Páramos are of incredible value to the scientific community due to the number of species they host, and to people because of the essential ecological services they provide. As an Andean nation, Colombia is home to 50% of the world's páramos and the biggest one: Sumapaz páramo. This means that 70% of Colombians rely on water from the páramos. Such is the case of the Santurbán páramo (located between the Departments of Santander and Norte de Santander), and the more than two million people that depend on it.
Between 2016 and 2018, the Constitutional Court and Congress prohibited mining in duly delimited páramo ecosystems. However, the delimitation processes for these ecosystems are controversial and difficult due to the number of stakeholders involved. In the case of Santurbán, the delimitation process was reversed by the Constitutional Court because nearby communities were not fully involved. This decision could entail the unprotectedness of the páramo until a new delimitation process takes place.
Considering that many private companies are interested in installing large-scale gold mining projects in these areas, this reality is particularly concerning for Santurbán. Even though the National Government nullified the request for an environmental license to start exploitation, there is a new request by the multinational corporation Mubdala, through their Colombian branch Minesa, currently in assessment. The toxic chemicals that would leak into the water of the páramo put the lives and livelihoods of the communities nearby at risk. Plus, it threatens to exacerbate environmental degradation.
Many Colombians are aware of the importance of the páramo ecosystems, including Santurbán. As the pursuit of large mining projects advances, so does environmental activism and political participation. For more than ten years, the Santurbán Committee has welcomed people of all ages and backgrounds to come together to protect what they believe gives them life: the Santurbán páramo. Such is the case of the environmental defenders mentioned below:
Laura Gómez and Maikol Uribe - Community Activism
Laura has been working for eight years as a community leader in the pedagogical commission of the Santurbán Committee. Maikol is a student activist in charge of conducting educational campaigns in universities and schools. Together, they work alongside the rest of the committee to ensure that Santurbán is declared a subject of rights. They hope their cause becomes an example to defend all the other páramos in the country, protecting water and life above all.
One of the main arguments for large-scale mining in Santurbán is that ancestral mining has been present for many generations, being a key source of income for the community. This is one of the main challenges for the Committee, so they work with local miners to avoid the pollution of water supplies.
Laura shared that this activity has been present in the region for over 400 years, but it has not allowed miners to have a high-quality life. For Maikol, economic diversification and social investments are necessary. While the Committee supports responsible small-scale mining, they also seek to bring agricultural investment to the region and wish for Santurbán to become a hotspot for ecotourism. As a result, the population could benefit from something other than the water it provides to them.
Danovis Lozano and Carlos Parra - Political Activism
Another example of the growing impact of the Committee on the youth are Danovis Lozano and Carlos Parra, two young councilors elected to the municipality of Bucaramanga in 2019. They call themselves the "political wing of the Santurbán Committee". Together, they have been working for the past year with the double goal of protecting the páramo from massive gold exploitation projects and bringing awareness to the youth in Bucaramanga of the importance of protecting their natural resources.
Using hashtags like #NuestroOroEsElAgua (our gold is water) and #ConMinesaMásPobreza (with Minesa there will be more poverty), Lozano and Parra managed to gather thousands of Colombians. Despite the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, they mobilized in defense of the páramo both through social media and car caravans. "More than doing this for ourselves, I think that this cause is for future generations", Councilor Danovis highlights. "For our children, our grandchildren, for our family in the future", he adds.
Francisco Javier Vera Manzanares - Youth Activism
At the tender age of eleven, Francisco Javier Vera Manzanares is the founder of Guardianes por la Vida (Guardians for Life), an environmental movement composed of over 200 children. He has also spoken before the Colombian Congress, urging it to legislate not only for the environment but for life.
Francisco Javier was born in Bogotá but moved to the green haven of Villeta in Santander when he was two years old. Besides growing up alongside Foucault, his dog, and Pinky, his cat, he has always been surrounded by farm animals. As he explains, he is an environmentalist thanks to the movement in defense of animals and the context in which he grew up.
With this in mind, Francisco Javier founded his movement with the vision of fostering environmental awareness in his territory and neighborhood. Together, its members carry out activities such as mobilizations, bicycle tours, reforestation campaigns, and more. He notes that "beyond that environmental impact, Guardianes por la Vida also works to create spaces for children to become empowered".
Francisco Javier describes Santurbán as "a place full of history". He explains that artisanal mining was one of the first industries in the country, driven by campesinos (peasants), and emphasizes the importance of preserving it based on its cultural background. "I really agree with these people", he says. "I talk eye to eye with those who have experienced our challenges, right? Because it’s not just a matter of communicating or talking about it from afar and from Bogotá, for example, [but] to tell it from Soto Norte, from this territory".
When it comes to defending our rights and territory, one is never too young nor too old. These stories of resistance are not only proof of that, but also showcase the power of community-based approaches in addressssing local challenges. The young activists fighting for the páramo of Santurbán are a living example of the importance of community participation in mining governance processes.
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