What is the conflict?
Large-scale coal extraction in the Caribbean region of Colombia has led to hydro-morphological alteration, air and water pollution, and transformation in regional economic practices and livelihoods. Since the mid 1970s, coal mining has impacted peasants and fisherfolks, and generated health impacts to the extent of requiring relocation of several indigenous and Afro-descendant communities. The coal extracted in Colombia (around 80 m tons per year) is exported to North American or European markets. Therefore, there are important impacts from coal transportation as well, both train transportation from extraction sites to seaports, and shipment of coal overseas. Private companies in charge of the mining operations, supported by the Colombian government, include large mining corporations such as Anglo American, Glencore International, and BHP Billiton and Drummond.
Open-pit coal mines in Colombia are amont the largest surface coal mining operations in the world. At the same time, the departments of the Caribbean region where coal mining takes place are among Colombia’s poorest areas. Pollution, drying up of rivers, and communities’ displacement further empoverish indigenous and Afro-descendant populations.
Why is this a special conflict?
Coal mining in Colombia is a the core of debates about global environmental injustice, climate justice, and the role of mining as a driver of national development. All the coal extracted in Colombia is exported. This case positions coal as a problematic fossil fuel also at the extraction and transportation stages of the commodity chain. Activist groups, in Colombia and abroad, denounce the impacts that massive extraction project impose on both indigenous people and Afro-descendant communities. Human rights and direct violence against community leaders are major arguments in their claims.
What is the role of art in this case?
In a geographic context largely shaped by violent repression of civilians, and human-rights attacks, especially against activists and community leaders, open expression of social and political discontent is uncommon. However, a closer look reveals that the vibrant cultural and artistic repertoire of that highly creative land has plenty of references to such injustices. Notably, actors opposing the impacts of coal mining have used filmmaking, painting, and music as a relevant part of their transformative attempts.
Painting of a mural in the community El Hatillo promoted by Fundación Chasquis, as part of their advocacy work around the relocation of tree communities affected by coal mining
In this case art supported activism by:
Making visible and denouncing issues of neglection and corruption, which otherwise would remain heard of, but rarely seen. Artists portray coal mining as the cause of extreme marginalisation. Often the pieces bring distant viewers from the level of transnational processes of coal extraction and use to the local impacts suffered by communities in extraction and transportation sites. Therefore art helped to scale-up awareness about this case.
Favoring community engagement through the involvement of affected communities in the different stages of artistic creation, thus voicing directly their concerns and claims for enhanced environmental quality. By contributing to artistic creation, children in particular were able to participate in critical community discussions from which they otherwise feel excluded.
Constructing collective memory by representing the history, ethnoecology of the place and socio-cultural traditions of the communities that were impaired by coal mining activities. This also served as a counter-narrative to the imposition of technical analyses that usually guide decision making about mining activities.
For more information
Check out the website of Fundación Chasquis and the work on mining of the Tierra Digna collective.
Also, follow updates on our social media and read our publication:
Overcoming crises of representation? Arts in anti-coal struggles in Colombia and California. A case study for the Dialogue on Democracty of the Global Working Group “Beyond Development”.