Colombian Protests: The Reason & Its Impact
Photo by Reuters/ Carlos Jasso
As a team of women based in Colombia, with some working for this country abroad, we must share with our community what is currently happening in our nation. We love this country and strongly advocate against all injustice, oppression, and violence that unfortunately, a large percentage of the population is experiencing today. We hope by sharing our lived experiences we can call attention to the importance of standing together with our brothers and sisters affected by the current political landscape and the third wave of Covid-19.
On April 28th, 2021, the “Comité de Paro Nacional” National Strike Committee called a nationwide movement to protest against the new government tax reform, which was announced earlier in the month. This proposed tax reform would increase taxes on citizens and business owners, as well as level sales taxes on utilities and essential goods. According to the BBC, “The proposed reform would have lowered the threshold at which salaries are taxed, affecting anyone with a monthly income of 2.6m pesos ($684; £493) or more. It would also have eliminated many of the current exemptions enjoyed by individuals, as well as increasing taxes imposed on businesses.”*
The proposed reform would hit the working class the hardest. Amid the national crisis that Covid-19 has forged, Colombians hit the streets in protest. After a week of protests and road blockages across the country, the president eliminated this new tax reform, but it was too late. Colombians aren’t just protesting the tax reform, they are crying out “Nos están matando!” (They are killing us!) Now it is June 15th, and we have been experiencing protests and strikes for over a month with no clear solution from the government.
A group of angry people upset about tax reforms does not create an uprising of this magnitude. This is because of decades of injustice and people have reached their breaking point. With the repercussions of Covid-19 in our nation, protesting seems to be the only language left to speak.
A post-conflict era
For the past five years, Colombia has been attempting to close the chapter of one of the longest terrorist movements in history—the armed conflict with the FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) which started back in 1964. Throughout the decades, multiple peace negotiations took place but ultimately failed. It was not until 2016, when president Juan Manuel Santos, the Colombian government, and the FARC group signed a peace treaty ending the 50 plus years of internal warfare. Colombia now has a “post-conflict” status. But after five years of signing the peace treaty, we see little peace in many areas of our country. There is still violence and human rights are being violated. We see a country still figuring out how to heal, restore, and process 50 years of internal conflict. This is the backdrop of what is happening today.
People in Colombia have not known a country without war for over 50 years. This has to do something with our psychology and the way we relate to one another. Even with signed treaties and legally walking towards a brighter future, what does this mean to the thousands of people who have lost family members during those years? What does this mean to the people forced to join the war? What does this mean to a wounded generation looking for hope and justice at the end of this process? We find ourselves in a very complex situation. But I believe peaceful resolutions begin with empathy.
*To understand more about the conflict and post-conflict issues of Colombia we found a great study written by the Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga. Read it here.
The COVID-19 REPERCUSSIONS
Then we have Covid-19 hitting an already politically unstable country. Last year, Colombia implemented one of the strictest lockdowns for four months. This directly affected the working class who could not work from home, having to close their businesses during the onset of the pandemic. As a result, Colombia experienced its first economic recession of the century and the unemployment rate reached 15.9%. This created even more poverty and division in an already economically unequal country. The UN estimates that “The third effect has to do with income, poverty, and inequalities. An average annual contraction of household income is expected equivalent to 23%, and equal to 20% if monetary transfers from the National Government are considered (Núñez, 2020). As a result, the incidence of poverty is expected to be 44.1% and extreme poverty to be 12.1%. Figures similar to those observed in Colombia in 2010.”*
Regarding vaccinations, Colombia is amongst other Latin American countries that cannot provide immediate economic relief to the thousands of families affected or provide vaccines to a population of 50 million people. Colombia is part of the COVAX program, an international effort to get vaccines for developing countries unable to purchase enough to effectively fight the virus. In our nation, Covid is far from over, and today we are experiencing the most cases we have ever seen during the entire pandemic.
A CRY FOR HELP
Keeping in mind the heavy scenario Colombians find themselves in, it is not a question of why the protests started but how have the protests lasted for over a month with no resolution from the government. This is worrisome.
Since the protests started, over 59 people have lost their lives, around 2,300 civilians and police have been injured, and 90 people have gone missing. People have reported multiple police brutality cases across many cities where protests have taken place. Protests have escalated to very violent encounters between civilians and police in some regions of the country, including Cali, Valle del Cauca, and Nariño. So much so, the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights has traveled to Colombia to look closely at multiple human rights violation cases.
The scenario is unfortunate because there has been no solution. Colombians wake up every morning to the same scenario. There have been conversations that have not led to any solution and we are still living in a country where people are still crying out for justice and the government has reached no agreement to find a solution that would help people that are suffering the most from violence, extreme poverty, and health care access in their regions.
People are crying out to the government for these main reasons, although many others could be added to the list. These are some reasons we have heard from our local community:
Poverty & unemployment levels
Basic health care access and resources for the most vulnerable
Access to education for lower-income populations
Economic relief for small businesses due to Covid -19 losses
Government support for farmers to protect national crops and keep buying prices fair
Increased minimum salary for families on the verge of poverty ($252 USD)
Protection for social leaders (activists) and other victims of organized crime and police brutality
*Around 250 social leaders were murdered in 2019. Social leaders are people from minority communities such as Afro-Colombians and Indigenous leaders who trying to expel armed groups from territories reserved for them. This issue is also part of the systemic racism of our country where violence and killings go unnoticed especially in black and indigenous communities. To learn more about this important issue please read this article.
road blockages and crime is rising
Unfortunately, many of the protests have turned into intense strikes that have blocked several national roads for multiple weeks. This is the primary way protestors are getting the attention of the government. By closing main roads, food and medical supplies cannot get into cities and the government has been asking to clear the roads since so much economic and human loss is because of these blockages. But these roadblocks affect the working class even further. Night crime has risen in some areas since sections of neighborhoods are closed off.
Protesting comes at a high cost for all of us. Although we support the reasons protestors have taken to the streets, something needs to be done soon to avoid even more harm caused to vulnerable populations, small businesses, and farmers.
Because of the elevated number of parties in conflict, and undoubtedly due to their terrorist and guerrilla strategies, the harm in the Colombian society has been very high: between 1958 and 2012 at least 180,000 casualties were reported, 25,007 forced disappearances, 27,023 kidnappings and more than 4 million forcibly displaced people (National Center for Historical Memory, 2015, p.39). Consequently, the wound in the population requires a comprehensive and sustained response, including guerrilla and paramilitary fighters' reinsertion, economic and psychological help to the victims, civil reconstruction and support to the forcibly displaced population.
- Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga
Photo por Camilo Rozo para El Pais
PEACEFUL AND CREATIVE PROTESTING
Although the violent encounters have been many, it is important to note that most of these protests have been peaceful, extremely powerful, and creative. They have brought many people together and we’ve witnessed police and civilians playing music, dancing, and eating together. This is what we advocate strongly for—the power of creativity when used peacefully to join our voices together for justice and equality for all.
Multiple events from smaller musical groups organizing neighborhood concerts to larger gatherings where famous Colombian artists have used their influence to speak against injustice have been happening all over the country. Actors and dancers have also taken the streets to protest against violence and express their deep dissatisfaction with the current state of our country. Many civilians have taken the streets with arepas, hot chocolate, and empanadas to share food with both protesters and police as a symbol of unity.
What zuahaza is doing
We are thankful to say all our team members have been safe and well. There have been difficulties to work because of roads being blocked and artisans could not ship products as quickly as needed. Together with Covid’s third wave affecting Colombia, many towns are also starting new curfew regulations. So, for our team, it has been a complex scenario in which to continue our work. Fulfillment of orders is not as efficient as before, just because products cannot arrive in the major cities as easily. Raw materials have also taken more time to arrive at the workshop, so production for new orders is also taking more time.
It is a tricky situation to be in and there is no easy way to “fix” things. These are complex issues we are dealing with that need years of healing and restoration. Our hope as a team is to be able to continue to support our families through the work of craft, fair trade, and sustainable values. Emotionally, we are all shaken up. It is hard to go to work every day when we know things are not ok in our country. But we have work! We must be thankful we have work and therefore we should advocate and work harder so more people can enjoy dignified work in our country.
Our work continues because we believe things can and will change in this nation. Even if we are just a small business and a small team doing things differently, this has an impact. It affects the way we walk out our beliefs of justice and equality. It impacts our direct community because we are treating one another with respect and dignity. If our little Zuahaza family can do things differently, can dream, and build a future differently for a few families in our region, this means there is a way for others to follow. We believe that leading by example, especially during this crisis, is the strongest stance we can have against injustice.
what you can do
Last but not least important we want to thank everyone who has been supporting our Zuahaza family during this time. The emotional support we have been receiving from followers and clients has been amazing. Truly you should all know the impact of your kind words and messages. It has helped our team to stay positive despite the hardships and it has fueled our love for our work. So please keep on sharing our business with friends and family, share this article, and tell others about our mission and values. Orders are appreciated but know that even a small message or a share is just as valued.