Colombia’s Land Wars

Al Jazeera | 25min
Postproduction script

0’06 In 2016, a peace agreement between the Colombian government and Farc sparked hope of an end to a five decade-long armed conflict.

0’13 But the power vacuum resulted in new cycles of violence between armed criminal gangs, including ex-FARC members.

0’23 CAUCA SOUTHWEST COLOMBIA

Intro

Funeral.

A big crowd is gathering, people are coming by foot and buses, Celia is riding in a car. People are crying and mourning. You hear the voice from a speaker (Fabian) in the background “Our comrade gave his life for defending the territory by exercising territorial control”. A mother is seen crying over the coffin of her dead son, an indigenous guard. The speaker (Narcizo) says, “He leaves behind a clear message. We will not surrender to the armed groups.

Images of guards wearing their blue vest uniforms standing in formation, mourning. Celia is sitting in a crowd of people, listening to the speaker.

VO Celia: We had high hopes for peace. But it has completely failed us. Our leaders are being murdered in our territories.

The next speaker (Fabian) says, “The government bears responsibility for not fulfilling the peace agreement. The government bears responsibility for not doing anything and for letting arms come in and fill the Colombian territory”.

Third speaker (Eduar) says, “ so far, we have had 40 assassinated comrades. Indigenous, authorities, Guards, Afros and farmers.”

(Fabian) “Count on us for peace, not for war. Count on us to defend the territory by exercising territorial control. We are indigenous people, we defend life.”

Celia VO: When we started the indigenous guard in 2001, it completely changed my life.

Drone footage from a grave with a cross

2’11 Title: Land or Death, A film by Sebastian Pena & Jesper Klemedsson Sotomayor

2’19 TACUEYO, CAUCA

Scene 1

We join Celia at her home with her daughter Isabo and grandson Martín. Celia is feeding her grandson and talking to her daughter. Celia is getting ready to go out and lead the indigenous guard night patrol. Her daughter and grandson help her with her uniform and boots. Her grandson Martín asks her where she is going, Celia answers “Territorial control”. Martín asks if he can come along, Celia says no. Martín starts to cry. Isabo looks worried when Celia leaves the house.

VO Celia: “My role in the organisation takes up all my time.”

VO Celia: “The indigenous guard is an unarmed community defence force. We patrol our territories to keep armed groups out.”

2’51 Celia Umenza, Indigenous Guard

Guards are planning the territorial patrol.

Arvey Noscue Silva, Indigenous Guard coordinator

Arvey: How will the Territorial control be?

4’35 Asdrubal Cayapu, Indigenous Guard

Asdrubal: Well, we will have to see how many guards will arrive and from there we can send people to the most critical points. Rio Negro, Frisoles and Los Cajones, it´s the places were we mostly can see enemy activity. We can organize so that we arrive in blixt tactic.

Arvey: I think it's a great idea.

Night comes. The guards jump up on their bikes and on the back of the pick-up. They arrive at a checkpoint.

Celia informs the guards, “We know that the armed groups are advancing every day. We also know that we have to step up our game. This morning at 3 am they assassinated a comrade from La Galviar, a 63 year old woman”

“As you know, threats to our authorities and our organization are continuing. I think we have to increase territorial control.”

“Maybe it's a new kind of territorial control, not like the ones we already know how to do. They have to understand that the control is ours and that the territory is ours and that we come from an organization with our own leaders. We have to continue to prove that, and we, as the indigenous guard, will always stay here.”

The guard starts patrolling and then stops to look at all the lights that are lighting up the mountains around them (for the illegal crops).

6’30 With limited opportunities, many farmers turn to marijuana and coca farming to earn a living. This attracts armed criminal gangs who fight for control of coca production and drug trafficking routes.

Celia says, “Those lights make our lives very difficult, it's Christmas all year around. It's a fundamental problem in our communities. For the rich it's happiness, they can have it in grams.”

Arvey communicates on the walkie talkie.

Floresmiro indigenous Guard.

“We can't talk about disarming the armed groups, we can talk about disarming their minds. That's our task. If we managed to explain to our community that these lights that look so beautiful are the reason this is a conflict zone. If people understood that, things would change.”

“If we can't present a good alternative it will be difficult to change it. Very difficult”

They continue patrolling in the dark among the illegal crops. They set up a checkpoint where they control some vehicles. The situation is constantly tense.

Scene 2

Celia is on her way home, riding on the back of a pick-up truck. She looks out over the north Cauca mountains with the wind in her hair.

VO: We were lucky nothing happened in the last Territorial control.

Celia recounts previous attacks against her. Suddenly, shots are fired and Celia throws herself down in the back of the vehicle. Drone shot of a pick up truck on the road.

9’22 The roads into Cauca have become a battleground as rival armed groups fight for control.

Scene 3

It’s morning in Tacueyo and we see the exterior of Celia’s house. Celia is sleeping in her bed, tired after the whole night out patrolling the territory. Her feet sticking out from under the quilt. Isabo prepares breakfast in the kitchen next to the room:

“Mom, breakfast is done”.

Celia wakes up and answers: “I’m coming”.

Celia goes to the bathroom and brushes her teeth and takes a shower. While Celia is in the shower Isabo continues with the breakfast.

Isabo tells Celia:

“Do you want sugarcane-water or coffee?”

Celia answers that she wants sugarcane-water. Celia nods and she sits down to eat. She eats while Isabo watches her in silence. After a while Isabo asks her mother:

“Are you going out on territorial control next week?”

Isabo can’t let go of her thoughts regarding territorial control and asks her mother about it once again.

10’37 Isavo Umenza, Celia’s daughter

“Is it dangerous now to do territorial control?”

 Celia: “Yes it is, but we must do it.”

Isabo: “You can’t stay home?”

Celia: “No, we all have to go.”

Isabo: “What if something happens?”

Celia: “After all that already has happened, nothing will happen. There will be

many of us.”

Scene 4

11’27 Indigenous Guard Headquarters, Tacueyo

Celia arrives at the headquarters of the indigenous guards.

Celia: “Where do I have to sign up as an indigenous guard?”

Guard: “Weey, nice to see you”.

Celia: “How are you guys?”

Eucha! (Hello in the indigenous language)

Hi!

Hi!

Scene 5

At the office.

Celia: “Could you print all of the threats from the latest year. Please, thank you”.

Diana the secretary replies yes and goes to another part of the office where she asks a woman to print the latest threats.

Inidia the secretary shows some of the threats.

Back to Celia,

“We have 6 death threats.”

Scene 6

VO, Celia explains what happened, that they were ambushed by an armed group of FARC-dissidents that are trying to take over the territory. An alarm sounds through the dark and empty streets of a small village. Mobile phone footage captures audio of the killings, where several of Celia's comrades were brutally killed by FARC-dissidents.

14’09 Audio of Nebes Fernando Goique, Cauca massacre eyewitness

Screams of desperation mixed with automatic fire.

Scene 7

VO Celia: “I knew them, especially Asdrubal.”

Celia carries a coffin surrounded by mourning family and friends. Sorrow and anger spreads through the big crowd as the dead are laid to their final rest.

VO: Celia reflects on losing a longtime friend and comrade. Death is just getting closer and closer. How does this affect me? How does this affect the guard?

Our comrade gave their lives for this movement so that we could continue, we have no other choice than to continue. We have to get back to the frontline.

(Guard) is holding a speech:

“We know what we have to do, comrades. Because of the illegal crops we are being murdered and massacred. And for those who cultivate illegal crops, we will force them to eat marijuana for breakfast, marijuana for lunch and marijuana for dinner. We will block all the roads”.

“Who wants to continue with the resistance? We! Do we stay or do we go? We stay! We will activate all our checkpoints, nobody or nothing will pass through until we have the people responsible for the killings and the massacres of our comrades”.

Scene 8

Indigenous communities from all over Cauca gather in a Minga to protest the increasing killings and that the government doesn't fulfill its agreements with the indigenous communities. The red and green Nasa colors adorn the crowds as they join in with the masses.

Celia holds a speech: “Long live the indigenous movement, long live our authorities. We have to remember our history so it doesn't repeat itself.”

Thousands join Celia and the other leaders while they prepare check-points, blockades and manifestations. Protected by the dark night they initiate the blockade. Trucks are being stopped and used as barricades together with all other material they can find along the highway.

Guard holds a speech, “Many of our elders have given their lives to this organisation. We have lived under this oppression since the Spaniards first invaded our territories. We have been resisting ever since. We are not going to back down…”

18’46 In response to the killings the community blocks the key Pan-American Highway to disrupt drug trafficking routes and the economy.

Celia, “The indigenous struggle has always been fought through civil disobedience. We want our lives to be respected and for the government to fulfill the agreements we have with them.”

Celia standing on the Pan-American.

19’23 Text: If Cauca stops, Colombia stops, long live the protest.

19’33 After three weeks of protest, the government reaches an agreement with the Indigenous Guard to lift the blockade. President Ivan Duque promises to ramp up efforts to stop the violence in the community.

Scene 9

Isabo is on her way in a taxi, reflecting on her fears and worries about her mother’s safety as tension escalates in the territory.

Isabo: “Lately I’ve been worried a lot for my mom… Or I mean, I was worried before as well, but not as much because I thought it was threats and nothing more. But not anymore. Now I’m afraid something actually will happen to her because of everything that is happening”.

Once together at home, they sit in the bedroom talking about the past, the struggle and the dangers. Isabo confronts her mother with the consequences of her role as a leader and a indigenous guard and the toll it has taken on the family. Celia breaks down crying.

Celia: “It is complicated. Because in the community where we live it's not a good thing if the mother leaves. It is okay if the father leaves. But a mother cannot leave the children. It gets criticized a lot. But I was different. But I have always been stubborn. Just like I choose the organization before my man, I choose the organization before my son. My man couldn’t change me and neither could my son take me out of the organization. I said that I will leave them a free world. I tell them, to the girls, that if you want a different world. Of course it is a huge process. I didn’t take care of my son. I can’t say that I sacrificed my man. I thank him for the kids because that was the only thing good that was left. But I don’t think that I sacrificed him. I just chose the wrong partner to begin with. But there were times when I sacrificed my family. With my own family as well”.

Camera: “Do you feel that he has rejected you?”

Celia: “Well… I believe that… He hasn’t rejected me completely. But sure, I believe that he questions me. Even though my daughters were alone, I was still there at moments. But with my son. No, it wasn’t like that. The religion kidnapped him, unfortunately. And… How should I explain this?”

Isabo: “The truth is that I don’t know how to be a leader. It’s pretty complicated. I’m not yet ready to be a leader. It’s tough. Just to look at my mom…she has always been a leader. It’s rough. I don’t know to be honest. To be a leader is a little complicated”.

Scene 10

Celia is out on a night patrol with the indigenous Guard.

Celia VO: “ i have sacrificed my family for the struggle, but i have done it for them. As long as there is poverty and a lack of opportunity in these territories, the violence will continue.”

Celia: “For us, the only way out of this is through the Indigenous Guard. When you really understand what it is to be a Guard, you are ready to give your life for it.”

“A glass of rum would go well with this song.”

“If this is what we call love, I feel like I could die for it.”

24’52 To date, no one has been charged for the Cauca massacre of the indigenous guards.