Programa, Córdoba, Montería 11

Abstract

In this section of Voces y Regiones, the interviewee reflects on the forced displacement experienced by the Zenú people, an Indigenous community with deep roots in Colombia's Caribbean region. He explains how violence and armed conflict have led to internal migration, which in many cases has resulted in the dispossession of ancestral lands belonging to Indigenous peoples. This phenomenon of internal displacement has not only had a humanitarian impact but also a cultural one, as it threatens the continuity of traditional practices, the use of native languages, and the spiritual connection to the land. While displaced populations are also victims of the conflict, their arrival has, at times, created tensions over land use and occupation, undermining the autonomy and collective rights of Indigenous communities. The testimony calls for greater recognition of these realities, the protection of Indigenous territories, and the promotion of comprehensive reparation policies that uphold respect for ethnic diversity and the rights of ancestral peoples in Colombia.