The new face of Colombia’s conflict in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
With:
Miguel Angel Chaparro Izquierdo
Member of the Arhuaco Indigenous Community
Friday, September 15
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
WOLA
1666 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20009
We hope you are able to join us.
The event will be held in Spanish with English translation available
Colombian mountain range the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is home to a rich mix of indigenous cultures – but is also one of the areas most hard-hit by the country’s long-running conflict.
In light of Colombia’s peace process, violence in the area has decreased but has not abated, and new paramilitary groups and growing environmental threats continue to affect many local indigenous communities.
The Arhuacos are just one of several indigenous groups based here. Thanks to the Sierra Nevada’s proximity to the Caribbean coast and the geographical isolation that makes it a prime spot for coca and poppy cultivations, Arhuaco civilians have long been caught in the middle of an armed conflict that pitted government forces, guerilla groups, and paramilitaries against one another.
Join us for a roundtable discussion with Arhauco indigenous leader Miguel Ángel Chapparo Izquierdo, to gain a better understanding of how Colombia’s conflict has impacted this indigenous community and how they are working towards establishing an enduring peace.
Miguel Ángel Chaparro, known by his ancestral name Dodoringumu, is currently a member of the Permanent Mission of Colombia in the Organization of American States (OAS) and also works with a forest preservation initiative, the Amazon Conservation Team.