In Spite of War: Afro-Colombian Resilience
Marauding paramilitaries, artillery toting guerrillas and the drone of military gunships have besieged a generation of Afro-Colombians and indigenous Embera living on the Choco's riverlands. The towns along the vast river networks of the region have been victims of violence since 1997 when the military unleashed its paramilitary vassals to counter the growth of the FARC in the region. Two decades of tit for tat bloodletting has now been forced to an end. The rivers that connect the different communities of the region must prepare for a life after conflict in Colombia's most undeserved and war ravaged state. This story will look at how the people of Choco, be they ex-combatants, illicit miners, coca growers, victims and paramilitaries themselves, learn to live without war.
