guerrilla group, FARC-EP, and the Colombian government has been a commodification of territories that, due to the armed conflict, were on the periphery of the market system. In the case of the Peace Community, this means defending land from mining companies that have come into the area to exploit the wealth of natural resources.”

For more on this: Peace Community warns illegal road construction may be to “exploit the natural resources of our region”.

PBI-Colombia, which has accompanied the Peace Community since 1999, was present at the community’s 24th anniversary gathering on March 23rd this year.