COP16: The remains of the first river to dry up due to illegal gold mining in Cauca

In 2016, the Sambingo River, located in Mercaderes, southern Cauca, was declared the first river in Colombia to disappear due to illegal mining. Three years later, in 2019, the inhabitants of this community united to stop the criminal extraction through a popular consultation. Today, they remain determined to defend their territory and protect their vital water source.   

A few weeks ago, in August, during the commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the legitimate Popular Consultation for Water, a public hearing was held there to expose the new threats to the river.

The community called on the environmental and territorial authorities, as well as the security forces, to take action against illegal activities, such as illegal mining, and the groups behind the damage to the ecosystem and the loss of biodiversity, in order to guarantee effective protection.

The first thing is to create environmental awareness, because when we destroy natural resources, we destroy life. "We all have to do something about it, because the institutions can't do anything without the help of the communities that live in the territories," says a local.   

An Afro-descendant leader adds: "We make sure that both locals and outsiders take care of the water, and we teach this to the children".  

In the Colombian massif, also known as the Almaguer Knot and declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, the Eastern Cordillera separates from the Central Cordillera, forming the fluvial star where the Magdalena and Cauca rivers rise in the north of the country, the Caquetá in the eastern Amazon, and the Patía in the west.

The Patía River is part of the large hydrographic basin of the same name, with an area of influence of 288,035 hectares, into which the Mayo, San Jorge, Hato Viejo and Sambingo rivers flow. It was in 2016, during an operation against illegal mining, that the National Army made the shocking discovery during a flyover: the Sambingo had completely disappeared.

They obtained four kilos of gold in 10 days, at the cost of eroding the banks of the Sambingo River, affecting its course and contaminating the water, which, added to the high temperatures of the El Niño phenomenon, ultimately led to its disappearance," said the then director of the Carabineros of the National Police, General Rodrigo González Herrera.

Five excavators, a sorting machine and other elements of the illegal activity were found at the site. According to the investigation, this generated a monthly income of almost 1.1 million dollars and was carried out between 2013 and 2017. At that time, the restoration of the ecosystem was estimated at 176 billion pesos.

Months later, in 2019, more than 8,000 people in Mercaderes voted "yes to life" in a popular consultation, rejecting mining and energy activities in their territories. However, this mandate was ignored and the yellow machine continues to operate unchecked.

Illegal mining continues to affect the river. Recent denunciations by Red por la Vida y los Derechos Humanos del Cauca show that the illegal extraction of minerals, especially gold, has not stopped and continues to affect the Sambingo and other rivers. We denounce the illegal mining activities in the Micay River (municipalities of Argelia and El Tambo), the Timbío River (municipalities of Timbío and Patía), the Quilcacé River (municipalities of Patía and El Tambo), and the Ruiz River (municipality of Almaguer)," the organization said.

Recent images taken by the Corporación Integral Social Mercadereña (Cisme) have revealed the presence of yellow machines used to extract minerals in a clandestine and uncontrolled manner.

We demand that the competent authorities take priority measures to eradicate illegal mining, to protect, conserve and recover the water sources and ecosystems affected, and to guarantee the participation and denunciation rights of the communities," the network added.

The leaders point out that, without the intervention of the authorities, a road was illegally opened through which the machinery was taken to the river.

As happened in 2016, there is permissiveness on the part of the authorities. This has been going on for several months and we are publicly denouncing it in the hope that the appropriate measures will be taken," says Camilo López, of the Committee for the Integration of the Colombian Massif (Cima).

They also criticize the inaction of the Corporación Autónoma del Cauca, calling it "permissive". EL TIEMPO tried to Amarildo Correa, director of the entity, but there was no response. According to the National Army, it is known that the ELN is responsible for the exploitation that continues in the area.   

This is an area inhabited by black communities whose lives depend on the river. These are populations that do not have aqueducts or irrigation systems and have no way of getting water except through the river, so this tributary is a backbone. But in addition to consumption, it is important for production because it provides fish and serves as the backbone of ecosystems," he explains.

He also points out that it is important because it serves as a means of transportation: People use the raft to transport inputs and materials. He adds: "The inhabitants have a spiritual relationship with the river, people go and release their energies, they make agreements with nature. This is why local communities and environmental organizations have insisted on monitoring and denouncing what has become a history of the past.

One of the solutions that the Governor's Office of Cauca has tried to devise is to turn the massif into a water museum. The main goal is to protect the area.

According to Victoria Santander, manager of COP16 in Cauca, "we are working to achieve this recognition so that the world can see and become aware of the importance of water. She adds that this project aims to highlight biodiversity: "We want this to be a touristic and sustainable Cauca.

One of the benefits of being declared a water museum would be the suspension of mining exploration in the area, which would have a significant environmental impact. "This recognition would help limit the damage to the ecosystem and promote international cooperation," he stresses.

MICHEL ROMOLEROUX

Special to EL TIEMPO

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