Public Communication from Piedad Córdoba Ruiz

1. In the development of my responsibilities with the “Just Cause” (Causa Justa) program, since this past September 30th, I have traveled to various regions of the country to document communities’ and organizations’ assessments on mining, and its potential benefits or consequences for the country and humanity.

2. From Marmato, I traveled to Bajo Atrato. Yesterday evening, we arrived there with the production team, two members of the Catholic Church and the communities’ authorities, among them, the women in charge of protecting peace and biodiversity of the Alto Guayabal Reserve, a community affected by the mining exploration initiated that was suspended by a Constitutional Court Order.

3. These communities that live in armed conflict zones have constructed humanitarian protection and peace proposals. They have defined nonviolent protection mechanisms, for instance, they do not permit weapons or armed actors in their humanitarian zones, so our bodyguards could not enter. This reserve, where I met with Indigenous and Afro-descendent communities, depends on precautionary measures granted by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and their members maintain constant communication with the Colombian government.

4. I reported my entrance into this zone to the respective police authorities that made inquiries.

5. My stay in the reserve was from approximately 5pm yesterday until 11am today.

6. I believe that disinformation was created with the intention of again delegitimizing the work that I am doing with “Just Cause” (Causa Justa).

7. The disinformation has again generated a series of defamations and shameful statements that express unmentionable interests.

8. I lament the media’s reactions in some government sectors, which without context, without truthful information and without confrontation, have been an echo of disinformation.

Respectfully,

Piedad Córdoba Ruiz

Conductor of “Just Cause” (Causa Justa)