Excerpt from Documentary in Progress The Cost of Power

Watch this excerpt of this great new documentary in progress about Cerrejon in La Guajira (bilingual)

"Fuera Cerrejón de la Guajira" Memoria, reflexión y acción colectiva (Spanish) "Cerrejon, go away from La Guajira" Memory, Reflection, and Collective Action

Watch a short documentary in Spanish about how Cerrejon has impacted La Guajira, tricking, polluting, and impoverishing the region.

Summary and conclusions of "The Congress for Life, Autonomy, and Territorial Permanence" in La Guajira, Colombia:

By: Emma Banks
Anthropology Ph.D Student
Vanderbilt University

 Between August 7 and 9, communities affected by the Cerrejón coalmine in La Guajira hosted "The Congress for Life, Autonomy, and Territorial Permanence." During these three days, with support from the NGOs Cajar and CINEP, communities came together to host a tribunal against aggression by the mine in their territory, a visit to sacred Afro-Colombian and indigenous sites, and Autonomous Consultation voting in two Wayuu communities.  This event was the first of its kind in Colombia.  Representatives of national and international NGOs and human rights organizations attended the event as observers and jury members on the tribunal.

I had the honor of being a jury member in the "Tribunal Against Mining Agression in La Guajira" on August 7 held in El Cerro de Hato Nuevo, a Wayuu reservation.  During the first session, we heard testimony from Afro-Colombian and indigenous people accusing Cerrejón of violating their cultural and autonomous rights.  Indigenous Wayuu representatives spoke of losing their language and cultural practices.  All communities in the area have lost access to communal lands on which they once fished, hunted and gathered medicinal plants.  Displaced communities such as the Afro-Colombian community of Tabaco recounted how their social fabric has been torn when they lost their lands.  Communities traditionally reliant on agriculture have lost their ability to provide for their families from the land.  Both Afro-Colombian and Wayuu indigenous witnesses claimed Cerrejón has violated their ancestral land, and thus their autonomy and rights to cultural preservation.  Furthermore, many reported that Cerrejón attempted to divide communities by intimidating and bribing leaders, offering compensation to only select families, and discouraging resistance.

The Other Face of Development in Colombia: Living as Minorities amidst Civil War, Hydrocarbon and Mining Exploitation, and Generalized Human Rights Violations

If you live around the San Diego area, attend this event

The Other Face of Development in Colombia: Living as Minorities amidst Civil War,
Hydrocarbon and Mining Exploitation, and Generalized Human Rights Violations

Colombia is currently engaged in a peace negotiation that may end Latin America’s longest civil war after five
decades. The country has already adopted a new more democratic constitution and made some progress in
demobilizing right wing paramilitary groups, though a number of criminal gangs have risen in their place. Like
other Latin American countries, Colombia has also pushed forward a national development project focused on public and private international oil and mining projects aimed at stimulating economic growth and promoting energy security. Progress on these fronts, nevertheless, has its ugly side. Indigenous peoples, Afro-Colombians and women have expressed their concern that the manner in which the
government pursues these goals undermines the security, safety and health of
the most vulnerable in Colombia. This event presents their experiences and
provides an opportunity for students to gain insights into the challenges raised
by efforts to promote peace and development that will benefit people in their
local communities and not just national statistics. UCSD Faculty Discussants
will provide a comparative perspective on the Colombian experience. Join us
for an award-winning documentary, panel discussion and reception.

Problems in consultation processes worldwide

Multinational companies are required carry out prior consultation to local communities before a project. These companies often companies claim that their processes of consultation is transparent. However, the methodologies of these and how these affect local communities give us a different sense of the reality. This happens not only in La Guajira, but also in other places around the world. Read about two cases: one in Panama and one in the Northwest Territories.
Go to this link
http://www.culturalsurvival.org/ourpublications/csq/article/community-consultation-mining

Coal exploitation in Venezuela = Misery and Disruption for Local Communities

Clearly, coal exploitation by multinationals have wide-spread and long lasting effects. And they are not limited to a single region or country. Read these two articles about coal exploitation in Venezuela and the response of the  Wayuu and other indigenous peoples to defend their lives.

http://www.culturalsurvival.org/take-action/venezuela-support-indigenous-peoples-vs-coal-mines/venezuela-support-indigenous-peoples

http://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/venezuela/coal-and-wayuu-venezuela

Cerrejon: Labor and Health Conditions