ABColombia expresses its profound concern regarding the situation in Paimadó, Chocó, Colombia.

Our partners inform us that an illegal mining dredger has been operating opposite the Paimadó Community in the Quito river, a tributary of the Atrato river. This is impacting negatively on the rights of the local community, and is in direct contradiction to Constitutional Court orders contained in Sentence T622, which protects the bio-cultural rights of the Atrato river and its tributaries.

The inhabitants of Paimadó report that these extractive activities have the potential to generate an artificial arm of the Quito river cutting off the municipal area which would eventually dry up. The river is their means of transport for themselves and their agricultural produce. ABColombia is awaiting a response from the Colombian Environment Minister and the Colombian Embassy in the UK.

Furthermore, ABColombia sent a letter explaining in detail the situation in Paimadó, to the Monitoring Committee for the T622 Court orders, requesting they take action and ensure that the Government Ministries responsible carry out the Constitutional Court’s decision T622.

Read the letters sent: –

Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development (Spanish)

Follow-Up Committee of T622 Sentence of Atrato River (Spanish)