Previous Consultation With Ethnic Communities Without Considering The Country´S Development As National Interest?

 Once established, the Previous Consultation Law a few years ago with the good purpose of guaranteeing the respect and the rights of the indigenous communities in Colombia, through the honor, respect and protection of their identity and cultural heritage, these interactions whose goal was to share the objectives of the projects in the country, their impacts (if it was the case) and the way to counter them, have lost their horizon!

The conceptual deformations of the Previous Consultation from the perspective of the indigenous communities are quite considerable! They are not anymore work meetings to receive first level information about the project´s plan and evaluate their considerations on any impact and mitigation plans designed by the coordinator of the Project, to counter, minimize and eliminate the negative impacts that the project could generate in their habitat.

No. Today it is the extra-limitation present in their philosophy, what matters the most in the Previous Consultation. Neither the development of the country counts nor the national interest in general; individual interest is what matters. The good and democratic interpretation of consultation, turned into approving and disapproving.

Let´s highlight our roots, let´s honor our ethnic communities as that “Immense Minority”; but from the high political establishments of the Colombian State, the socio-economic development of the country should be prioritized without abuses, within a national and international context where sustainable development is the key.

Colombia can not remain behind!!!

Ecop S.A.

August 16th de 2016