The bishop from the battle-zone

Bishop Francisco Javier Múnera [CAFOD]

Bishop Francisco Javier Múnera does his pastoral visits on horseback and by boat on the edge of the Amazon rainforest - one of the most dangerous areas in the country

There are few roads in the 97,000 sq km of his diocese of San Vicente del Caguán-Puerto Leguízamo in south-eastern Colombia.

This jungle diocese, on the edge of the Amazon rainforest is inhabited largely by migrants from other parts of Colombia and has been largely abandoned by successive governments. It is the stronghold of the FARC guerrillas, who have waged a war against the Colombian state for almost 40 years.

Colombia is experiencing the third worst humanitarian disaster in the world and the worst in the western hemisphere. Between two and three million people have had to leave their homes since 1985 as a result of attacks or threats by guerrilla groups or the paramilitaries.

CAFOD has supported the church in setting up a network of regional offices across Colombia, especially in San Vicente del Caguán, where CAFOD also supports an agricultural development project. As the war has intensified, CAFOD has funded the diocese to meet the needs of displaced communities.

Working for peace

The church is striving for a negotiated settlement and CAFOD works very closely with the Colombian church at national level. The church’s social department has been promoting work for peace and reconciliation through an international campaign – “Peace is Possible”, which has been adopted by Caritas Interationalis, of which CAFOD is a member.

“We want people to see that, even if the groups use terrorist methods, sometimes there are issues of injustice, exclusion and inequality underlying this conflict,” says Bishop Munera.

In the territory of San Vicente the guerrilla response to the Patriot Plan was to go on the offensive, to challenge the legitimacy of the state and oblige communities to break all links with the government. Mayors, councillors and other officials were seen as military targets.

Meanwhile the presence of the church is still accepted because of the support it provides, while the guerrillas refuse to allow government bodies to work in the area. “The church presence is through education, health and humanitarian aid, areas that should really be dealt with by the government,” explains Bishop Múnera.

“Priests are in great risk in these areas. In some areas they are not allowed by the guerrillas to bring people together to celebrate big religious celebrations.”

“Some are prevented by the military, some put themselves in danger as they will be suspected of being an informant if they travel around the region.

“Priests and lay workers are more vulnerable than bishops, who have a certain immunity.”

Supporting displaced communities

Another element of government policy is to spray chemicals from the air. The target is plantations of coca crops (the basis of cocaine) as part of the fight against drugs.

However there has been indiscriminate spraying of homes and whole communities have been displaced. Some turn to the diocese for help.

Europe has preferred not to support this US-backed approach, and looks to development alternatives to offer poor farmers an alternative to coca and a model of development that produces greater equality.

Central to the European Union’s development policy are “peace laboratories”. These are an attempt to achieve peace through development, to set up a development programme that is transparent and involves all sections of the community whatever their views.

Hope for reconciliation remains

Every two years the Colombian Church holds a Congress for Reconciliation. It invites people from all over the country to discuss links between Justice and Peace and reconciliation. They also study experiences from other countries.

Amidst all the difficulties, Bishop Múnera also remains hopeful: “Since Christ is our peace the most urgent call for us is reconciliation…” he says “with all that the world demands in terms of truth, to let the truth shine through and justice to appear – all levels of justice especially reparations for the victims.

"Also there needs to be an element of pardon and all it entails – not forgetting, but for a new promise, a new future especially from the victims to all those who have injured them and then there will be… a basis for justice.

“When Truth and mercy embrace, justice and peace will kiss each other.

"For this message to resound in our hearts, for there to be reconciliation, we have to proclaim again and again the inherent dignity of human life because we are human beings, children of God. As a nation we have to stop killing each other.”

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