Afro-Colombian Rights are Human Rights
Posted April 15, 2008

Racial discrimination, poverty and social exclusion are structural problems that have affected Colombian ethnic minorities for decades. Among these minority groups, Afro-Colombians experience the highest level of poverty.

This is clearly demonstrated by their limited access to education, health, employment and other social services. In fact, most regions with an Afro-Colombian presence endure the worst socio-economic indicators. And the main victims of the internal armed conflict are Afro-Colombian communities.

Human rights violations against Afro-Colombians have been committed by both state and non-state actors, although they are prohibited by the new Constitution, approved in 1991, and human rights treaties ratified by the state. However, their effects on Afro-Colombians have not been extensively explored.

There is no doubt that significant economic, cultural, social and political benefits for Colombia would accrue from the implementation of public and private strategies to eliminate human rights violations. But little has been done to address them, as evidenced by the lack of documents analyzing their noxious impact on Afro-Colombians.

One obvious indicator of the exclusion of Afro-Colombians, who comprise some 30 percent of the total population— more than 12 million people—is their lack of access to key decision-making institutions. Another indicator is their lack of access to labor markets and basic services such as shelter, safe drinking water and suitable sanitary conditions.

Racist practices are the main causes of this disadvantageous human rights situation, which has worsened as a result of the internal armed conflict.

Official sources confirm that there is an enormous difference between public health services in the “Afro-Colombian” areas and the rest of the country. The access to such services is more restricted for Afro-Colombians, who usually have to face other problems such as deplorable treatment and uncomfortable health centers. This situation has been confirmed by Afro-Colombians throughout the country, clearly indicating that the socio-economic differences increase when considering ethnic background.

Most inequalities in Colombia are caused not only by the illiteracy or poor quality education of the nation’s ethnic minorities, but mainly because of the racist practices of which they are victims. This is why it is not surprising to see that inequalities decrease only slightly, when comparing Afro-Colombians and others with the same education level.

Racism and racial discrimination against Afro-Colombians have persisted in spite of the domestic human rights framework protecting them as an ethnic minority. The undeniable racist environment has produced an extremely noxious impact on Colombian society at large, stunting development for the nation and resulting in evident losses of economic productivity, as numerous documents and reports from international financial institutions and social development experts indicate.

It should be pointed out that for the last 17 years, both the state and the society have maintained the same historical, racist idea of “white” and “mestiza” supremacy at both public and private levels. Afro-Colombians are excluded from important positions. Also, they are largely excluded from loans and scholarships to pursue advanced studies.

Some universities have financial resources to create affirmative action programs and promote the education of Afro-Colombians, but these institutions are not interested in doing so. They neither see racism as a problem nor as a grave human rights violation.

Despite the existence of anti-racist, human rights laws, Colombia’s new generations continue being “educated” under the influence of an education system that reproduces racial stereotypes and constantly discriminates against Afro-Colombians. It teaches students racist practices. The racist ideology affecting the nation is also fostered by many Colombian families.

What makes the Afro-Colombian case more complex is precisely the fact that most people do not see racism as a human rights violation. This is why racist prejudices have been perpetuated, reinforcing Afro-Colombians’ exclusion at all levels.

In order to overcome racist practices and other human rights violations affecting Afro-Colombians in the context of the armed conflict, both activists and government officials should demand that the actors involved in the war stop targeting Afro-Colombian communities.

Afro-Colombians also need the current government to implement an effective strategy to end racism in order to build a real democratic multiculturalism that protects the ethnic diversity proclaimed in the National Constitution.

 
Leonardo Reales is an Afro-Colombian activist, community leader and storyteller. He is a Ph.D. candidate in political science at the New School for Social Research in New York. He has worked with the Afro-Colombian National Movement Cimarrón and the Union of Afro-Colombian Organizations for 10 years. Leonardo can be reached at leonardo_reales@yahoo.com.