After 11 months of being settled in the National Park of Bogotá, more than 600 people from the Emberá community, from the regions of Chocó and Risaralda, will return to their territories this Sunday, September 8. The authorities have confirmed that, after a long process of preparation and management by the Mayor’s Office of Bogotá, they have been able to guarantee the return of these families, victims of the armed conflict, to their places of origin.
During their stay in the capital, the 844 members of the Emberá communities faced the adversities of the Bogotá climate, while demanding a definitive solution to their situation. Of the 694 who will return to their territories, 130 will be transferred to two temporary shelters in the city and 20 more will receive offers of support from the district.
Isabela Mercado, the Mayor’s peace advisor, explained that the return process has been carefully planned, including health events, banking, and the signing of voluntary acts by the Emberá. “Tomorrow will be the return process. Likewise, Bogotá will make for the first time the investment in indigenous communities to guarantee the return to the territory,” said Mercado.
The Mayor’s Office of Bogotá, together with the Unit for Comprehensive Care and Reparation for Victims, has invested more than two billion pesos in this project. Part of the investment will be used to ensure the economic stability of the returned families, with monetary transfers conditioned on their permanence in the territories.
The return process will include transporting the goods of the indigenous communities from the National Park to their homes. Sunday night is expected to mark the end of this stage for the Emberá, who will return to their lands after almost a year of displacement.
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2024-09-08 18:14:49