The humanitarian demining work in this part of the department began in 2020 and will conclude this year, marking the end of a continuous process.
The municipality of San Juan de Arama is moving towards its declaration as a territory free of suspicion of anti-personnel mines, thanks to the presentations of Zone III by the Humanitarian Demining Engineer Battalion No. 4. This complements the previous interventions in Zone II, carried out by Colombian National Army, and the certification of Zone I, by a civilian humanitarian demining organization.
During the operations in the Bocas del Sansa village and in a sector of the Sierra de La Macarena National Natural Park, the soldiers inspected four reported events, ruling out explosive devices and working for the safety of the inhabitants.
“We carry out a coordinated work with the local and regional authorities and with the leaders of these villages. We want to impact preparing inhabitants about the risk of mines and today we can return their lands so that they can walk and live without fear. Children will be able to go to school and communities will be able to move peacefully,” said Lieutenant Colonel Felix Perdomo Bernal, commander of the Humanitarian Demining Engineer Battalion No. 4.
For his part, the municipal Mayor Ricardo Díaz Rodríguez expressed his gratitude to the Battalion for the distribution of Zone III: “We are very happy with the work of the Demining Battalion for giving us the Bocas del Sansa area completely cleared. We invite everyone to visit Pueblito Bañador, a tourist site full of life and hope. Through this we contribute a grain of sand to the peace that we Colombians so much want."
Since 2003, the municipality of San Juan de Arama has reported 51 victims of anti-personnel mines, including 39 civilians - including 6 children - and 12 military personnel.
Lizardo Murillo, an anti-personnel mine survivor, celebrated the outcome of the process and sent a message of support to the communities: “As a survivor I can attest that the demining has been very positive. We invite the communities that have experienced the risk of mines to collaborate with the organizations that carry out this work. We were pioneers in mine risk education, and we know that working together is key to peace.”
Through this presentation, the mine clearance specialists of Colombian National Army continue to liberate territories and construct a mine-free country.
Source: Press - Humanitarian Demining Brigade
