2000: The Return to Cacarica

Even in the toughest years of the armed conflict, Colombia still had movements of resistance and hope. After more than three years living displaced in different placessuch as the Turbo Colosseum, the communities of Cacarica worked together to organize their return, soliciting guarantees from the state[1].

PBI accompanied that return; a key moment in our history in the country[2]. The first Humanitarian Zone was created in a place called El Limón; the Humanitarian Zona (Zona Humanitaria) Nueva Esperanza. Afterwards, it was divided into two Humanitarian Zones; Nueva Vida and Nueva Esperanza en Dios.

Following the return, we accompanied CAVIDA permanently in their territory for several years, due to the continued presence of illegal and legal armed actors. The threats against leaders did not cease, despite the establishment of the Humanitarian Zones and the request to be protected as civilians. In this video, Ana María del Carmen, a leader of CAVIDA, tells us the history of the Afro-Colombian community of Cacarica, that has found itself trapped in an external armed conflict.

Today the majority of the historically displaced families remain displaced; they still have not returned to their original territories and they denounce the fact that their territories remain under the control of illegal armed actors[3].