Typical home from the Humanitarian and Biodiverse Reservation of Santa Rosa de Guayacán, a Nonam Wounaan Indigenous community that is located  along the Calima River and is part of the municipality of Buenaventura.  

 

The community of Santa Rose de Guayacán has been displaced multiple times in the past several years, with residents fleeing to the city of Buenaventura for refuge. Those who remain often feel confined to their land, afraid to move so they don’t get caught in the cross hairs of violence. This means that they are unable to transit freely in their territory to cultivate crops, fish, and carry out their daily activities.

 

Despite the presence of U.S.- funded military forces in the area, violence along the river continues. In fact, many communities distrust the military as they have been known to operate in collusion with paramilitaries. U.S. funds support, train, and arm these troops.