Last Tuesday the 10th of September, we held a Human Rights Café, featuring our Shelter City guest Juan Carlos, a human rights and environmental rights defender in Chocó.
The story of the Atrato River crossed paths with over 60 people who attended the Human Rights Café, held at Kargadoor on September 10, 2024.
Juan Carlos, a young advocate for human and environmental rights from Chocó, one of Colombia’s most biodiverse regions, shared his struggles to secure the rights of the Afro-descendant and indigenous communities in his area. His experiences highlight their ongoing fight for survival amid various challenges, including the presence of armed groups, competing interests over natural resources, and their hope for peace.
He arrived in the Netherlands through the Shelter City program, implemented in Utrecht by Peace Brigades International. This program provides human rights defenders at risk with a three-month opportunity to rest, recharge, strengthen their professional skills, and expand their network to support their work.
The experience culminated with Juan Carlos sharing his journey in the program and as a leader of a community called Arenal, deep in the municipality of Atrato in Chocó, during the Human Rights Café.
During the event, attendees watched a documentary about Juan Carlos, followed by a conversation with Juan Carlos on the stage in which we dove deeper into the subject. He explained that his region has been involved in land disputes for over 40 years. These conflicts are fueled by the interests of the government, multinational companies, and armed groups that have economic stakes in the area. He explained how his territory has historically been inhabited by Afro-descendant and indigenous populations who rely on the Atrato River for activities such as fishing, crafts, artisanal mining, and agriculture. The river is the heart of these communities, and their ongoing struggles to protect it are central to their lives.
Participants had the opportunity to engage with Juan Carlos through questions and reflections during the event, which brought together people of various nationalities with a common goal: to learn more about the realities faced by many communities in their fight to protect their resources.
If you want to know more about Juan Carlos’s work and his stay in the Netherlands, check our website and social media for any events!
Documentary made by Rachèl Luttikhuisen
Aftermovie made by Yanoah Luttikhuisen and Dewi Lakerveld
This event was made possible by Municipality of Utrecht, Justice & Peace Nederland, the Shelter City project, Human Rights Utrecht, The Netherlands Institute for Human Rights (SIM), VFonds and Kargadoor