Narrativas de la guerra.Relatos del conflicto armado Campo II, Tibú

Abstract

The population of Catatumbo has experienced a constant armed struggle since 1999, causing the population to suffer the terror of the Colombian armed conflict and the harassment of different multinational companies that came with the purpose of exploiting natural resources such as oil. One of the regions that has been most impacted by the violence has been Campo II-Tibú at the present time one of the most important territories for companies like Ecopetrol, the state-owned oil company. Historically, different interests behind the exploitation of this resource have put different armed groups in direct confrontations in an internal conflict that has led to dozens of massacres and innumerable forced displacements. This project aims to show other realities outside the armed conflict in the territory, but that fall on the consequences such as state abandonment, the lack of agro-industrial projects, economic benefits for large companies, and the lack of employment opportunities for the community. The following report is an example of how the research team’s initial goals changed once confronted first-hand by the reality of an area affected by war. The focus of this report will be on the problems of the substitution of illicit crops and palm oil projects in the region.