|
Development Roast https://inesad.edu.bo/developmentroast/2011/06/guest-roast-landmine-victims-the-forgotten-souls-of-colombia/ |
Guest Roast: “Landmine Victims, The Forgotten Souls of Colombia.” Guest Roaster Aliza Amlani shares her experiences from Colombia.A few weeks ago I began reading “Writing on the edge”, a book about Medicins Sans Frontiers (MSF) missions Worldwide. One reporter was in Phnom Penh in Cambodia, an area rife with malaria and unexploded landmines planted by the Khmer Rouge. As I sat sipping on a cup of tea in the comfort of my own home, I wondered what it must be like to put yourself in such a dangerous situation. Three weeks later that is exactly what I did. I have been living in Bogotá for 3 months now, working at an NGO. One evening a call from a colleague informed me that we were going to carry out monitoring and evaluation of projects in the department of Meta, only a few hours by car from Bogota but a place that feels like a world away. It is well known as the “home” of the FARC, the left wing guerillas that have terrorized citizens for decades. Cocaine plantations and a close proximity to the capital make Meta a hotspot for guerilla activity. Like where there is smoke there is fire, where there are guerillas there are paramilitaries, the deadly opposition right wingers. These two groups fiercely battle for land and cocaine plantations, destroying anything and anyone that stands in their way.  Having spent a fair amount of time in Colombia and always having felt safe, I had grown accustomed to dismissing the dangers of Colombia, putting it down to sensationalist media or over-cautious tourists. This relaxed attitude was swiftly replaced by a “heart in mouth” sensation pulling into Vista Hermosa. As we drove in my colleague pointed to the field to our left, “that's where they kidnapped the doctor two days ago.” After checking into our hotel we decided to grab some lunch. As we waited for our food to arrive I conversed casually with a colleague in English, but was quickly told to only speak Spanish. Supposedly the FARC are currently doing anything they can to get press coverage. Traditionally they have dressed in clearly identifiable uniforms similar to those of the army; of late, however, plain clothes informants are common, lurking in surrounding towns and keeping an eye on what is going on. As our work included interviewing landmine victims we had to travel to their homes in small rural communities surrounded by landmine sights. I expected our chauffer, a local man from Vista Hermosa, to want to reassure us that the surrounding areas of his home town were safe and that we shouldn't worry. Quite the opposite. He informed us quite frankly that he did not want to go where we were going to carry out our visits. A strong presence of the FARC made this trip too dangerous, even for him. His father, a landmine victim himself, had forced him to drive us as due to his injuries he cannot drive anymore. Incidentally, the army called us and forbade us from going to our first stop. Kidnapping an English person is apparently a dream for the FARC, so after a brief discussion we decided the risk wasn't worth it and went straight to our second site. As we drive along the bumpy winding roads the scenery is breathtaking, a green so bright that I've only ever seen in photos. Unfortunately, this natural beauty is tainted by the reality that these beautiful green fields are full of unexploded home-made landmines. As such, they are much harder to detect, whilst the chemicals and faeces they contain render them even more lethal. We stuck religiously to the strict instructions given to us in the office: 1. Never ever deviate from the path, even if you have to wade through a puddle. 2. Do not take photos with flash, the flash can set off landmines and is incidentally what happened to one of our interviewees. 3. Other than that, step lightly and hope for the best.  Interviewing the victims, I was surprised at their resilience. They did not dwell on the accident but talked of moving on, moving forward and thinking about the future. However, many of them are still unable to do so because they have been economically crippled by medical debt due to the injuries suffered, receiving no help from the state. When I had pictured landmine victims I pictured amputees, who are certainly very common. However, the injuries extend much further than that. Many suffered from blindness after having shards of metal in their eyes and the sound of the explosion has left many of them with permanent headaches and burst eardrums. Many spoke of a permanent fear of walking off the path and of letting their children walk to school freely. They may be strong and resilient but they live a daily reality of fear, every step a potential tragedy. Although I have read many articles about kidnapping and cocaine with regards to Colombia, landmines are often forgotten by the press. However, Colombia has the second highest number of unexploded landmines in the world after Afghanistan, a huge but seemingly forgotten figure. As we pack up and get ready to head back to reality, I realize I have been bitten alive by mosquitos. “I hope you´re taking malaria tablets,” a colleague says, “nope,” I reply. I head back to my comfortable home with my book, with my cup of tea and hopefully without malaria. Have something to say? Aliza Amlani is currently working with Mercy Corps in Bogota, Colombia. She will gladly receive all comments and questions below. Like the article? Sign up at the top of this page to receive future entries directly to your inbox (make sure you click on the confirmation link that will be sent to you by WordPress). |
