The Lutheran World Federation

Department for World Service Colombia Program

Promotion of Human Rights, Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Actions in Colombia

Annual Report

2011

Annual Report 2011

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The Lutheran World Federation
The Lutheran World Federation Department for World Service Colombia Program
Carrera 22, No. 40-07 Bogot, Colombia Telefax +57 1 323 0707 / 338 1196 Correo: programacolombia@lwfcolombia.org.co The Lutheran World Federation LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF now has 145 member churches in 79 countries all over the world representing 70.5 million Christians. The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest, such as communication, ecumenical and interfaith relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, international affairs, human rights, and various aspects of mission and development work. The location of the General Secretariat is in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva (Switzerland) which ensures close cooperation with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and other world Christian communions as well as secular international organizations.

www.lwfcolombia.org.co The Lutheran World Federation (Headquarter) Department for World Service
Ecumenical Centre, Route de Ferney 150 PO Box 2100, 1211 Ginebra 2, Suiza Tel: +41 227916522/Fax: +41 227916629

Department for World Service

For over sixty years the DWS has responded to the needs of peoples affected by natural or man- made disasters. Special attention is given to internally displaced people (IDPs), refugees, victims of conflicts, droughts, floods, hurricanes and earthquakes. DWS reaches out to everyone with the belief that all people are created with an equal set of rights regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion, nationality or political conviction. With its presence in more than 30 countries, DWS is part of a global network that assists in situations of emergency, rehabilitation and sustainable development. These are fundamental steps to ensure that communities can once again reconstruct their lives.

www.lutheranworld.org

T HE L UTHERAN W ORLD F EDERATION

D EPARTMENT F OR W ORLD S ERVICE

Member of:

Colombia Program

Certificated by

ACT Alliance
ACT International and ACT Development merged as of January 1st, 2010, into one single organization called ACT Alliance, one of the biggest humanitarian world alliances of the world. ACT is an alliance of churches and faith based organizations working together in order to eradicate poverty, injustice and human rights abuses. It is made up of over 100 organizations and churches working in more than 125 countries worldwide.

Member of

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The Lutheran World Federation Department for World Service in Colombia

Annual Report 2011

As of 2010 the LWF/DWS is implementing the program Promotion of Human Rights, Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Actions in Colombia 2010-2015.

Our Mission
To accompany and to strengthen the vulnerable Colombian population affected by the armed conflict, by violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, and by natural disasters through a service inspired by Christian diakonia and based on the humanitarian imperatives.

Our objectives
Human rights and peace. To support actions of enforceability and advocacy for human rights and their levels of repercussion at regional, national and international levels. Sustainable livelihoods. To increase the capacity of urban and rural vulnerable communities to face serious threats to their dignity and to defend and promote their sustainable livelihoods. Emergency response and disaster risk management. To empower vulnerable communities in areas of work of the LWF in their capacity to deal with the armed conflict and/or natural disasters.

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The Lutheran World Federation - Department for World Service in Colombia Right to food By Silvio Schneider, Country Representative Why we work in Arauca The actions of our partners in Arauca 2011 Other LWF/DWS projects in Arauca in 2011 Our land, our only Hope By Leonardo Sarmiento M. LWF/DWS/CO Why we work in Choc The activities of our local partners in Choc 2011 Other LWF /DWS projects in Choc in 2011 Why we work in Cundinamarca The actions of our partners in Cundinamarca 2011 The actions of our local partners with national impact in 2011 Other activities of LWF/DWS Colombia in 2011

Strategic approaches
Integrated approach. The articulation of technical actions with organizational and community strengthening towards technical and social sustainability Differential (gender and ethnicity). The LWF/DWS is interested particularly in promoting and demanding the rights of women, afro-descendants and indigenous people, as well as playing a role in the construction of peace and development alternatives. The LWF/DWS aims to contribute to their empowerment as full subjects of rights. Rights based Approach (RBA). The conscious reference to the norms of Human Rights and their objectives helps to ensure that root causes of poverty and exclusion are properly addressed in the formulation and implementation of development programs, and avoids that exclusive technical objectives become references for development activities. Construction of peace. All LWF/DWS actions in Colombia aim ultimately at contributing to the construction of peace through the promotion of human dignity, diversity, tolerance, and social justice as response to the existing conflicts.

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Financial Summary 2011 LWF/DWS Colombian Staff 2011 Acknowledgements

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Annual Report 2011

Right to Food
SILVIO SCHNEIDER Country Representative

The Lutheran World Federation Department for World Service implements the Program PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND HUMANITARIAN ACTIONS IN COLOMBIA (2010-2015). One of the strategic objectives has to do with Sustainable Livelihoods and Food Security, and it is from this perspective that we present this report for sharing what we have done together with our partners and communities in 2011. During 2011 the violence caused by armed groups persisted, with continued strong offensives of the national armed forces in territories of historical dominance of the guerrillas and fighting with illegal armed groups made up of former paramilitaries. The consequences of hostilities continue to affect disproportionately the civilian population, which continues to be victim of killings, forced displacements, exiles, abductions, sexual violence, forced recruitment, just to name some violations that should be sanctioned in the light of human rights and international humanitarian law. The dispute over territory is indeed the most important reason for the persistence of the armed conflict, due to its continued economic, political and social importance. The areas most affected by the conflict are dominated by legal and illegal economies that favor private interests, or in some cases armed actors, and thus affecting the food security of the population. But the year 2011 was also characterized by heavy rainy seasons affecting large parts of the country in what was a clear result of climate change. Over 3.5 million Colombians were affected at different times of the year, with consequences both for micro and macro

economies. Vulnerable communities affected by the floods have had their economic and food capacities diminished in addition to loss of housing, problems of health, and the absence of children and youth from their schools. In response to this situation LWF/DWS CO, and other ACT Alliance members, has worked together with local organizations since April 2011 on a wide reaching project to help improve the living conditions of hundreds of families, many of whom continue to suffer the consequences not only of the floods but also of the violence of the internal armed conflict. The floods destroyed harvests, banana and rice crops, and the few possessions owned by many families living beside the San Juan River in the Department of Choc. The LWF provided food aid and delivered seeds to revive food production. This kind of aid is of vital importance, particularly for the indigenous peoples who subsist by exchanging agricultural produce. And in Arauca we continued accompanying local organizations in their efforts to stay in their territories in a dignified way. The armed conflict and the implemen-

tation of mega-projects in the department are threatening the security of the Araucan communities, and the support of the LWF has been important in the areas of food production and strengthening of organizational capacities. This work has been done through the LWF program and the project ARAUCA: CULTIVATING PEACE AMIDST OF THE CONFLICT, financed by the European Union. Restitution of land illegally appropriated began with the Victims and Land Restitution Law signed by President Santos in June 2011 in the presence of the UN General Secretary. This process has no precedents in the recent history of Colombia and could be seen as an important step towards the construction of peace. It is important that land restitution efforts be part of a holistic strategy for development, which includes strengthening income-generating programs to ensure a sustainable and dignified standard of living for victims. The civil society organizations that monitor the implementation of the Victims and Land Restitution Law point out that it has failed to stop the tragedy of internal displacement in Colombia, in a year in which there has been an escalation of violence and a worsening of the armed conflict.

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Why we work in

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Panam Venezuela

Arauca

Arauca

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The year 2011 marked a milestone in the long tradition of oil extraction in Arauca. In the first months several multinational firms deployed teams and heavy machinery in the municipalities of Fortul, Arauca, Tame and Arauquita for oil exploration. One multinational company, which used to produce less than 1,000 barrels a day, is now producing 100,000, and started to plant wells in the municipalities of Arauca and Puerto Rondn. Oil exploitation in Arauca comes hand in hand with a strategy of military security. It is the most militarized department of Colombia and with a strong presence and activity of illegal armed groups. The continued harassment of the civilian population, selective deaths, bombings in rural areas, indiscriminate use of landmines, the massive presence of unexploded devices, armed blockades by the illegal actors, ambushes, and military confrontations, among other factors, greatly affected the mobility and the integrity of the farmers and indigenous communities of the department. According to reports of OBSAR Observacin y Solidaridad, there were 216 armed actions in the department in 2011.

of protection issued by the Constitutional Court through the Edits 004 and 382, the latter to ensure the comprehensive and permanent attention to the Hitnu and Makaguan peoples regarding health, food and nutrition. The death of Dumar Casanova Alvarado, indigenous Makaguan leader and Humberto Peroza Wampiare, of the Hitnu people; the displacement of indigenous Makaguan women of the Community La Colorada, whose partners are peasants; the harassment to which are submitted many families in the Community La Colorada, because they refuse to return to their territory for fear of violent actions against their integrity; as well as the human degradation being experienced by some people of the Betoyes community due to consumption of alcohol with high degree of toxicity; all these are factors that submit the indigenous peoples to cultural and physical extermination and contribute to their social disintegration in the department of Arauca. This situation of peasant and indigenous peoples was worsened by the heavy rains that severely affected some regions, destroying large tracts of crops, pastures and the road system of the Department and left it submerged by the floods for about three months.

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Indigenous communities in particular remain the most violated in their rights, despite the mechanisms

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The actions of our partners in Arauca 2011

Las Galaxias - Agricultural Association (AAG)

The Association is a non-profit organization created in June 2008 with the support and accompaniment of the LWF in Arauca. Thanks to a process of organizational strengthening through exchange of knowledge, the Association has managed to widen its coverage among the farmers of the region. The Association is implementing productive initiatives that aim to make it possible for farmers to stay on their lands, and promoting dignity, self-protection, food security, peaceful togetherness and sustainability. In 2011, the LWF supported the AAGs process of organizational strengthening, resulting in the enlargement both in terms of territorial coverage and the number of affiliated farmers. The Association achieved greater ownership of responsibilities and the improvement of capacities to comply with the statutes as well as to propose changes and strategies for achieving its objectives. The participation of members in the bimonthly assemblies was also improved, as was the performance of the members of the Board of Directors with regard to the corresponding registration and file of records as well as the exercise of accountability. On the other hand the AAG was able to share good practices related to the maintenance of a rice mill, improve knowledge of seeds and further analysis of classes of field and its influence on the quality of rice, promote the diversity of food products to increase the availability of food, as well as the construction and commissioning of two ponds for fish farming. Production and training in fish farming was carried out with an average of 15 members, some of which will build their own ponds and design a strategy for sales and consumption and give continuity to the fish farming.

Arauca Peasant Association - ACA

ACA is a non-profit association of peasants in Arauca, which looks for peaceful responses to the States abandonment and repression in the department. It is driven by the principle of equity in its search to guide the organizational process of the peasants. The Association also aims at peace with social justice in Arauca, including the defense of human rights and the dignity of the life of the peasantry. ACA carries out social research on the root causes of problems of the peasantry and proposes possible solutions, as well as education and training of its members and participatory construction of new social and economic models that respond to the interests and needs of the peasant sector. In 2011 the ACA strengthened its organization through the improvement of the participation and leadership training of its members, as well as the promotion of human rights and a productive agro-ecological approach for the dignified staying of the population in their territory. With the support of the LWF, ACA managed to create or rebuild five committees in the Department of Arauca, which have extended their knowledge about the peasant Association. The affiliation of new members continued with a total of 305 new associates in 2011. The agro-ecological schools were strengthened and complemented with the installation of community gardens, and extensive community participation and many wishes to implement the knowledge in their farms. A training of youth leadership was also carried out in the headquarters of the ACA in Arauquita, with the participation of people interested in working in their communities. This resulted in the consolidation of a group of multipliers with the responsibility to disseminate the lessons learnt in the workshops. Finally, three training sessions and exchange of knowledge were organized for the Board of Directors of the Association.

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In 2011, with the support of the LWF, Joel Sierra has legally advised more than 80 cases related to rights abuses suffered by individuals, social organizations and communities in the region, and by victims of repression of the State and human rights violations and infringements of international humanitarian law and to people immersed in the social humanitarian crisis, pushing them to develop legal actions of enforceability of their fundamental rights. The organization was also able to develop activities towards the creation and implementation of a database on violations of human rights and breaches of international humanitarian law occurred in Arauca.

Annual Report 2011

Regional Youth and Students Association - ASOJER

ASOJER is a non-governmental organization of youth and students with 11 years of experience in community participation and facilitation of spaces for youth convergence and accompanying young people and students from the region projecting their uninterested contribution on human rights and other relevant themes in the society. ASOJER offers accompaniment to social organizations of the Department of Arauca in the work of enforceability and respect for their rights. It has four municipal sections, and in phase of restructuring several committees in districts, schools, and communities. In 2011, with the support of the LWF, the youth participation was organizationally strengthened through the development of four municipal and one regional meetings resulting in the visibility of the youth movement within a society that is overcoming stigmatization and persecution of social leaders and movements and start understanding that young people are a fundamental part of the society. ASOJER established a work plan for each municipality and a regional team, who will be responsible for driving the processes in relation to the plans of life of social organizations of the Centre East of Colombia as part of a navigation chart for the organized civil society of Colombia.

In 2011, with the support of the LWF, CPDH was able to carry out legal consultations and subsequent follow-up and accompaniment to victims of violence and to the vulnerable population in Arauca. Human rights abuses were made visible through the dissemination of regular public reports, urging the need for peace, and without hiding the everyday reality that civilians are experiencing as a result of the armed conflict. The CPDH led the organization of the commemoration of the first anniversary of the execution of three children presumably killed by members of the national army in the community of Flor Amarillo, municipality of Tame. It was attended by about 60 CPDH members and over 1000 people of the Department. Other organizations defending human rights also participated, such as Humanidad Vigente, the Lutheran World Federation, Caritas - Pastoral Social, ACA, the President of the Commission for Peace of the Departmental Assembly, the Municipal Council of Tame, a delegate of the Mayors Office of Tame, the I.C.B.F. and others.

Other LWF Projects in Arauca in 2011

Project: Humanitarian Assistance to Displaced Populations and Communities at Risk in Arauca
Funded by the Church of Sweden
The project Humanitarian Assistance to Displaced Populations and Communities at Risk in Arauca was implemented between July 2010 and November 2011. The main objective was to provide protection, relief and assistance to people and communities affected by the armed conflict. This was done through delivery of humanitarian aid to displaced people and actions aimed at the reduction of their vulnerability. The project was carried out in four peasant communities, specifically in regard to: risks by natural and man-made disasters, risk of accidents by anti-personnel mines and unexploded munitions, the ability to resolve conflicts without reproducing forms of violence, deficiency of horticultural products in their self-sufficiency and self-supporting. A total of 365 displaced families benefitted from the delivery of food and non-food items in the Municipalities of Tame, Arauquita, Fortul and Arauca. In addition, 204 people participated in trainings for the improvement of their food diet and strengthened their food security through production in 24 family gardens.

Human Rights Foundation Joel Sierra

Joel Sierra is a non-governmental organization for the defense of human rights with thirteen years of experience in the dissemination, promotion and defense of rights in Eastern Colombia, with emphasis on the holistic conception of human rights, and denouncing violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Arauca. The organization carries out advocacy with the national Government, the media and the international community. Joel Sierra performs accompaniment and legal advice to victims of violations of human rights, as well as awareness-raising, training, promotion and dissemination of the human rights. The activities aim at the recovery of the memory, truth, justice, comprehensive reparation and the full enjoyment of the rights that allow the construction of a society with social justice and equity.

The Standing Committee for the Defense of Human Rights - CPDHSection Arauca
The CPDH was founded in November 2000 by a group of people and social actors in order to support, accompany and empower the civil society of the Department of Arauca, which has been victim of the worsening of the conflict in this region of the country. Its main office is in the Municipality of Arauquita, and it has successfully become a meeting point for the different social sectors, victims and their relatives.

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The communities worked on the elaboration of an emergency plan and routes for local attention to the population in situation of displacement, and learned about their rights and the constitutional guarantees that were not known to them due to the absence of State in the area. Their leaders participated in the socialization of the Emergency Plan before the local government bodies and will continue to supervise, taking advantage of the tools learned. Similarly, the communities participated in trainings related to natural and anthropogenic disasters (especially related to oil exploitation). A theater play was created with a group of young people who managed to convey a message about the possibility of transforming conflicts without the use of violence, thereby inviting to the reflection of the practices usually employed in daily life situations. The participants of the discussions on this subject highlighted the need to promote values, especially dialogue as an indispensable tool in the construction of agreements, the importance of putting oneself in the place of the other, and encourage listening besides showing will to keep these thoughts inside their family groups. Likewise, progress was made in the prevention of accidents by contamination from weapons, and the communities are aware of the existing risks and are prepared to assume behaviors that may protect them and others. They have organized preventive campaigns that reached and educated over 700 people, many of them youth and children that replicated the lessons learned in their own families.

Project: Cultivating peace in the midst of the conflict in Arauca Funded by the European Union and the Church of Sweden
From March 2010 until March 2013, the LWF supported by Church of Sweden and together with Humanidad Vigente and Caritas Pastoral Social as local partners, is implementing this project with the participation of four peasant communities located in the municipalities of Tame and Fortul and six indigenous communities affected by the armed conflict, four of them in a situation of displacement and two recipients of IDPs. The project seeks to strengthen the integration of the social actors for the promotion of human dignity in order to contribute to overcoming situations of socio-political violence, from a participatory approach and through this, to contribute to the reduction of poverty and the building of peace in Arauca. During 2011, the project concluded a series of training sessions on food autonomy and sovereignty with 62 women and 13 men participants from peasant communities. These trainings strengthened knowledge of agro-ecological production, recognition of food species of the region, food processing and solidarity proposals for the implementation of productive initiatives. The process also strengthened productive plots in public schools of Puerto Nidia, Malvinas, and Filipinas. 93 indigenous families strengthened its food production and access to water for human consumption with the support of the project, through the implementation of traditional systems of cultivation of vegetables and access to ground water systems.

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48 men and women community leaders participated in an educational process aimed at the understanding of the current economic system and its implications for the lives of farmers in the region, with a view to the construction and strengthening of alternative development plans in the beneficiary communities of the project. Likewise, a comprehensive training process was carried out with indigenous communities, with the aim of strengthening their ownership of their life plans. 37 people (22 men and 15 women) participated in training processes for strengthening of human relations. 40 young people took part in therapeutic groups and 289 people in meetings for the recovery of historical memory, of which 161 were women. Another 40 people, 20 women and 20 men, strengthened their knowledge of mechanisms of enforceability of rights and legal issues related to land and territory. The project also includes an Observatory that registers cases of human rights violations and breaches of international humanitarian law. The Observatory also analyzes, follows up and disseminates information on the situation of socio-political violence in the Department of Arauca. Furthermore, the project is carrying out a second training cycle, this time in a holistic manner that includes food security, mental health and legal tools for the protection of human rights. 190 people participate in the communities of Malvinas, San Jos Obrero (Caranal) and Filipinas. Finally, the project is constructing and implementing an agenda for advocacy involving the project beneficiaries and social organizations of the Department. Research has also been carried out on violations of the right to land and territory of indigenous communities.

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Our land, our only Hope

By Leonardo Sarmiento M. LWF/DWS/CO
We are driving along the road from Arauca to Tame. After two and a half hours of driving through the plains we have passed 150 kms of land for cattle, rice plantations, some remnants of forest, small farms, areas for oil exploitation and many army checkpoints. When we almost arrive at the farm known as Betoyes the road becomes winding and a change of scenery lets us know that we are arriving at the reserves of the indigenous groups Betoy and Makaguan1. It is easy to recognize the area as there are lots of people from these ethnic groups: children sitting on the side of the road, women carrying heavy packs of wood, men with their bows and arrows. The indigenous people of Arauca walk a lot, often hundreds of kilometers. One of the reasons for this is that historically they are semi nomadic cultures, hunters and gatherers; although it is difficult to imagine that they still are as so much has changed in Arauca. It is now a long time since the indigenous groups were the only inhabitants of these lands.
1. Two of the six indigenous groups of Arauca

At that moment Rigoberto joins in the conversation. He is another leader of the community, older than Juan and was Governor of the community some years ago. We continue talking and we ask them about the food situation in the community. Please tell us how the families are eating these days? Rigoberto: Well, we rarely get to eat three times a day How many times do you eat each day? Rigoberto: We eat breakfast and then we eat something in the evening. And what do you normally eat? Rigoberto: For breakfast we eat rice, water with brown sugar and some bread, and in the evening rice, beans and something to drink. But we dont have meat, here we cant hunt alligators and armadillos like we used to. Juan: Since we were displaced we have received humanitarian aid from all kinds of institutions. Living here, without land and eating canned food we are contaminating our bodies. The food we receive has a lot of chemicals and it is affecting our health. The difficult food situation in the community became obvious to us while we were talking to Juan and Rigoberto. The children were playing their traditional games but many of them had respiratory diseases and problems with parasites. We asked Juan to present us to some of the women of the community and he took us to his mother, Magola, a very quiet but active woman. We asked Magola to say something in their ancestral language, but she says that she does not know how as her parents died before being able to teach her. This made us aware of how the indigenous groups of Arauca are losing their cultures. We decided to ask Magola about the food situation in her family and she answered almost the same as Rigoberto, that they usually eat only twice a day and that their diet is not balanced with few proteins, minerals and sometimes carbohydrates. What did you eat when you were living in your reserve in La Esperanza? Magola: In La Esperanza we were eating well, we ate chcharo, chigiro, babilla, lapa, cachicamo and iguanas (all local animals).

Rigoberto: There we were able to find fish, babilla, iguana and chcharo, picure, araguato, well a bit of everything. Juan: In our land we were also able to grow yuca, bore, ame and plantain. These answers show how important their territory is for these communities who traditionally are collectors, hunters and fishermen, and who live in harmony with their environment.

It is seven in the morning and we are in the rural part of Betoyes when we arrive at the entrance of the temporary reserve of the community La Esperanza (the Hope). Three women in a hut with palm roof are moving the hot coals; it seems like it is time for breakfast. We walk another 150 meters until we get to another gate which leads to the place where the community settled 4 years ago. We see a small school which was recently built and some huts built of wood and guadua and with palm roofs. Smoke comes out of each of the huts which show that it is definitely time for breakfast. We walk among the huts greeting women and children who gather around the fires where the first meal of the day is being prepared. Some of the children play next to their mothers; others help to clean the pots and plates while they curiously observe us. The Governor of the reserve comes out of one of the huts to greet us. His name is Juan and he looks young, serious but nice. We start to talk to him about the recent history of the community.

What does your land mean to you? Juan: Without our territory we are nothing, we are weak. In our territory we are able to keep our culture, traditions, food habits and traditional medicine. We can live from the forest, plants and wild animals, and our culture as our main guidance. In Arauca there are 6 indigenous groups: Inga, Uwa, Hitnu, Sikuani, Betoy and Makaguan. According to the Colombian Constitutional Court they are in danger of cultural and physical extinction. With regard to the food situation the Constitutional Court says for example that 71% of Hitnu children suffer from malnutrition. The response from the Colombian state has so far been inadequate and insufficient. It is now 11 oclock and the sun has forced us to look for shade. We are with Juan and his wife, who together are fixing a plot of land next to their hut where they are planting some vegetables. Juan says that their only option is to cultivate the land where they are, so we decide to ask one last question, Will you return completely to your land? Juan: We are waiting until the end of this year to see what results from the Constitutional Courts decisions 004 and 382 to be implemented by the national authorities, the departmental administration and the administration of the municipality of Tame. We are waiting for them to tell us the truth about what they will and will not do. Until now we have not seen any results. They told us that we would be given some land but nothing has happened and if there is no political will we will have to make the decision as a community. We will have to return to our territory even if it is dangerous, that is our only hope.
3. The Constitutional Courts decisions 004 from 2009 and 382 from 2010 give the Colombian government a mandate to urgently take action to protect 35 indigenous groups in Colombia that are threatened by cultural and physical extinction because of the armed conflict. The 6 indigenous groups in Arauca are all included.

Juan please tell us a bit about your community Juan: My people is the Makaguan, we are Guajibo Makaguan, living in the area of Betoyes, Municipality of Tame, Arauca. How did you arrive here? Juan: We arrived here 5 years ago. We lived in our ancient lands called La Esperanza but were displaced by the violence, because of the assassinations and massacres. How many families belong to the community La Esperanza? Juan: We are about 35 families. Here we are currently 13 families; the others have gone back to our reserve. We are trying to return, but also to get more land for the community. The indigenous community of La Esperanza, together with another two communities (Iguanitos and Cao Claro) left their lands in January 2007. They feared for their lives as they had been caught in the middle of the conflict between the two guerilla groups FARC and ELN2, Following the displacement they looked for places to stay close to their lands as they did not want to move to the cities as they feared the complete loss of their culture. Finally a sister community called Parreros agreed to let them stay on a small part of their territory, where is where they live today.
2. This conflict began in 2005 apparently for control of land and access to economic resources. The confrontation ended in 2010 when a ceasefire was agreed.

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Why we work in

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Choc

Choc

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The exceptionally rich biodiversity of Choc is also the main threat to its population, given that for centuries it has been exploited without benefitting the rightful ancestral owners of these lands. The most common examples at the moment are the profitable contracts signed by the State - owner of the subsoil - with multinational mining companies without the prior consent of the populations. This persistent exclusion and marginalization means that companies working in Choc are able to take advantage of the basic needs of people in order to achieve their economic and corporate goals. In this context the inhabitants of Choc view with mistrust and pessimism the possible consequences of mining activities given their limited economic, ecological and social results.. This in contrast to the fact that Choc is the Colombian Department with the most hectares of collective ownership, including territories collectively owned by indigenous and afro-descendents communities. After the rainy seasons of 2010 and 2011, the response by the State and humanitarian organizations has been broad and effective regarding the acute crisis. However, the States efforts to address structural causes of poverty and vulnerability have fallen short, including in the areas of infrastructure and fulfillment of unfulfilled basic needs. This has resulted in the grade of vulnerability of the Chocoan populations continue to be as high as it was before the heavy rains. All the above weakens the capacity and independence of civil society organizations and the enforceability of rights. The (national) Governments economic interests are prioritized over the economic, social, cultural and environmental rights of the Chocoans. The interests of the illegal armed actors present in the Department also weaken social organizations. The Departments population is hardworking and optimistic, warranting and legitimizing the presence and work of international humanitarian organizations such as the LWF in its territory.

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The activities of our local partners in Choc 2011

General Community Council of the San Juan River - ACADESAN

ACADESAN is a territorial ethnic organization that governs and manages 700,000 hectares in four collective titles in the municipalities of Istmina, Medio San Juan, Novita, Sip, and Litoral de San Juan in the Choc Department and a small strip in the Department of Valle. There are 70 communities in this territory given that two communities have previously been abandoned by its inhabitants in the Riviera del San Juan (Chavica and Cacahual) due to the armed conflict. The LWF continued to support the institutional strengthening and increasing the capacity for local response. During 2011 the LWF supported 9 workshops for monitoring and socialization of manuals, internal regulations and statutes in the Cajn zone, one of the 9 areas that comprise the General Council. In addition, 2 regional assemblies of the ACADESAN Board of Directors were held. These activities correspond to the strategy of institutional strengthening of the Community Council of the San Juan River, with the aim of regulating the use of natural resources of the collective territories, its relations with other actors and internal relations between members of the organization.

Association of Indigenous Governors of the Embera, Wounaan, Kato, Cham and Tule peoples of the Department of Choc, ASOREWA
The Association of Indigenous Governors of the Embera, Wounaan, Kato, Cham and Tule peoples of the Department of Choc-OREWA-, has its origins in 1979 when indigenous students of the Embera and Wounaan peoples, motivated by the rise of the regional indigenous movements such as the CRIC, agreed to establish the Embera-Wounaan student organization of the Choc. The aim of the organization was to do advocacy work based on the Law 89 of 1990, for the defense and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples in the region. Special emphasis was given to territorial rights and denouncing the abandonment, misery and prostration in which they found themselves. During 2011, the Asorewa held its ninth Regional Congress of indigenous peoples of the Choc Department, and with the support of the LWF carried out preparatory zonal assemblies aiming at expanding the participation of indigenous women of Eastern Choc in the Congress. In addition, they continued the process of strengthening the information system of the Asorewa through training for the implementation of the human rights violations database.

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Mayor Community Council of the Peasant Organization of the Atrato River - COCOMOPOCA
The Mayor Community Council of the Peasant Organization of the Atrato River - COCOMOPOCA is a territorial ethnic organization comprised of 43 community councils covering four municipalities of Atrato, Bagad, Crtegui and Llor in the Department of Choc, inhabited by afro-descendants who live on the banks of the Atrato River and its tributaries. Through accompaniment for political empowerment, territorial management and institutional strengthening, the Cocomopoca held three training workshops of the 44 boards of local community councils on mining legislation and previous consultation. The LWF supported the elaboration of a general proposal to deal with mining in the territory and continued with the administrative strengthening of the Organization through the financing of a full-time Secretary who is in charge of the administration of the Organization and of the physical

and electronic filing system that supported the financial and administrative activities in 2011. After more than 11 years of incessant hard work of the COCOMOPOCA, during which they persistently claimed rights over their ancestral territory, on September 17, 2011 a ceremony was held to award the collective title of 77 thousand hectares. This was the culmination of a period of more than one decade, and at the same time the starting point of a new phase for the Organization. Cocomopoca now faces the challenge of organizing its territory, and creating tools for managing it now not as a claimer but as an owner. The LWF provided logistical support to carry out the Assembly for the reception of the collective title, facilitating the participation of communities in the awards ceremony, and guaranteeing food, mobilization and visibility of their presence at the memorable 17 September, 2011.

Association of Women for a Life with Dignity and Solidarity AMVDS

The Association of Women for a Life with Dignity and Solidarity was legally established in 2008 and is comprised of a group of Chocoan women heads of household, who carry out activities for the well-being of the communities of Quibd. The Association is managing 5 productive projects which include 57 women, who are committed to the search for the well-being and development of the region and the construction of a new paradigm that values the role of women as leaders of economically sustainable projects. In 2011, the LWF supported the Association in strengthening processes of social and political participation, aiming at reaching organizational maturity. The support was summarized in the support to 2 general assemblies, 4 regional assemblies and 1 meeting with another women group (exchange of experiences) and follow up on administrative issues with the treasurer, the secretary and the legal representative of the Association. Furthermore, the LWF continued supporting established productive initiatives through improving their administrative skills and the search for certifying some products and services. For this reason one of the productive initiatives (Cambios y Cambias) was strengthened in order to broaden its coverage and allow for the participation of new women interested in becoming members of the AMVDS

The Life, Justice and Peace Commission of the Social Ministry of the Diocese of Quibd - COVIJUPA
The objective of the Life, Justice and Peace Commission is the defense and promotion of life in all its expressions, as a first condition for the construction of a peace with social justice, the defense of human rights and the international humanitarian law, and the rights of the afro-descendant, indigenous and mestizo communities. The COVIJUPA provides support and assistance to those affected by the political violence and the armed conflict, by forced displacement, killings and disappearances. The LWF remains committed to supporting environmentally friendly productive alternatives and the recognition of the just work of craftsmen and farmers of areas with greater social problems and affected by the conflict in the country. To do so, in 2011 the LWF continued to support the promotion of productive handicraft at the Alternative Just and Solidarity Fair organized by COVIJUPA in order to share with the population that another world is possible when using natural products, hand-made, with original designs, and make visible the processes in which the people are participating as alternatives of peace against the war. With the support of the LWF it was possible to promote the Fair through communication (flyers, folders, radio spots) and make visible the products and handicrafts from the participating groups, and contribute to the creation of an adequate and secure space for exponents groups of products of the Fair, and the renovation of a kitchen where women could offer typical and natural meals with products of the region and to deliver these experiences to schools and school canteens in the city.

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Other LWF projects in Choc in 2011

Project: Complex Emergencies in Colombia: Floods in Conflict Zones COL111 Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe Germany - Christian Aid - ICCO/PCS - LWF/DWS CO
Funded by ACT Alliance
The overall objective of this project was to assist the population affected by floods in the last two months of 2010 and early 2011 in 24 rural communities at risk and in situations of displacement, and 3 urban displaced communities in the Departments of Cundinamarca, Valle del Cauca, Crdoba and Choc, where members of the Alliance ACT work permanently. The LWF accompanied 16 rural communities of Choc in the framework of this project, of which 10 communities

are of afro descendants and 6 are of indigenous population. For the implementation of this project coordination was carried out with ACADESAN and ACIVA as representative organizations of the beneficiary communities. Emergency food kits were delivered to 200 beneficiary families twice, and also 32 workshops of good eating habits for the population of the 16 priority communities were carried out. The LWF supported adaptation and renovation of a hostel for the use of the 6 beneficiary indigenous communities for present or future emergencies. This hostel, as well as being repaired, was equipped with cabins, mats, roofs, linens, chairs, utensils, kitchen, electric energy and separate toilets for men and women. Regarding the strengthening of family capacities to respond to emergencies through community building and psycho-social tools, the LWF carried out 32 workshops

on internal regulations, identification of risks of natural or human origin, and strengthening organizational motivation, vulnerabilities and risks of emergencies, protection plans, and psychosocial support. During these activities 16 contingency plans for community emergencies were elaborated and socialized. The project sought to improve the food security of the communities, by delivering kits of seeds, tools and technical assistance to families, in order to cultivate 200 hectares of crops of vegetables and establish 200 home gardens. These activities were accompanied by 2 workshops per community, on techniques of cultivation, production of fertilizers and organic plague control. As a further result, the representative community organizations ACIVA and ACADESAN were able to participate directly in the implementation of the project, and to test their response and management capacity because they should be at the forefront of the implementation of

the planned activities, of the procurement procedures, and to buy the necessary items, and all relevant administrative requirements and report on the implemented activities in order to ensure the outcome and the support to both organizations.

Project: Assistance for Food Security in Communities affected by the Armed Conflict in the Middle San Juan, Choc
Funded by ECHO and Church of Sweden
This project began in June 2011 in order to support communities affected by floods as well as by the armed conflict in the area. The implementation will terminate in May 2012, and the overall objective is to provide humanitarian assistance and improving food security in 10 Afro-Colombian and 5 indigenous communities in the Middle San Juan, Department of Choc.

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The project is being implemented with the participation and consultation of organizations representing the beneficiary communities, namely ACADESAN and JOON KIIRJUG - the Association of Governors of the Wounaan Community of the Middle San Juan. In order to address the immediate nutritional deficiencies emergency food assistance was delivered to 350 rural families. Consultations were carried out with communities and beneficiary families on food items that were not currently available in the area, and the first kits delivered were designed to last for 2 months. The second delivery was made at the end of the year, before the eventual emergency due to a new rainy season in the first weeks of 2012. With respect to food security in the medium term, it was improved in 15 rural communities through technical assistance for the cultivation of 350 hectares of land for basic subsistence crops. Technical assistance was begun with the 600 beneficiary families, and 40 families participated in processes of poultry breeding in order to contribute to food and nutrition security (FNS).

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Cundinamarca

Why we work in

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Panam Venezuela

Cundinamarca

Ecuador Brasil Per

The department of Cundinamarca has a strategic location in the Centre of the country, and all varieties of climate, areas of cultivation, animal husbandry, with access in all directions of the country, the industry and agricultural sectors are highly technically developed. Cundinamarca is offering important contributions to the national economy. Despite this, Cundinamarca currently presents significant deficits, particularly with regard to road infrastructure, water and employment. The first aspect is very much related to non-compliances of the enforcement to law run works with public resources. The second, 70% of the municipalities do not have access to safe drinking water and in cases in which the service is provided it is supplied without continuity. And thirdly, the high variety of economic activity, in part due to the entry of transnational investments and the intention of large companies to position themselves in the international markets, all together have produced a significant social and economic balance.

affected by the armed conflict, in particular to those in situation of displacement. According to CODHES, an independent NGO, in 2011, 82.112 displaced persons from other parts of the country were received in Cundinamarca. Soacha continues to be the municipality of greater reception of IDPs in Cundinamarca. The accelerated increase of population and urbanization is related with a low rate of development, originating problems of insecurity, poverty, unemployment, social and sexual violence, and poor access to basic services. The situation is aggravated with the geographical location of Soacha as the setting of interest of illegal armed groups that exercise territorial and social control. Furthermore, the municipality of Soacha presents high risk for emergencies caused by natural disasters, such as landslides, mudslides, and as floods caused by deficiencies in the sewers and the construction of homes, many of them located on illegal land, and thus increasing the difficult socio-economic situation of many families.

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However, there is also the lack of institutional capacity to respond to the needs of the population

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Informe Anual 2011

The actions of our local partners in Cundinamarca 2011

Foundation for Education and Development (FEDES)

FEDES was created in 1994 by a group of professionals with experience in research, community work, and in the promotion of human rights. FEDES is a non-governmental, independent, pluralistic and non-profit organization that promotes educational and social processes on integral and sustainable development of the communities, especially those marginalized and excluded. FEDES is part of a network of collective bodies for coordination and work on issues of human rights and social development. In the work with youth and initiatives for peace, FEDES continued accompanying the process of consolidation and strengthening of the Platform Youth of Soacha and developed the III Forum on Youth and human rights for building awareness on public issues. The platform has been inserted in scenarios of participation for building municipal public policies such as the Round Table for Childhood, the Committee for Social Policies, and the Committee for Fostering Policies on Childhood and Youth.

Foundation Education, Research and Development - FIDHAP

FIDHAP is a non-governmental organization that addresses social issues from a perspective of comprehensive, interdisciplinary and collective intervention in development, acting in different areas at local, regional and national levels with interrelated programs. FIDHAP implements three programs: Regional Program on Environmental Urban Management, Urban Habitat Agenda for Development and Housing, and the Human Rights and Political Participation Program. In the framework of the accompaniment to the Women Group of the Round Table of Dialogue and Management on Development of Cundinamarca and Soacha, two workshops were developed to reinforce issues of legislation and laws favoring women, such as the Law 1253/2008 and the Declaration 092.

In 2011 FIDHAP was able to consolidate the pilot projects aimed at ensuring the food security of households headed by women in urban and rural contexts, started two years ago. Women of the municipalities of Soacha and Silvania worked throughout the year in activities related to the breeding of chickens and maintenance of home gardens, with an impact not only on their food security but also on income generation, as women are marketing their products. They have participated in farmers markets and are preparing food for different events.

Actions of our local partners with national impact in 2011

Fund for Emergency Aid and Organizational Strengthening in Protection and Self-protection - FFP
The Fund is an initiative of civil society organizations, which seeks to strengthen the security conditions and the individual and collective protection capacity of organizations working in the defense of human rights, peace and social interests in a context of systematic violation of human rights and of international humanitarian law. The Fund is administered by a Steering Committee consisting of four organizations, and gives six aid modalities for different people and human rights organizations and social activists that could have more difficulty accessing other protection possibilities.

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With the support of the LWF in 2011, 27 people, with their respective family groups, received protection through the Fund of Emergency Aid, in a context in which the risk situation remained severe for rights defenders and social activists.

Platform of European Development Organizations in Colombia - PODEC

PODEC is a space of confluence of European non-governmental organizations, which seeks to influence international policies of cooperation towards Colombia in order to support the comprehensive development of the people, the political negotiation of the armed conflict and the humanitarian emergency assistance from a rights perspective. The added value of PODEC consists in linking European NGOs of different origins and profiles in order to have common goals in Colombia. On the one hand the heterogeneity, but on the other side the interest in Colombia and especially on the issues of development and human rights as the potential of this platform. During 2011, PODEC distributed to embassies and other international organizations the Publication on Research Nr. 6: Analysis of the Plan of Consolidation of Montes de Maria: A look from the perspective of development, democracy, human rights and international cooperation; and nr. 7: Act 1448 2011 on victims and restitution of land, with an analysis and recommendations for the international cooperation. PODEC also published 10 virtual newsletters with information on issues of cooperation, conflict and peace, and development in Colombia.

LWF DWS Latin American and Caribbean Regional Consultation

The Colombia program was the host of the Regional Consultation organized by the Department for World Service of the Lutheran World Federation in the month of May. Under the theme Risk reduction and Advocacy, representatives of the programs in the region, related agencies and local partners shared reflections on the global vulnerability determined by factors such as poverty, social inequality, environmental degradation and population growth, and the response capacity and disaster preparedness actions that should be based on risk management approach. The consultation made recommendations that to be incorporated into the programs in the region.

The Colombian Platform on Human Rights, Democracy and Development.

The Colombian Platform on Human rights, Democracy and Development is a network consisting of more than 100 social organizations at national, regional and local levels. It is dedicated to the work of advocacy, education, enforceability and research in economic, social and cultural rights in the country. The platform has 12 regional chapters, a national coordination (integrated by 5 organizations), and a technical secretariat performed by one organization. Both the technical secretariat and the national coordination are chosen at the instance of decision of the platform, its National Assembly, which meets every two years. The Colombian Platform is part of the Inter-American Platform of Human Rights, Democracy and Development, a continental network with 16 national chapters in Latin America . With the support of the LWF, the Platform was able to perform training processes and held the national training school on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and on the impacts of large-scale mining in Colombia. From an alliance with local academics and social organizations, the national school and their local expressions helped to prepare and present the Campaign on Land and Territory, to be developed in 2012. This same alliance is currently working on the publication of the book The devil of mining in Colombia

PEAC Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Colombia

This is an international ecumenical initiative involving the Latin American Council of churches, ACT Alliance, the World Council of churches, the Lutheran World Federation and other organizations and churches in supporting local initiatives seeking for international solidarity in situations of threat and persecution of leaders and communities affected by more than 4 decades of violence and armed conflict in Colombia. LWF participated in the meetings of the international reference group upon the request of the Secretary-General of the FLM, Rev. Martin Junge, and sought to contribute with its experience and presence in field so that the PEAC be enabled to develop a protection concept and a methodology that can ensure the success of this initiative. The program should start its implementation in San Onofre, by September 2012.

Other activities of LWF DWS Colombia in 2011

75th Anniversary of IELCO
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia - IELCO celebrated its 75th anniversary in October, 2011, and the LWF could express its commitment to continue supporting IELCO in the process of institutional strengthening based on the objectives of their participatory strategic plan 2010-2019. With the support of LWF the Ministry of Diaconia trained 43 local and regional referents in order to ensure the continuity of the processes initiated in 2010. This support involves training and education of local and regional referents on facilitation and PME tools to act as multipliers in the congregations and regions.

ACT Alliance Forum Colombia

The LWF exercised the coordination of the ACT Forum Colombia in 2011, along with Lutheran World Relief - LWR and IELCO. The Forum focused on the formulation of an appeal with the participation of four of its members (Christian Aid, ICCO/PCS, Diakonie and LWF) as a joint response to the humanitarian crisis generated by the armed conflict and floods. It also provided training to its members on the victims and restitution of land Law.

Humanitarian Country Team

The LWF participated actively in the Humanitarian Country Team and in the local humanitarian teams of Arauca and Choc, coordinated by OCHA/United Nations. The most important result of the HCT in 2011 was the formulation of the humanitarian common framework 2011 / 2012, which recognizes the existence of an armed conflict generated by the humanitarian crisis in Colombia. In the same vein, 16 international humanitarian organizations active in Colombia (including the Norwegian Council for refugees, Oxfam, Caritas Germany, Civis, PCS, Diakonie Germany, and others) developed a common positioning in June 2011, with the title THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN COLOMBIA CAUSED BY THE ARMED CONFLICT. The document serves as a basis for advocacy at national and international level.

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Financial Summary 2011

Execution per project (in euros) 2011

Breakdown of funds raised locally and by donnors 2011

Breakdown of funds by project 2011

Breakdown of funds through Geneva and per donnors 2011 Women and men in LWF Staff 2011, 2010 y 2009

Women

Men

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LWF/DWS Colombian Staff 2011 Acknowledgements

Choc Bogot
Silvio Schneider Country Representative Rosario Adriana Jimnez Financial Manager Constanza Clavijo Program Coordinator Martin Sjgren Program Officer Judith Castillo Accountant Mnica Daz Administrative Assistant Mariela Meneses Office Assistant Christian Degasperi Office Director (until July) Wilson Salazar Office Director (since August) Jos Manuel Ortiz Project Coordinator Laura Bermdez Administrative and Accounting Assistant (since September) Sorangela Tobn Administrative and Financial Coordinator (since March) Claudia Rodrguez Administrative and Accounting Assistant Diana Betancourt Program Officer Guillermo Murcia Assistant / Projects Logistics (until Nevember) Neomice Prieto Agricultural Professional Ana Lorena Gonzlez Psychosocial Area David Peroza Legal Area Gerson Corts Legal Area (until November) Jessika Jimnez Office Assistant

Arauca
Leonardo Sarmiento Office Director Andrea Villarreal Project Director (until November) Roco Garca Administrative and Financial Coordinator (until February)

With the support of Church of Sweden (CoS), The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission (FELM), Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), German National Committee, the European Union, ECHO and the Swedish Agency for international cooperation for development (SIDA), during the year 2011 it was possible to accompany and reach out to communities and civil society organizations who still have the hope of living one day in a better and peaceful country. Thanks to the national and local organizations and communities of Choc, Arauca and Cundinamarca, for allowing us to be with them, to accompany them and to learn from their strength. Thanks to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Colombia (IELCO), to the LWF/DWS headquarter in Geneva for their support and friendship and to our friends on the following platforms where we participate: ACT Alliance Colombia Forum, Platform of European Development Organizations in Colombia (PODEC), UN Humanitarian Country Team, Round Table of Swedish Organizations working in Colombia, and the Space for dialogue among cooperation organizations in Choco. And finally, we thank our staff colleagues in Choc, Arauca and Bogota for the great efforts, commitment, professionalism and dedication in serving the communities we work with.

Lutherischer Weltbund Deutsches Nationalkomitee

AGENCIA SUECA DE COOPERACIN INTERNACIONAL PARA EL DESARROLO

Annual Report 2011

Photos LWF/DWS Partners LWF/WS Staff Colombia Church of Sweden Graphic Design and Printing Gineth Andrea Jimnez anderela@gmail.com Jaime Lpez Rodrguez jaime.lopez.rod@gmail.com