PUERTO GAITÁN - Sinfonia Tropico

#2
PUERTO GAITÁN - ORINOQUiA
11th - 26th of March
2015
Index
Foreword ................................................................................
3
Agenda .....................................................................................
4
Facts
.......................................................................................
6
Colombia´s History .............................................................
7
Timeline ................................................................................... 10
Territory ...................................................................................... 12
Biodiversity ............................................................................... 14
Culture ........................................................................................ 16
Sinfonía Trópico in La Orinoquia ...................................... 19
Hatos y Baldíos ........................................................................ 20
Orinoquia........................................................................................ 22
Meta ............................................................................................. 24
Orinoco River ......................................................................... 25
WWF in the Orinoco Basin ............................................... 26
Colombia and Los Llanos in the Orinoquia .............. 28
Los Llanos in Colombia ..................................................... 29
Puerto Gaitán ......................................................................... 30
The Orinoquia has. ............................................................... 31
Sustainible Development in Fragile Ecosystems ... 32
Illegal Minning in the Orinoco River ............................ 35
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Foreword
Friends, Amigos de la Música y las Artes, Aficionados de la Naturaleza,
It is my pleasure to welcome you to SINFONÍA TRÓPICO, an arts-science project that was officially
launched end of November in Apartadó.
SINFONÍA TRÓPICO is more than just a project, it sets out to become a platform for dialogue
and creativity – a reason and occasion to talk about the environment, about economic and social
decisions, about inclusion and integration of parts of Colombia that have been marginalized for
decades. SINFONÍA TRÓPICO bridges the divide between rural and urban, between nature and
development, peace and conflict. SINFONÍA TRÓPICO has the potential to become a movement
that reaches beyond the current group of affiliated scientists and artists deep into society by
bringing together nature and the arts, two moments that create the deepest experiences of beauty
and humanity.
In all this, I am delighted to have the opportunity to take you to Colombia, to get to know the beauty
of the country, and learn from the warmth and ingenuity of its people. The support that SINFONÍA
TRÓPICO receives from institutions, artists and individuals shows that the topic of preservation
of nature in times of social and economic changes is timely, important and welcome. There is no
better place, no better time for our SINFONÍA.
Finally, Lillevan and I feel privileged to have received generous support from the German
Government as well as the Government of Antioquia, whose initial contribution has made the event
in Urabá possible. We are blessed with an extraordinary able and committed production team, most
of them have donated many hours at a time when SINFONÍA TRÓPICO was a mere idea without
funds or institutional support. Finally, the project would not exist without your ideas and creativity
which create the true lifeline of the SINFONÍA.
With this, I am inviting you to become partners and friends of the SINFONÍA TRÓPICO. I am looking
forward to seeing you in Apartadó, in Puerto Gaitán, in Nuquí, in San José del Guaviare, or in any
other place where music is played and connection to the environment established. SINFONÍA
TRÓPICO is where the human remembers the values and beauty of nature.
Dr. Charlotte Streck
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Agenda
Please Note: The activities and visits can change and vary. As usual in life, there
will be a lot of surprises and challenges. Lets experience them together!
Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th March
Berlin - Bogotá
Carolina Riaño
Nils Ostendorf
Christoph Schletz
Matthias Strauß
Monday, March 9th
Berlin - Bogotá
Lillevan
Bogotá - Puerto Gaitán
Christoph Schletz
Tuesday, March 10th
11:00 pm night travel
Bogotá - Puerto Gaitán
Sinfonía Trópico travels to Puerto Gaitán
Lillevan
Carolina Riaño
Nils Ostendorf
Matthias Strauß
Papeto
Elizabeth Gallón Droste
Santiago Botero
Thursday 12th - Sunday 15th
EXPEDITION
scientific expedition with a scientist from the Humboldt Bogotá - Puerto Gaitán
Julia Roldán
Institute. We will also visit the Sikuani community and
Puerto Gaitán´s surroundings.
Sunday, March 15th
5:00 pm night travel
Puerto Gaitán - Bogotá
Lillevan
Elizabeth
Julia Roldán
Papeto Guarnizo
Bogotá - Puerto Gaitán
Santiago Botero
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Agenda
Wednesday 11th - Wednesday 24th
Rehersals
for the Concert and the Performance
Saturday, March 14th
Berlin - Bogotá
Charlotte Streck
Peter Ruehle
Monday 16th - Sunday 22th
Workshops
Music, theater, make your own clothes
Carolina, Christoph, Matthias, Nils, Santiago
Wednesday 18th - 26th/27th
Chocó Residency
Peter Ruehle and Robert Lippok
Friday , March 20th
Colectivo Atempo travels to Puerto Gaitán
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Berlin - Bogotá
Robert Lippok
Agenda
Saturday 21th - Wednesday 25th
Colectivo Atempo Workshops Bogotá - Puerto Gaitán
Mateo Ayala, Tatiana Saavedra,
Nicolás Varela, Felipe Cifuentes
Sunday, March 22th
Colectivo Atempo Workshops
Lillevan
Charlotte Streck
Juan Pablo
Papeto
Elizabeth Gallón Droste
Mural Painting
Monday, March 23th
Colectivo Atempo Workshops
“L ´oro “ in the Manacacías river”
Tuesday, March 24th
Colectivo Atempo Workshops
Mesas de diálogo
Installation
Memorias Vivas de Los Llanos
Elizabeth
Wednesday, March 25th
Concierto + Presentación Artística Creativa
Thursday, March 26th
Sinfonía Trópico travels back to Bogotá
Facts
32 Regions
45,3 Mio
20. July
1810
Total
Extension:
1.141.748 km2
Independence
Capital: Bogotá
Language: Spanish and 69
ethnic
languages
and
dialects
Religion: 90% catholics
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Flag
Colombia´s History
Colonization: 1499.
Independence: 1810
Present constitution of the country: 1991
Period between 1946 - 1958
- The country was plunged into a social and political crisis, a time historically known as “La Violencia.”
- It is characterized as a period of political persecution, civil war between liberals and conservatives.
jorge eliecer gaitán
Jorge Eliécer Gaitán Ayala (January 23, 1903 – April 9, 1948) was a politician, a leader of a populist
movement in Colombia, a former Education Minister (1940) and Labor Minister (1943–1944),
mayor of Bogotá (1936) and one of the most charismatic leaders of the Liberal Party.
He was assassinated during his second presidential campaign in 1948, setting off the Bogotazo
and leading to a violent period of political unrest in Colombian history known as La Violencia
(approx. 1948 to 1958).
Gaitán as a popular myth: (Gaitán advocated land reform).
As Gaitán was not able to have a proper funeral because of the chaotic public order, his relatives
were forced to bury him in his own house, now known as House Museum Jorge Eliécer Gaitán,
where his remains are still resting. Subsequently, the bipartisan violence would spread to other
regions during the period known as La Violencia.
A popular story, perhaps apocryphal, relates that during a debate with the Conservative candidate
for president, Gaitán asked him how he made his living. “From the land”, the other candidate replied.
“Ah, and how did you get this land?” asked Gaitán.
“I inherited it from my father!”
“And where did he get it from?”
“He inherited it from his father!”
The question is repeated once or twice more, and then the Conservative candidate concedes, “We
took it from the Natives”.
Gaitán’s reply was, “Well, we want to do the opposite: we want to give the land back to the Natives”.
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Colombia´s History
Consequences
- Displacement of thousands of peasants, who moved to the city in search of safety.
- The country ceased to be agricultural and became urbanised.
- In 1946, 42% of the population of Colombia lived in the city.
- In 1959, this percentage rose to 53%.
- In 2005 the figure was 74.3%.
- Historically, most of the agricultural regions were acquired cheaply by the industry.
For example: the savannah of Bogotá, Tolima and Meta.
- Las Haciendas formed in this period were highly productive.
- The rural population displaced from their land became wage-earning agricultural workers.
- At that time the industrial activity increased, but this was not reflected in the development of the
population, as it became poorer and their wages were not enough.
The 60s
- The exclusion of other political ideologies (at that perdiod just conservative and liberal) resulted in
the creation of the guerrilla groups led by the new ideological movements in Latin America:
- In 1964: the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)
- On January 7, 1965: the National Liberation Army (ELN)
- In July 1967: the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)
- In 1984: the indigenous movement Quintin Lame (MAQL)
- On April 19, 1970 the M-19.
- The FARC and ELN guerrillas are still active today.
- Colombia is the country with the largest number of IDPs in the world: about 4.9 to 5,500,000
people have been displaced by the internal armed conflict.
Nowadays
- From 2002 to the present: Colombia has had two presidents, Alvaro Uribe Velez and Juan Manuel
Santos.
- In this time span near 54 000 guerrillas and paramilitaries were detached. It also stands for the
strengthening of the military.
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Colombia´s History
- 2006: Demobilization of the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC)
- Consequence: the so-called criminal gangs (Bactrim) have taken up the activities of the
paramilitaries.
- what they do: drug trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, murder of civilians, attacks with firearms and
child recruitment.
- They are located in 17 regions.
- Since 2012, the government of President Santos develops a peace process with the FARC-EP in
Havana, Cuba, in order to find a political solution to the armed conflict in Colombia.
Colombia´s History
1499
Colonization
Independence of
Colombia
1810
1848 - 1849
Constitution of the
Republic of
Colombia
Born Liberal and
Conservative parties
1899
The Thousand Days´War
Ends
1886
1902
The Thousand Days’ War
(1899–1902) (Spanish:
Guerra de los Mil Días),
was a civil armed conflict in
the newly created Republic
of Colombia, between the
Conservative Party, the Liberal Party and its radical
factions.
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1948
El Bogotazo refers to the
massive riots that followed
the assassination in Bogotá,
Colombia, of Liberal leader
and presidential candidate
Jorge Eliécer Gaitán on 9 April
1948. . The 10-hour riot left
much of downtown Bogotá
destroyed.
Colombia´s History
Luis Carlos Galán who
ran for the presidency of
Colombia, was shot to
death by hitmen, hired
by the drug cartels
Dictatorship
Gustavo Rojas
Pinilla
1974
1958 - 1974
1953 -1957
1964
The Constitution of 1991 is
called the “Constitution of
the Rights”, as it recognizes
the ethnic and cultural
diversity of the nation,
supporting linguistic and
religious diversity of the
country and the state’s
obligation to protect its
cultural heritage.
Nobel Prize in
Literature: Gabriel
García Márquez
Guerrilla Groups
Arise:
- FARC
- ELN
- PLA
1985
2006
1990
1989
1982
El Frente Nacional was
a period in the history
of Colombia in which
the two main political
parties; Liberal Party and
Conservative Party agreed
to let the opposite party
govern, intercalating for a
period of four presidential
terms.
The government of President
Santos develops a peace
process with the FARC-EP in
Havana, Cuba, in order to find
a political solution to the armed
conflict in Colombia
1991
Since 2012
Demobilization M-19:
it became a political party.
The Palace of
Arise of:The 19th of April
Movement (in Spanish:
Movimiento 19 de Abril)
or M-19, was a Colombian
guerrilla
movement.
After its demobilization it
became a political part.
Justice siege
(Toma del Palacio de Justicia) was an attack against
the Supreme Court of Colombia, in which members
of the M-19 guerrilla group
took over the Palace of Justice in Bogotá.
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Demobilization of the
United Self Defense
Forces of Colombia
(AUC).
Territory
Regions
Colombia has six natural regions which can be distinguished by their different topography, climates
and ecosystems:
- Amazon Region : is the largest and most sparsely populated region. It has a high degree of
humidity, rainfall and heat during the year. It is part of the flat Amazon Basin and the Amazon jungle
of Colombia.
- Andean Region: corresponds to the branches of the Andes in Colombia, including the valleys of
the Cauca and Magdalena rivers. It is the most populated region.
- Caribbean Region: Caribbean comprises plain and mountain groups outside the Andes, like the
mountains of Mary, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Serranía de la Macarena, Piojó Mountains
and Mountains of La Guajira. The climate in this area is warm and semiarid in most of the peninsula
of La Guajira.
- Insular Region: includes the islands of San Andres and Providencia in the Caribbean Sea and the
islands of Malpelo and Gorgona in the Pacific Ocean. The region has an extended coral ecosystem
and high diversity in aquatic species.
- Orinoco Region: is located in north eastern Colombia. It is a flat, low-lying area that is part of the
Orinoco River basin. It is sparsely inhabited.
- Pacific Region: includes the Colombian Pacific coastal plains and mountain ranges like the
mountains of Baudó. In coastal areas there are abundant mangroves and jungles. It is a humid
region with the highest rainfall in the world.
Oceans
The Colombian waters in the Caribbean possess great diversity of coral reefs, seagrass beds,
mangroves, soft bottoms, beaches and estuaries that feed hundreds of species of fauna and flora.
In the waters of the Colombian Pacific Ocean are the islands of Malpelo and Gorgona.
The country has four hydrographic areas:
The Atlantic Coast - The Pacific - The Caribbean - The slope of the Catatumb
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Territory
Climate
Due to its location in the tropics, Colombia should have a tropical climate with high temperatures
throughout the year. But, the Andean ranges and the gradual decrease in temperature according
to the height in mountainous areas give Colombia a variety of climates that are not typical of the
tropics. This stimulates the biodiversity in plants, animals and ecosystems.
These factors can be grouped into two basic types:
1. Geographic facts
Latitude: the territory of Colombia is located in the northern hemisphere and in the tropics. The
southern region of Colombia is crossed by the equator.
Altitude: the Andes mountain range in the country causes all kind of climates. In Colombia, the
Andes are represented by the western mountain range, the Cordillera Central and Cordillera
Oriental. The temperature decreases 1 ° C per 180 m of ascent. This last factor is the answer for
the different climatic zones in Colombia.
2. Atmospheric facts
Temperature: because of the location of Colombia on a tropical zone, temperature and radiation
is not the same throughout the country. This varies according to the degree of elevation above
8 most extreme cases , there are temperatures of 0 ° C to 35 ° C respectively.
sea level, in the
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Biodiversity
Colombia is one of the Earth’s mega-diverse countries: home to 14 percent of the planet’s
biodiversity, with 35,000 higher plant species, 467 mammals, 1,768 birds, 609 amphibians and
475 reptile species. The Andes is the country’s most diverse ecosystem, followed by the Amazon
and Chocó regions.
Fauna
- The country has the largest number of species per unit area on the planet.
- It is the second most mega-diverse country after Brazil.
- Half of the existing Páramos on the planet are located in Colombia.
- The biodiversity in the peaks of the eastern range is higher than in the rest of the tropical mountains
of the world.
- The greatest concentration of frailejón species are in the Rusia Páramo, near Duitama, in the
eastern Cordillera.
- The diversity in the country is because of the different ecosystems that can be found throughout
its territory.
- The Chocó has the highest percentage of endemism in the world, including birds. Unfortunately
many endemic species are endangered.
- In the Colombian Chocó are 8 to 9 thousand species of plants, of which a quarter are endemic.
- In terms of fauna, 56 species of amphibians, 47 are endemic.
Flora
Colombia is a country of intermediate size, although it has approximately 10% to 20% of the plant
species worldwide, with about 40,000 to 45,000 species.
- Colombia has the largest variety of orchids with over 50,000 species of flowers.
- It also has different species of carnivorous plants like: Utricularia, Pinguicula and Drosera.
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Biodiversity
Demography
In Colombia 51.2% are women and 48.8% are men. Most of the population is in the center (Andean
region) and north (Caribbean region) of the country. The east and south (Llanos Orientales region
and Amazon, respectively) are quite extensive areas without large populations and generally
uninhabited. The ten departments in the eastern lowlands (about 54% of the total area), have less
than 3% of the population and a density of less than one person per square kilometer.
Ethnography
The ethnic diversity in Colombia is the result of the mixture of Spanish, Native American and African
descent. The few remaining indigenous peoples in the country, are commonly forgotten and their
customs are slowly disappearing.
- Mestizo 49.0 %
- White 37.0%
- Afro 10.6%
- Indigenous 3.4%
- Gypsies 0.01%
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Culture
Due to the geographic isolation and the difficulty to access the different regions of the country,
very distinctive and culturally diverse subregions were developed over time. Because of the great
diversity is difficult to group the different subcultures of the country.
Music
Columbian music instruments: rattles, bells, flutes, ocarinas, fotutos, etc.
- The traditional Colombian music is derived from a mixture of indigenous rhythms with African
and European influences.
- Caribbean popular rhythms are cumbia and vallenato
- in the Andean region: Bambuco
- in the Eastern Plain: Joropo
- in the Pacific: Currulao
- Salsa has been recognized as one of the dominant rhythms of the country, with artists such as:
“Joe” Arroyo.
- Cumbia is a mixture of Spanish, indigenous and African influences, due to their work as slaves at
the coffee plantations and in mines.
- One of the most important musicians in the country that mixes contemporary pop with vallenato
is Carlos Vives.
- In the field of classical music: Luis Antonio Calvo, Luis Antonio Escobar and Guillermo Uribe
Holguín have been big influences.
- Since the 80’s The National Rock Music has gained great strength: Rock al Parque Festival,
which takes place every October in Bogota is considered the most important in Latin America.
- An example of the “boom” of the “Latin Pop” in Colombia are: Juanes, Shakira, Sara Tunes and
Aterciopelados (Andrea Echeverri and Hector Buitrago).
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Culture
Literature
- In the nineteenth century the most important poets were: Gregorio González Gutiérrez, Luis
Vargas Tejada, José Eusebio Caro and Rafael Pombo.
- Distinguished modernist were: José Asunción Silva, Guillermo Valencia, Julio Flórez and Porfirio
Barba Jacob.
- Large novelistic constructions appeared with Jorge Isaacs and Thomas Resume.
- José Rivera Eustasio with La Vorágine (1928), was the founder of what might be called the
Colombian political and imaginative novel.
- Contemporary novel writers are: Eduardo Caballero Calderón (“El buen salvaje “), Manuel
Mejía Vallejo (“ El día señalado “), Álvaro Mutis (“ La nieve del almirantel “), Gustavo Alvarez
Gardeazábal (“ Cóndores no entierran todos los días “)
- Gabriel García Márquez won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982 (“El coronel no tiene quién
le escriba,” “Cien años de soledad”, etc.). GGM is also known as one of the most important
writers with Julio Cortázar and Mario Vargas Llosa from the Boom latinoamericano in 19601970.
- Contemporary representative poets are: Jorge Zalamea, León de Greiff, Luis Carlos Lopez,
Rafael Maya and Luis Vidales.
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Culture
Handcrafts
Handcrafts are mostly produced by ethnic groups. These are appreciated by both locals and
tourists.
- The Guajiros manufacture backpacks, belts and hand woven nets.
- The Paez Indians are known for their typical manufacturing wool shawls.
- The mud has been used to create crafts such as bowls, pots and more.
- The most representative handcrafts are the vueltiao hat and Mochilas from the Arhuacos
comunity.
Visual Arts
- Alejandro Obregón is considered by many as the “father of Colombian art” because of the
originality in the motives showing the Colombian roots. He is known for his national landscapes
paintings characterized by violent brushstrokes and the symbolic and expressionistic use of
animals (especially birds such as the condor).
-internationally renowned artists are: Fernando Botero, David Manzur and Omar Rayo.
Food
Lunch is very important in Colombia. It is usually taken between 12:00 and 13:00. It is generally
soup, followed by a dish called “seco” and a soda or juice.
- Popular alcoholic drinks are agua ardiente, beer and rum.
- Coffee is very popular, especially in the form of “tinto” (cup of strong coffee).
- In Colombia, many varieties of native fruits are consumed: la guayaba, el zapote, el lulo, la
curuba, el mamoncillo, el corozo, la uchuva, la feijoa, la granadilla, el mamey, el borojó, el mango,
el chontaduro, el tamarindo, el tomate de árbol, la guanábana, la badea, y la pitahaya.
- Typicall dishes are: Bandeja paisa, Ajiaco Santafereño, los tamales, el tapao, carne a la llanera,
lechona tolimense, chocholate con queso, la yuca, la fritanga, el friche, el sanchoco, las arepas...
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Sinfonía Trópico in La Orinoquia
By: Christina Heidl
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Hatos y Baldíos
Por: Alfredo Molano
“¡Yo soy de todas esas yanuras! ¡pa qué más patria, si
son tan beyas y tan dilatáas!”. Griselda en La vorágine.
Ahora cuando ya no se llaman Llanos Orientales sino Altillanura y están en el punto de mira de
las grandes empresas agroindustriales, vale la pena echarle una mirada a la colonización de esas
tierras. Fueron los jesuitas los que con el doble interés de civilizar naturales y oponerse a los
encomenderos fundaron las misiones de los llanos. Eran en realidad “repúblicas independientes”
donde la Compañía criaba ganado, sembraba tabaco, café, cacao y algodón, poseía armas, y
enseñaba a cantar a los indígenas al son del arpa. Carlos III los echó de sus dominios y las tierras
terminaron en manos de criadores de ganado que exportaban cueros y gordana por el Orinoco.
Los indígenas los llamaron blancos o “misiús” —de messieurs— y se establecían echando por
delante una madrina en una sábana donde se reproducía. Trabajaban el ganado —y las bestias—
con mayorales, vaqueros, mensuales, apartadores, ordeñadores. No tenían título de propiedad
de ninguna clase porque no había Estado y porque casi todos eran analfabetos. La posesión
se respetaba de palabra y el blanco era propietario de reses y bestias que amadrinaban con sal,
marcaban y curaban en el trabajo llano y vendían en la saca. Se cultivaba en las vegas de los ríos
un poco de topocho y yuca. El hato no era sóoooolo una explotación ganadera, era una cultura de
la que sólo conocemos el joropo y, los más informados, el coleo.
A raíz de la Violencia de los años “sin cuenta” (1948-1953) llegaron el alambre de púas y las
escrituras. Algunas tierras de piedemonte como Restrepo, Acacías, Aguazul se hicieron
algodoneras o arroceras y con la agricultura y las cercas llegaron también los títulos de propiedad.
En las regiones donde la avioneta dejó de caer y entró la carretera, los blancos se volvieron patrones
y los mensuales, peones. Pero los hatos, que en los Llanos se llaman también fundaciones o
fundos, seguían siendo posesiones huérfanas de escrituras. En realidad los dueños eran colonos
de extensiones que en otras partes se llamarían latifundios. Un día, para desgracia del Llano,
comenzó la explotación petrolera y entraron taladros encaramados en tractomulas, obreros de
botas y casco, cuerpos de seguridad y putas. Más atrás entraron las guerrillas y los paramilitares.
La guerra fue invadiendo, acorralando, atropellando. Sangre, muertos, masacres. La tierra fue
abandonada. Los narcos compraron a bajos precios y a manos llenas.
Otro día —aciago también—, el Estado descubrió que esas tierras que habían sido consideradas
territorios nacionales eran apetecidas por productores de palma africana. Uribe gritaba desde
la serranía de Chiribiquete usando la mano de visera: “Yo tengo un sueño: ver un mar de palma,
caña, soya y pino desde Villavicencio hasta aquí”. Era una orden. Las tierras fueron negociadas
con testaferros, un tinterillo y cuatro guardaespaldas, y firmados los papeles sobre el capó de
una Toyota. Yo fui testigo porque en un rincón de Serranía, a 15 horas de Puerto Gaitán, había
comprado un paisaje que una tarde debí abandonar cuando en La Cristalina montaron delante de
la autoridad un retén paramilitar. En el exilio supe que habían dinamitado las cuatro paredes del
caney y arriado las 50 vacas del fundo que, otorgado por el Incora en 1990, aún conservo como
otros miles de dueños de fundaciones en la Orinoquia. En ese rincón del Vichada, lo mismo que
en el “centro del Llano” —Casanare, Meta, Arauca—, los viejos llaneros tiemblan de miedo —el
que nunca habían tenido— de que sus fundos les sean expropiados por el Estado si se resisten a
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Hatos y Baldíos
vender sus hatos o a hacer parte de una “asociación empresarial”, repúblicas independientes que
se llamarán en adelante Zonas de Interés para el Desarrollo Rural y Económico (Zidre). En realidad
esos blancos son colonos y no caben en el rígido y sospechoso concepto de “trabajador rural”
que define el proyecto de ley 133. La reacción llanera contra semejante burla no tarda porque lo
que se ha defendido en esas “regiones lejanas de suelos pobres” desde hace muchos años es la
libertad. El Estado, que nunca se preocupó por su suerte, ahora quiere encadenarlos al interés de
las grandes empresas agroindustriales.
Punto aparte. Las mujeres de La Toma, sitio de minería ancestral de Suárez, Cauca, se han tomado
la casa Giralda del Ministerio del Interior para protestar, una vez más, contra la minería ilegal y la
legal que las tienen amenazadas de muerte por no abandonar sus barbacoas en el río Ovejas
donde explotan el oro desde hace 400 años. El Gobierno no puede seguir embolatándolas con
mesas interinstitucionales que, haciéndoles promesas y dándoles juguetes a los niños, buscan
dividir el movimiento de defensa, ya no de su trabajo, sino de sus vidas.
From: http://www.elespectador.com/opinion/hatos-y-baldios-columna-530506, 29th November, 2014
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Orinoquia
Location
The Orinoquía region is one of the five natural regions of Colombia that belongs to the Orinoco River
watershed. It is also known as Los Llanos Orientales. The region covers most of the area of the departments
of Meta, Arauca, Casanare, Guaviare and Vichada.
Los Llanos Orientales - The Plains
Los Llanos Orientales is a vast tropical grassland plain situated to the east of the Andes in Colombia and
Venezuela, in northwestern South America. It is an ecoregion of the flooded grasslands and savannas
biome. The Llanos’ main river is the Orinoco, which forms part of the border between Colombia and
Venezuela and is the major river system of Venezuela.Wide plains and savannahs. Among the typical fauna
are the Sabanero deer, the chigüiro, the red cocora, the goitrous monkey as well as the tiger, the anaconda,
the Orinoco caiman and the four-nosed viper (bothrops asper). The Orinoquia also hosts more than 300
bird species, most of them aquatic.
Ecology
During the rainy season from May to October, parts of the Llanos can flood up to a meter. This turns
the woodlands and grassland into a temporary wetland. This flooding also makes the area unique for its
wildlife. The area supports around 70 species of water birds, including the Scarlet Ibis. A large portion of
the distribution of the White-bearded Flycatcher is in Los Llanos. The flooding also made the area unfit
for most agriculture before the advent of modern, industrial farming technology. Therefore, during the
Spanish colonial era, the primary economic activity of the area was the herding of millions of heads of
cattle. An 1856 watercolor by Manuel María Paz depicts sparsely populated open grazing lands with cattle
and palm trees. The term llanero (“plainsman”) became synonymous with the cowhands that took care of
the herds, and had some cultural similarities with the gauchos of the Pampas or the vaqueros of Spanish
and Mexican Texas.
Economy
The economy of the Llanos is primarily based on ranching and oil extraction. In the plains of Arauca is Caño
Limón, one of the major oilfields Colombia. In the department of Meta are also several oil wells. In this
place are several agricultural projects as well as some energy projects based on wind energy, but livestock
dominates most of the plains activity.
22
Orinoquia
WHITE BEARDED FLY CATCHER
SCARLET IBIS
CHIGÜIRO
23
THE ORINOCO REGION
His names is related to the many rivers that form the basin of the Orinoco, which establish the limits
between Colombia and Venezuela through the 268 kilometers were they share his trajectory.
The most part of the rivers that form the basin of the Orinoco in Colombia are navigable, we can
mention: el Guaviare, el Meta, el Vichada, el Tomo and el Arauca. They receive at the same time
the stream of other rivers, making the Orinoco region rich in water resources, at the same time this
contribute for the richness of Fauna and Flora in the area.
The Orinoco region is also known as the east plains, due the vast plains that are found in his territory,
located in the east part of Colombia, the inhabitants of the Orinoco region are known as Llaneros
In the Colombian Orinoco region the following subregions are found:
Piedemonte Llanero: to this area belong the plains located closer to the east mountain range of
the Andes region.
Llanuras del Meta y del Guaviare: His name come from the plains that are located in the area in the
valleys of this two rivers.
Serranía de La Macarena: known by the national park with the same name.
Pantanos del Arauca: wetland formed by the plains of the bank of the Arauca river.
The economy of the Colombian Orinoco region is grounded in livestock production and agriculture,
in the last years important oilfield has been found, in the Casanare area.
The states that compose the Orinoco region are: Meta, Vichada, Casanare y Arauca.
META
The department of Meta borders on the north with Cundinamarca, Casanare and Bogotá DC, east
by the department of Vichada, on the south by Caquetá and Guaviare, and on the west by the
departments Huila and Cundinamarca.
The department is divided into 29 municipalities:
Inhabitants: 789,276
in urban areas: 579,195
in rural areas: 210,081
(NBI) Basic Needs dissatisfied: 24.8% of the population. The people most affected are in remote
areas living far away from the administrative centers. In Meta, 44.4% the total rural population has
NBI.
http://www.acnur.org/t3/uploads/pics/2193.pdf?view=1
24
Orinoco River & Flooded Forests
Size: 983,000 sq. km (400,000 sq. miles)
Habitat type: Large Rivers
Geographic Location: Northern South America: Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela
Conservation Status: Relatively Stable/Intact
The Orinoco’s varzea freshwater ecosystems form one of the world’s most extensive areas of
seasonally inundated forests.
Migrations of fish and terrestrial animal populations into the flooded forests are timed to coincide
with the rising waters that flood large areas of the forest floor.
More than 1000 fish species are estimated to occur in the entire Orinoco basin, the majority of
which may be endemic.
Local endemism is high, resulting from the diversity of aquatic habitats that include llanos (grassy
plains), high-gradient mountain streams, white-sand flooded forests, and large river environments.
Local Species
Among the numerous fish found here are a number of well-known game and aquarium species
such as Peacock bass or Speckled pavon (Cichla temensis), Blackspot pirahna (Pygocentrus
cariba), Cachama (Piaractus brachyponum), and Red oscar (Astronotus ocellatus).
These waters are also home to the critically endangered Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus
intermedius) and Giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), both of which suffer largely from hunting.
Threats
Threats include pollution, siltation from mining and deforestation, conversion for agriculture,
livestock grazing, intensive logging, and hunting of sensitive larger vertebrates. Large dams and
water diversions are planned for several major tributaries, and these would destroy the hydrologic
processes that support this ecoregion’s aquatic fauna.
Resources
NationalGeographic.com
From: http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/orinoco_flooded_forests.cfm
25
WWF in the Orinoco Basin
WWF Colombia along with Fundación para la Defensa de la Naturaleza (Fudena, from Venezuela)
has carried out the Integrated Management of the Orinoco Basin, an initiative for the conservation and
sustainable use of biodiversity in Colombia and Venezuela. The program focuses on aquatic ecosystems,
associated flora and fauna, as well as the cultural diversity within them.
The alliance is made up of government organizations, NGOs and other organizations. The combined teams
lobby the Colombian and Venezuelan governments for the Orinoco basin to be considered a priority area
for conservation and sustainable use.
WWF Colombia’s conservation actions in Orinoco Basin aim to:
Characterise and analyse the principal ecological and hydrological processes and dynamics as well as the
main threats to the Orinoco basin, in order to identify key areas for conservation and sustainable use.
Guide the development of policies, proposals and projects that affect the region in terms of biology or
hydrology.
Facilitate the consolidation of bilateral Official Technical Commissions and other Venezuelan and
Colombian study groups, in order to strengthen decision making in favor of the environment.
Lobby key actors to utilise water resources within the Orinoco basin, thereby increasing their commitment
towards implementing clean production technologies and promoting creation of public and private
protected areas.
To achieve its objectives in the Orinoco basin, WWF Colombia has joined forces with government and
non-governmental organisations, research institutions and teaching centres in Colombia and Venezuela.
Alliances and collaboration agreements have been established with these institutions for exchanging
information and work programmes.
WWF Colombia supports research projects aimed at gaining further understanding of ecological and
hydrological dynamics within the region. The projects also identifies and evaluates principal threats.
Promoted are initiatives for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in the Orinoco, providing
technical support in GIS and conservation biology.
Good relations are established and strengthened with government bodies that make up the bilateral
Official Technical Commissions in order to support decision making and political agendas related to the
conservation and sustainable use of the Orinoco’s biodiversity.
GIS for the Orinoco basin are being organised and updated using primary and thematic information as
well as data from remote sensors. This constitutes the basic support tool for developing conservation
strategies.
Furthermore, WWF Colombia backs local and regional grass-root organisations, providing technical and
organisational capacity building. This leads to increased efforts for the conservation and sustainable use
of natural resources.
From:
http://wwf.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/colombia/wwf_colombia_conservation/
orinoco_basin/wwf_orinoco/
26
colombia
Bogotá
Bogotá
304 km
Puerto Gaitán
27
Puerto Gaitán
and los llanos in the orinoquia
28
Los Llanos in Colombia
Los Llanos is considered one of the richest tropical plains of the world. It is home of approximately
1,300 species of birds, 115 migratory and over 100 species of mammals; besides it is home to one
of the most endangered reptiles in the world, the Orinoco crocodile.
The Orinoco Crocodile is the largest predator in South America. The males at one time reached
lengths of 7 m, now due to overhunting of the larger specimens the average size 5 m. Females are
generally smaller, reaching lengths of 3.2 m. Orinoco crocodiles are extremely rare; there are only
between 250-700 left in the wild.
Colombia has determined that Los Llanos will become a important role of economic development
of the country. To this end, it has initiated plans for the promotion and establishment of (mainly
agricultural) industries, exploration and exploitation of oil and gas, and the establishment of
a system of roads that connect this vast area with the hinterland. The country is experiencing a
critical moment. It must balance the pursuit of economic prosperity with conserving the biological
heritage.
This new dynamic has brought negative impacts on prairie ecosystems such as deforestation,
habitat fragmentation by building roads and human settlements and pollution of air and water.
Agriculture and livestock expansion has also resulted in the degradation of burrowing landscape.
29
puerto gaitán
Puerto Gaitán is a Colombian municipality in the department of Meta located at the Manacacías
River. It is one of the municipalities of the department with the most area: 17,499 km²
It is located 189 kilometers east of Villavicencio and is one of the oil regions par excellence. It
was founded on February 11th of 1932 by the venezuelans Pedro Capellam Ventura Alvarado y
Concepción Izanoboco. They were attracted by an announcement of a ferry on the river Manacacías
to transport goods and people between Puerto Carreño in El Vichada and Villavicencio.
Majaguillo was the first name of the town until 1960, because of the numerous plantations of the
tree.
The Departmental
Assembly of Meta in 1960,
by Ordinance No 039,
erected the town by the
name of Puerto Gaitán,
in honor of Jorge Eliecer
Gaitán. Since January 1970
it is known as a municipality.
Economy:
• Livestock • Fishing •
Mineral (oil and gas) •
Agriculture • Tourism •
majaguillo tree in puerto gaitán
Culture:
The Sikuani community celebrates festival
of “cachirre”, that aims to rescue and
preserve indigenous culture and language
maintenance .
Joropo is the traditional music!
Another two festivals are part of the cultural
identity of this young plains city :
-Manacacías Summer Festival: over
35,000 tourists visits the town in early
January to enjoy a varied and extreme
sports, shows and concerts.
-The Cachama festival which is held in
early June.
Cachama (the fisch) Festival in Puerto Gaitán
30
The Orinoquia has...
701
1.435
32
bird species savannah types FReshwater FISH
species
200
5.4oo
56 are endemic
types
of
different FLora
pastures
species
39
48
nature
reserves
38% of colombias
amphibian
with
68.000
water source
species
hectares
48.000 indigenous people live
15
in the region, talking arawak
ethnic groups living
with about 9 languages,
in the orinoquia.
sáliba - piaroa and guahíbo.
sikuani and piapoco
37.000 afrocolombians
represent the majority
are living in the region too
31
Sustainable Development in Fragile Ecosystems:
Applying the ‘Nexus’ Approach to the Orinoco River
Basin in Colombia
The Orinoco River Basin in Colombia is renowned for its rich, ecologically diverse landscapes of
wetlands,grasslands and forests, and is also home to 46 protected indigenous groups. Yet it is also
fragile, and today it faces major challenges amid a surge in new development driven by both public and
private investment, including new infrastructure, oil extraction and industrialscale agriculture. How this
transformation is managed will determine whether the region becomes a model for sound development
or a lesson in ecological collapse. As Semana magazine put it in on the cover of a March 2013 special issue,
“The Orinoquia and Amazonia are in a crucial position to drive the country’s development. The decisions
made will be vital to achieving this.”
This discussion brief presents initial analysis conducted by SEI and the Colombian government’s Alexander
von Humboldt Institute for Research on Biological Resources (IavH) to explore how a “nexus” approach to
water, energy and food could illuminate key sustainability issues in the Orinoco Basin. The two partners are
now seeking funding for an in-depth research project to integrate currently fragmented water, energy, and
land use planning and decision-making in the region and reduce negative cross-sectoral and ecological
impacts.
The nexus approach starts from the premise that water, food and energy security are intimately interrelated,
facing common threats and pressures from climate change, globalization, urbanization and environmental
degradation. The issues are analysed together to support more efficient use of resources, reduce or reuse waste, direct investment towards sustainability and improve coherence in policy and institutions.
SEI has been actively involved in developing the nexus framework, presenting it to decision-makers, and
applying in research and policy contexts around the world; key publications are listed at the end of this
document. In Colombia, SEI and IavH have adapted the nexus framework for the Orinoco project to also
consider habitats and ecosystem services. The goal is to examine how a nexus approach could lead to more
sustainable development that protects both human and natural systems and helps preserve biodiversity.
The research has the potential to inform important planning processes now under way, including an
Orinoco Basin environmental management plan, Colombia’s National Biodiversity Strategies and Action
Plans, and a National Climate Adaptation Plan.
A rapid transformation in Orinoquia
The Orinoco River Basin stretches from the Andes in eastern Colombia, across Venezuela, to the Atlantic
Ocean. A third of the basin, roughly 350,000 km2, is in Colombia, spanning four departments (provinces).
Until recently, development and population growth had been limited by a lack of infrastructure, difficult
climatic and agricultural conditions, and the presence of irregular armed groups and illicit crops. This
protected the region’s diverse ecosystems, although fishing, hunting and cattle ranching have caused slow
but continued environmental deterioration.
In the last decade, however, the environmental impact of economic activities has accelerated, after the
government designated the region as a strategic area for development. Financial incentives to farmers
doubled palm oil production between 2001 and 2007 in the Meta and Casanare departments, and
high prices for rice led to significant growth in rice plantations. Meanwhile, petroleum production in the
32
Sustainable Development in Fragile Ecosystems:
Applying the ‘Nexus’ Approach to the Orinoco River
Basin in Colombia
same regions grew by 19.7% and 15.1% in 2011, respectively, and helped sustain high GDP growth
for Orinoquia even when the rest of Colombia suffered an economic downturn. The Orinoco Basin now
contributes 75% of the country’s petroleum production.
As a result of these cumulative pressures, Orinoquia has lost 32% (1503 km2) of its flooded savannahs,
12% (412 km2) of forest, and 9% (616 km2) of high savannahs in the last 20 years. This is equivalent to
an annual loss rate of 127 km2 per year. There is an urgent need for greater knowledge of the relationships
between fragile ecosystems and human interventions, and for an effective decision-making framework to
examine the impact of development on water, energy, food and habitat security.
Water security – a nexus case study
The Orinoco watershed is considered one of the most important in the world, due to the volume of water
that passes through it into the Atlantic Ocean. It contains a third of Colombia’s water supplies and an
incredible 650 fish species, and its hydrological cycles are pivotal to the entire region’s ecosystems.
Water security is also intimately connected to the other parts of the nexus: food, energy and habitat security.
The watershed supplies water to 1.7 million people, provides livelihoods for fishermen and underpins
agricultural production of maize, soybeans, rice, palm oil, and other products that feed
Colombians, contribute to the energy matrix and generate income or the country.
While water resources in Orinoquia are abundant, they are still vulnerable to overuse, poor management
and contamination. Misuse can cause social conflicts and can undermine the security of entire ecosystems;
desertification is already a growing problem, and climate change is expected to exacerbate water stress
in the region. This does not mean that the impacts are always simple or uniformly negative. New dams, for
example, may directly affect habitats, but also increase the water supply in other areas.
SEI and IavH aim to build understanding and knowledge of the complex interrelations between water
security and other aspects of the nexus in the Orinoco Basin. This will help policy-makers identify the best
strategies and policies to reduce risks to the hydrological cycle and maximize its role in
supporting food, energy and water security for the population and for ecosystems.
A strategic research partnership
SEI is an independent international research institute that has worked to bridge science and policy on
environment and development issues for more than 20 years. IavH was established in 1993 by the
Colombian government and is the national institution responsible for carrying out scientific research on
biodiversity in Colombia. In April 2013, SEI and IavH signed a long-term agreement to pursue research
together, combining SEI’s scientific expertise on analytical tools with IavH’s deep understanding of the
biophysical and socioeconomic context in Orinoquia.
SEI has developed sophisticated software tools that are used by thousands of researchers, planners
and policy analysts in Latin America and around the world: LEAP, the Long-range Energy Alternatives
Planning system, and WEAP, the Water Evaluation And Planning system. SEI has integrated the two to
33
Sustainable Development in Fragile Ecosystems:
Applying the ‘Nexus’ Approach to the Orinoco River
Basin in Colombia
better support nexus analyses, and it has also developed new analytical tools and methodologies that
have been effectively applied to water resources management in California and the Andes region of South
America.
SEI and IavH’s planned approach in Orinoquia combines participatory approaches and scientific and
technical analysis to help build local capacity and enable more effective decisionmaking. It includes
stakeholder consultations using robust decision-making methods to formulate the problem, set priorities
and identify possible solutions; development of illustrative scenarios to reflect the range of uncertainties;
modelling with LEAP and WEAP to test the performance of different options; and the use of structured
decision-making tools to analyse the model results in a group setting. The process is meant
to be iterative, so each round of analysis can be followed up by workshops to refine the models and
proposed strategies.
This North-South strategic partnership will embed scientific and technical analysis into decision-making
processes at local, regional and national levels in Colombia, which could greatly improve
governance and natural resource management. The work done here will also be widely shared, for potential
replication in other parts of Latin America and around the world.
Further reading:
Escobar, M. (2012). The nexus of water-energy-food. In Sustainability Report 2011. Inter-American
Development Bank, New York. 7–9. http://www.sei-international.org/publications?pid=2100.
Granit, J., et al. (2013). Unpacking the Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Tools for Assessment and Cooperation
Along a Continuum. In Cooperation for a Water Wise World – Partnerships for Sustainable Development.
A. Jägerskog, T. J. Clausen, K. Lexén, and T. Holmgren (eds.). Stockholm International Water Institute,
Stockholm, Sweden. 45–50. http://www.sei-international.org/ publications?pid=2353.
Hoff, H. (2011). Understanding the Nexus. Background Paper for the Bonn2011 Conference: The Water,
Energy and Food Security Nexus. Stockholm Environment Institute. http://www.water-energy-food.org/
documents/understanding_the_nexus.pdf.
Hoff, H., et al. (2013). A ‘nexus’ approach to soil and land management. Rural 21, (47) 3/2013, 10–12.
http://www.rural21.com/
english/current-issue/detail/article/a-nexus-approach-to-soil-andlandmanagement-0000833/.
Purkey, D. R., et al. (2012). Integrating the WEAP and LEAP Systems to Support Planning and Analysis
at the Water-energy Nexus. Stockholm Environment Institute. http://www.sei-international. org/
publications?pid=2145.
Published by:
Stockholm Environment Institute
Author contact: Marisa Escobar | marisa.escobar@sei-international.org
Juana Mariño de Posada | jmarino@humboldt.org.co
34
Illegal mining in the Orinoco River:
challenging governance at the border
The Orinoco River defines a part of the national boarder between Colombia and Venezuela. The
territories from both sides of the river are areas with low development indicators and reduced
governmental presence, far from the main central economic and political powers of both countries.
In these places, illegal activities are carried out by population because of poverty and lack of
opportunities: smuggling, drug traffic and illegal mining. On the Colombian side, a large part of the
local economy and the local population’s livelihood consists of the participation in these actions, and
there are no incentives to develop alternative activities to benefit the locals in terms of agriculture
or manufacturing. It is important to note that most of the population working on illegal mining are
Colombians, while the Venezuelans benefit from social assistance provided by the state.
The villages on the boarder of the river in which inhabitants work in illegal mining are Puerto
Carreño and Casuarito in the Colombian side; and those which are the places where the minerals
are traded are Puerto Ayacucho and Puerto Paez on the Venezuela side.
According to ‘Defensoria del Pueblo”, a Colombian governmental office, non-legalized mining is
the main economic activity of about 15.000 households in the country. About 3.600 mines are not
registered in official data of the Ministry of Mining. Illegal mining represents 86% of the total of the
mining production in Colombia. As illegal mining is, as its name indicates, a non-regulated activity by
authorities, there are no official exact data about its composition and geographic distribution. The
actors that perform this activity are “artisanal” miners (mineros artesanales), informal organizations
and illegal armed groups.
The minerals that are mainly extracted are gold and coltan, almost always for exportation purposes.
The growth of gold mining in the region of the Orinoco Colombia in the last fifteen years has
created a problem of public health due to several factors such as the use of mercury in the gold
amalgamation process, ecosystem pollution and exposure of the population of the region. The
results indicate a precarious work environment and lack of knowledge of ecological risk. The
values ​​of blood mercury in mining ranged from 6.9 - 168 μg/L and between individuals indirectly
exposed from 17.7 to 100.8 μg/L, while in the hair of the miners did so between 3 to 89.2 μg/L and
indirectly exposed between 2.8 to 48.7 μg/L (Defensoria del Pueblo, 2010, p. 57).
Apart from the evident problems to health and environment, illegal mining in the Orinoco River
has political importance due to diplomatic impasses occurred between both Colombian and
Venezuelan governments. The problem resides on the differences in terms of legal approach to
the issue of small scale-mining. From the point of view of the Venezuelan government, all kind of
mining by particulars is strictly forbidden, whereas in Colombia the existing regulations indicates
that small-scale mining is allowed when the livelihood of vulnerable communities depends on this
and it does not damage the environment. It explains why in Colombia according to the regulation,
small-scale mining carried out without permission is not called “illegal mining” but “fact mining”
(mineria de hecho)[1].
35
Illegal mining in the Orinoco River:
challenging governance at the border
Since several years ago ‘artisanal’ miners started working in the Orinoco River in a small-scale.
However, recently, the use of dredges and backhoes has motivated the intervention of the
Venezuelan “Guardia” (the National Army). Colombian nationals that are working on it are
arrested; the machinery is confiscated and in many cases destroyed, affecting the incomes of the
households that depend on it. The use of this kind of machinery to extract sediments from the river
soil is the cause of destruction of riverbeds and fisheries: dredges produce huge damage to fish
reproduction and the physical environment.
A social impact of illegal mining in this region is related to the division of the riverside community,
since the Colombian nationals are treated as criminals in the Venezuelan side because of their
participation in illegal activities. Nevertheless, the minerals extracted in the river are bought by
Venezuelans or Brazilians who insert them in international black markets of minerals. A little part of
the trade profit remains in the miner who has to pay quotes to the “administrator” for allowing his/
her presence in a specific part or the river or for the using necessary inputs for mining (mercury,
excavation tools, machinery, etc.).
Finally, the fact that the problem receives attention from authorities when it becomes an international
dispute implies that governments make temporary interventions in order to evidence their will to
solve it, most of the times it is carried out by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs. However it is not
reflected in policies to offer sustainable solutions in terms of actual investment plans. Neither the
local environmental agencies (Corporinoquia) nor the municipal governments have made efforts
to intervene in the situation.
While the intervention arrives, locals are still searching their livelihood in mining despite their own
health and despite being harassed and pursued by national authorities.
References
· REVISTA SEMANA, “La otra frontera: Orinoco, entre Colombia y Venezuela”, Reportaje especial,
Agosto de 2013. Retrieved, December 20th, 2013, http://www.semana.com/especiales/la-otrafrontera/index.html.
· DEFENSORIA DEL PUEBLO, “Minería de Hecho en Colombia”, Imprenta Nacional de Colombia,
Bogotá, diciembre de 2010.
[1] The article 58 of Law 141 of 1994 regulates the legalization process of mining. The concept of
“fact mining” (mineria de facto) is used instead of “illegal mining” to refer equally to persons who
carry out mining without a valid mining title. From 2010, it is staring to be recognized the “traditional
mining” by which artisanal miners who do not have a mining license but have more than five years
of continuous activities, can become legal.
By: Ana Rivero in http://www.catapa.be/en/news/1594
36
Design by: Elizabeth Gallón Droste