1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 1: Hey, this sanny and Samantha and we're going to stuff 2 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:18,920 Speaker 1: I never told your production of IHR radio, and this 3 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,240 Speaker 1: week we wanted to talk about the activists in Colombia, 4 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:24,799 Speaker 1: but before we start, we wanted to touch on the 5 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: dangers that the activists are facing today and have been facing. 6 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 1: So we're gonna go ahead and let you know this 7 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: is not a happy episode, like we are celebrating a 8 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: woman who was doing some amazing works and continue to fight, 9 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: but we also have to acknowledge the violence that they 10 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 1: are suffering as well, in the danger they are in 11 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: for doing this work. Just so you know, we're not 12 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,599 Speaker 1: going to go into specific incidents, but there is mentioned 13 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:52,640 Speaker 1: violence and rape and harassment and it's not unusual, unfortunately, 14 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: for those in Colombia and many other countries to suffer 15 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 1: this just for being activists. And that's the big conversation 16 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 1: that we're going I have that activism can be dangerous 17 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: and we've seen it and we know that that puts 18 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 1: a target on people's backs and when you have a 19 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:11,960 Speaker 1: country that is government cannot or does not supply the 20 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: help that people need, especially in rural areas, then it 21 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 1: becomes even more dangerous and that's kind of what's happening 22 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 1: with Columbia and that's what's been happening. I do don't 23 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: know that politics have been a little rough and there's 24 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 1: a new president coming in and hopefully they will be 25 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 1: able to make some changes and provide more support and help. 26 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:32,479 Speaker 1: But yeah, that's a long, big story. But, like I said, 27 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:34,040 Speaker 1: we wanted to get into the history of it a 28 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:37,320 Speaker 1: little bit. We're not going too deep, but just so 29 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: that you are aware, Um, of what is happening. And 30 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 1: as we were doing research for the amazing people who 31 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 1: continue to fight for the rights and the preservation of 32 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: their community. Um, so many reports are coming about the 33 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: violence and threats that are happening against the activists around 34 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 1: the world. Um. And Colombia has suffered many losses recently. Um. 35 00:01:56,760 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: But numbers are pretty staggering and I think it's changed. 36 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: When we first heard some numbers, I believe in twenty. 37 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: There is a watch group on the ground giving us 38 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: higher numbers and I can't not believe that. Obviously we 39 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 1: we wouldn't want to discredit that in any way, because 40 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 1: they know they are seeing things that often are are 41 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: not mentioned and or hidden. Um, as we know, according 42 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: to one report, in at least two hundred and twenty 43 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 1: activists have been murdered. According to that same report, and 44 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 1: it's from the INDA pause, and I'm so sorry if 45 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 1: I said that wrong, which is a local watch group 46 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 1: that we just mentioned. At least one thousand eight leaders 47 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: have been killed since and one alone they recorded at 48 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: least a hundred and seventy one deaths, and there's a 49 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: few reasons. Many experts are saying it is due to 50 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: the increase in violence, UM, including struggle for power, absence 51 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: of any type of state authority or assistance, uh the 52 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: support to recover stolen land, and other factors like that. 53 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:59,400 Speaker 1: Marginalized communities, such as the indigenous and Afro Colombian communities, 54 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,359 Speaker 1: have been a large part of the resistance and leadership 55 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:06,640 Speaker 1: for the activism within Columbia and therefore they are highly targeted, 56 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 1: as in fact, many of the activists, including the one 57 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: that we're about to talk about, Um, have been under 58 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:16,360 Speaker 1: constant threat and harassment, to the point that petitions and 59 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: international groups have called for the overall protection of these activists. 60 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 1: Right Um, and just so you know, there have been 61 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 1: many stories coming left and right about getting texts and 62 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 1: being getting visits and being told that they will be 63 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 1: uh harmed or their family would be harmed. And, as 64 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 1: one indigenous activists said, that this is not about them 65 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: becoming activists, but they were born activists because because it 66 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: is them trying to take back their land or get 67 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 1: take back what was theirs to begin with, which has 68 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: been stolen. And I think that's a big part of 69 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: the conversation that we have to have in these activists 70 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: and conversations that are having, because overall, it's for everyone, 71 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: but it's something they have to do because it is 72 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: their livelihoods. Unfortunately. Uh Yeah, that's exactly what is happening 73 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 1: for our activists today. Uh waculine Romero epayue, that justice, 74 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 1: who is one of the leaders of the Fires Oahu, 75 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 1: an organization of Indigenous Wahi Women in Colombia. UH, they 76 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: are one of the largest indigenous groups in Colombia and 77 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: the group was established to define the rights of the 78 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: community and to defend them for that as well. Romero 79 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 1: and the Wahaiu are from the Colombian region of La Guahira. 80 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 1: Um in. This area has been a place of controversy, 81 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 1: as many of the residents have been displaced or terrorized 82 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:39,279 Speaker 1: by those who are trying to take control of the 83 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: resources of the land. So it's pretty rigid. Its resources, 84 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 1: um crops are being taken over and all of that, 85 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:47,600 Speaker 1: and many have been displaced by the mining company of 86 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:50,799 Speaker 1: Santi June, which not only uses violent methods of getting 87 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:53,039 Speaker 1: what they want, but also have caused major health and 88 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 1: environmental crisis throughout the region. Many of the local city 89 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 1: they were suffering from respiratory and skin problems. UH, there's 90 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: contamination of water, air and soil and there's even been 91 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 1: death due to this type of contamination. So it's pretty severe. 92 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:10,159 Speaker 1: But of course nobody has really been protecting the community 93 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: as they are being polluted and displaced. Uh, and Romero 94 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: has been a vocal challenger against those who have been 95 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 1: destroying the land in the community. Romo has been leading 96 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 1: the group which started in two thousand and six and 97 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 1: their aim has been to defend the rights of their community, 98 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:29,160 Speaker 1: their people and their culture from the violations occurring due 99 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 1: to these corporations and even the drug trafficking issues, because 100 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 1: a lot of the crops have been taken out for 101 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:36,760 Speaker 1: cocaine plants. From what I understand, people are scared to 102 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: try to change that right and though she has been 103 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:42,919 Speaker 1: recognized for her work and has made an impact, including 104 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:46,359 Speaker 1: uniting the communities against the mining company and even stopping 105 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 1: the company from diverting a large portion of the region's 106 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:51,919 Speaker 1: river to facilitate coal extraction, it's come at a price. 107 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 1: Um since her activism, she has been receiving threats, both 108 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 1: verbally and physically. She has had to travel with two 109 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: bodyguards at all times, and many different organizations have been 110 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 1: advocating for the government to put more protections, not only 111 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 1: for the safety of these activists, but also for the 112 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:12,279 Speaker 1: protecting the land and the communities. Um, when talking about 113 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 1: these types of issues that many of the women activists 114 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: have to face, ramier stated their lives are constantly threatened. 115 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:21,160 Speaker 1: We see cases in the country where many people are 116 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: murdered for saying things that someone doesn't like, companies don't like, 117 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:28,039 Speaker 1: the governments don't like, politicians don't like. As women, we 118 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: are more vulnerable because we face different situations than men. 119 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: The fear of being raped, for instance, the fear of 120 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 1: having your children murdered. The impact that this has on 121 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 1: women being victims of some kind of threat will always 122 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:42,919 Speaker 1: be different, and I also think that intentions will always 123 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,280 Speaker 1: be different by the perpetrator. Um. But even with that 124 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 1: constant threat, she remains positive. She continued, saying, quote, if 125 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: people have the need to threaten, it is because we 126 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: are doing something right. The message is to look for 127 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,279 Speaker 1: more allies, to raise our voices, because that is the 128 00:06:57,279 --> 00:06:59,919 Speaker 1: way to protect the life of the organization it's members 129 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 1: in such difficult times. Yeah, Um, and she has been 130 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: awarded with the National Human Rights Defense Award in twenty, seventeen, um. 131 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: And she had a message for the many women, indigenous 132 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: and non indigenous activists, uh, saying doing what we are 133 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 1: doing is worth it, supporting others, being the voice of 134 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: those who many times can't have a voice, is worth it. Certainly, 135 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 1: we will not transform the world, but we will make 136 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 1: a contribution that will surely transform somebody's world, the world 137 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: of a community, and that gives us hope, Um, which 138 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: I thought was really, really powerful. If you are interested 139 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 1: in finding out more about Romero and her work, you 140 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:40,920 Speaker 1: can look up her name. We will also send you 141 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 1: this information, because there are petitions that there are calls 142 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: to action to help women like her, the indigenous community 143 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: that she is with, uh, to protect them during this 144 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: big fight because, again, it's been a long haul and 145 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:58,320 Speaker 1: uh many have died and many continue to die violently 146 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: due to their stands trying to protect their loved ones. Yeah, yeah, and, 147 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 1: as always, if there's any listeners, if there are any 148 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 1: listeners in Colombia, uh and you have any information or 149 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: resources or other people we should shout out. Um, please, please, please, 150 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:20,160 Speaker 1: let us know. That information is invaluable to us. Um, 151 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 1: you can email as at Stephanie and mom stuff at 152 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: IHART MEDIA DOT com. You can find us on twitter 153 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: at MOM stof podcast or an instaging that stuff. I 154 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 1: never told you. Thanks. It's always to our super producer, Christina, 155 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: who was invaluable to us. Oh, for sure, absolutely, and 156 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 1: thanks to you for listening. Someone are told you the 157 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:37,839 Speaker 1: protection of by heart radio. For more podcast in my 158 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: heart radio, you can check out the review APP, apple 159 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 1: podcast or regul listen to your favorite shows.