Essay 4

Cesar Gabriel Cedeño
English for Academic Purposes
21 ENE 2011
Journey to the heart of the Colombian conflict in Esmeraldas
For most people the Colombian conflict is something that can be isolated in Colombia. However what most people are not aware of in Ecuador is that the conflict has a heart in Ecuador and that heart is in northern Esmeraldas. Though forgotten to most people until the election of Rafael Correa as President, Esmeraldas is the frontline of the Colombian conflict in Ecuador.
The journey starts in Quito from where you must drive 4 hours until arriving to Esmeraldas City, the province’s capital city. You can tell how much danger this province faces when drivers refuse to make the travel at night, they prefer to depart from Quito at 4 to be at provincial borderline at dawn and avoid the dangers coming from violent gangs. From Esmeraldas you travel to the south until you arrive to Borbon. This town, with 100% of poverty according to official statistics, looks more like shantytown where people act elusively and refuse to speak about the Colombian Paramilitary forces and the FARC Guerrillas. The shock comes when you travel east of the town and you can tell there is an ongoing war that doesn’t sounds a lot: an Ecuadorian Marine Corps checkpoint where a whole heavily armed and fully prepared battalion is garrisoned and from where you cannot go forward if you do not have an official clearance.
But if you think that the image of a fully armed and prepared for combat Marine Corps garrison is shockingly enough, think again. Despised being warned that the 15 Front of FARC and several detached paramilitary groups use the area to rest and prepare themselves for combat, the road that follows in on the contrary quite easy. The real problem begins when it’s time to go back to Esmeraldas City and the voyage continues to San Lorenzo. During the road the driver reminds passengers that San Lorenzo is off limits after 6 PM but, duty comes first and the voyage continues. Night kicks in and the runway turns dark and lonely while the driver gets jumpy and you start seeing less and less lights.
After an hour San Lorenzo is in sight. The driver explains that people strange to the area avoid spending the night in the city; San Lorenzo has 60 murders per 1000 habitants rate so people are quite right about avoiding the city at night. However this is where the Ecuadorian front of the Colombian conflict can be best spotted when you see the heavy and constant presence of the Naval, Land and Marine Forces going up and down in combat formations. On top of that habitants never stop talking about a new assassination linked to the Colombian paramilitary, insurgency or organized crime. Everywhere you look or walk to there is an ongoing war product of the spillover of the Colombian conflict.
Going back to Quito, you can’t stop thinking the situation is lost. After a hopeless and rather shocking contact with the reality of Esmeraldas, and thus of how affected we are by the conflict, there is a gripping sense of just getting rid of the province. Nevertheless, after thinking that nothing can be done you go back to some things that bring back hope to your heart. Night is the darkest just before dawn.
Title: Journey to the heart of the Colombian conflict in Esmeraldas
1. Introduction
a. A relegated threat.
b. The frontline of Colombia in Ecuador
2. A dangerous and shocking reality
a. Afraid drivers and 4 am travels
b. Poverty and Fear in Borbon-Esmeraldas
c. The Marine Corps Garrison and the unheard War
3. The heart of the conflict
a. Going through the lonely road
b. San Lorenzo: Murders, Insurgents, Paramilitary and Ecuadorian Armed Forces
c. Rumor has it: A fearful city
4. Hope
a. Coming to a shocking contact of a dangerous and discouraging reality
b. Lifting back up to hope.