San Andrés: The killings of popular cultural representatives highlight the insecurity in paradise.

Cultural leaders Luchín Bustamente & Hety Perez were both murdered on the island of San Andrés in 2022.

Article written by Nayua Martinez, Jasser Iglesias & Jesus Jurado

When it comes to promoting Colombia to the rest of the world, both the government and the citizens of Colombia tend to place a spotlight on San Andres Island. Located in the Caribbean Sea, San Andres is well known for the beauty of its beaches, capable of making a tourist fall in love at first sight, and it is also well known for the coral reefs of its sea, which are both a home for biodiversity and guardians of the coast (Muñoz, 2020). The island is also famous for its rhythms, its culture and the attractiveness of its lifestyle. There is no doubt that San Andres is one of the most marketed places in Colombia given its natural beauty. However, the island also has another face, one that goes beyond tourism, and the one that day-to-day the residents of the island have to face. When it comes to its social needs, the island has been consistently forgotten and overlooked by the State. The centralized nature of Colombian politics has affected distant regions in the country, and one of them is San Andres. While the government's focus is on the country's main cities, the island is of distant importance, and many of the solutions for its needs have been postponed or poorly addressed. An example of this is the poor attention that has been given to the territory after the passage of Hurricane Iota in 2020, which caused severe structural damage to the island’s infrastructure. After the hurricane, the former President Iván Duque established a reconstruction plan for Providencia, a sister island of San Andres that was badly affected by the hurricane. It was a plan that was supposed to be completed in 100 days (Presidencia de la Republica de Colombia, 2021). However, according to the fiscal control entity, as of May 2022, the work did not exceed 9% of progress demanded (El Heraldo, 2022). Moreover, the lack of attention from the government is seen in other problems that persist for years without any solution, such as the lack of drinking water, the precarious health system, the low-quality education, the high price of utilities, and the shortage of employment for the native community, or raizales (Chaves, 2018). In addition to this, and as in other parts of the country where the State is not fully present, in San Andres criminal elements are also increasingly prevalent.

Unfortunately, San Andres attracts criminals as it attracts tourists. Drug trafficking is one of the reasons why 8 out of 10 people in San Andres think the island is unsafe and have a high sense of insecurity (Román & Maza, 2020). Although the island has not witnessed the conventional armed confrontation in the same way as the rest of the country, it has suffered the consequences of the internal conflict. It has been disputed by drug traffickers given its strategic location and its maritime borders with Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Dominican Republic (Castillo, 2020). San Andres was also influenced by the power of the biggest illegal armed groups, even if they were not physically present and had no actual armed structures there. These groups have left a legacy to this day, especially among young people who have tried to replicate such illegal actions and gain power and wealth: “The legacy of the war, especially the one based on drug trafficking, is seen in the young people who form gangs or support crimes against their own people” says a raizal leader (Pardo, 2022). Such a legacy of war and drug trafficking could have been avoided with more State presence on the island; with a State that would have taken advantage of the geopolitical potential of the island to obtain greater profit from fishing activities, commercial exchange and tourism. However, the opposite has happened. The state has been absent and as a consequence of that, it has been the criminal groups who have seized the enormous potential of the island. The potential that could have been exploited legally has instead been exploited by drug traffickers and other criminal groups. That has not only cost tranquility on the island, but also the lives of two social leaders.

Increasing illegal activities and illicit money on the island has led to concern about security which, in turn, has been reflected by violence towards community activists. The story of Luis Carlos Bustamante Fernandez, or ‘Luchín’, portrays such a problem. Luchín was a cultural manager and activist for the LGBTQ+ community, as well as a representative of the island in the Central Committee of Artists for Colombia and the National Dance Council (Redacción Colombia, 2022). He was a well-liked figure on the island because of the work he was doing in terms of cultural development. It is well known that the island is characterized by its cultural wealth. The number of visitors to the island is an opportunity for singers and dancers to show their art and achieve their dreams. This is what Luchín fought for. Sadly, according to what was reported in Resumen Latinoamericano (2022), on March 17th, 2022, Luchín’s body was found with signs of torture towards south of the island near the area of Morgan’s Cave. A suspect in the crime was arrested and was named as Mario David Donado McGowan; he accepted the charges for the crime and was captured in mid-March. Despite the capture of the alleged perpetrator, the murder of Luchín was a tragedy for the people of the island, and the islanders had more reason for grief over the killing of another figure of huge importance for the island community not long after the killing of Luchín.

Fabian Pérez, better known as Hety, was one of the ambassadors of Raizal culture and the Creole dialect. Through music, he emphasized artistic expression and excelled as a cultural ambassador. Together with his partner Jambo, they traveled through distinct stages accompanied by the music of the ethnic peoples of the region, turning him into the “King of Creole” (Infobae, 2022). As producer Benny Bazz argued: “they were more than a sound or a style, they [were] the representation of their people, they [were] the voice of a small island called San Andrés, with mixed roots and African heritage” (Infobae, 2022). Unfortunately, Hety was shot dead at his house on Sunday May 13th, 2022. Hety was reportedly killed by accident; the target of the attack was Hillbor Pusey, a friend of Hety, who was with him at the time the events occurred. Pusey's family had reportedly had previous problems with those responsible for the crime. However, Hety was not part of that conflict, neither was he involved in drug trafficking. The conflict was brought to him that day. The violent dynamics caused by illegality –in what used to be a peaceful place– was what ended the life of Hety and silenced such a vital cultural ambassador for the island. In response to Hety’s murder, a large group of islanders blocked the Rojas Pinilla airport demanding that the authorities clarify the facts, capture those responsible and make reparations. Moreover, various artists and colleagues have expressed anger and regret over his death (Semana, 2022). One was the dancehall singer Jiggy Drama who shared through social media the message, "Rest in Power King" (Infobae, 2022). Civilians and other artists’ responses like these show how valued cultural representatives and activists like Hety and Luchín are, especially for overlooked communities like Raizales who suffer from not having their voice heard.

Unfortunately, the killing of figures such as Luchín and Hety happens far too frequently throughout Colombia. According to Indepaz (2022), in this year 135 social leaders have been killed in Colombia. Since 2016, when the peace deal was signed between the government and the FARC guerrillas, there have been more than 1,300 such leaders killed. Of these, most lived, and were murdered, in far flung parts of the country, and the departments that have historically suffered State abandonment, such as Arauca, Cauca or Nariño. The Colombian public has grown accustomed to hearing the grim news: “Six afro descendants leaders murdered, 2 LGBTQ+ leaders threatened, 3 cultural leaders massacred”. These crimes are covered at a national media level. However, there is often a lack of context or information in the reporting, meaning the importance, or even the humanity, of victims is not communicated. This reporting means victims are seen as if they were only numbers or statistics, but behind these figures are the very human tales of people; people who had dreams, families and communities that trusted in them to carry their dream of escaping the regrettable situation, which they have gone through all their lives. The State must take action on the matter, as this cannot continue to be normalized in Colombia; these are lives. Living must not be a nightmare for people who only want a better life for themselves and their communities.

Without any doubts, the situation regarding the assassination of social leaders in Colombia is becoming more and more sensitive and is becoming the daily bread for many of these people who, for raising their voices and defending their people and/or their ideals, are being threatened and murdered. The cases of Luis Carlos Bustamante Fernández and Fabian Pérez are just two of the many cases of murders of social leaders that are reported daily by the country's most important media outlets. Luchin and Hety were two important people for their community, however they were not the only ones. In Colombia, every day we see Luchins and Hetys murdered for raising their voice. They leave a legacy, of course; nevertheless, it is not a secret that a whole community suffers. They see how their protector will no longer be there, and the nightmare will start again. For this reason, the government must not only remember San Andres or other overlooked territories when they have a specific interest; instead, they must give its inhabitants the necessary guarantees to continue overcoming the legacy of war. It is important to guarantee that they do not have to fear, so that they do not see anarchy as a way out, but quite the contrary. The lives of these people should be protected while exercising and fighting for their rights.

References

Román, R. & Maza, F. (2020). San Andrés: Insecurity and violence in paradise. Periódico UNAL https://unperiodico.unal.edu.co/pages/detail/san-andres-insecurity-and-violence-in-paradise/

Castillo, L. (2020). A new territorial approach would allow battling narcotrafficking in San Andrés. https://unperiodico.unal.edu.co/pages/detail/a-new-territorial-approach-would-allow-battling-narcotrafficking-in-san-andres/

Redacción Colombia. (2022). Asesinaron a reconocido bailarín en San Andrés. El Espectador. https://www.elespectador.com/colombia/mas-regiones/asesinaron-a-reconocido-bailarin-en-san-andres/

Resumen Latinoamericano. (2022). Colombia. Secuestran, torturan y asesinan a líder social en la isla de San Andrés. https://www.resumenlatinoamericano.org/2022/03/19/499002/

Pardo, C. (2022). En San Andrés sí hubo conflicto armado: víctimas a la Comisión de la Verdad. El Espectador. https://www.elespectador.com/colombia-20/conflicto/en-san-andres-si-hubo-conflicto-armado-victimas-a-la-comision-de-la-verdad/

Muñoz, O. (2020). Arrocifes coralinos blindan y alimentan a San Andrés. Periodico UNAL. https://unperiodico.unal.edu.co/pages/detail/arrecifes-coralinos-blindan-y-alimentan-a-san-andres/

Infobae. (2022). Who was Hety, the singer known as the “King of Creole”, killed in San Andrés. Newsroom Infobae. https://www.infobae.com/en/2022/03/15/who-was-hety-the-singer-known-as-the-king-of-creole-killed-in-san-andres/

Observatorio de DDHH y Conflictividades de Indepaz. (2021). Líderes Ambientales asesinados desde la firma del Acuerdo de Paz. Indepaz. https://indepaz.org.co/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/L%C3%ADderes-ambientales-asesinados-desde-la-firma-del-acuerdo.pdf

Semana. (2022). Sanandresanos bloquearon el aeropuerto pidiendo justicia por la muerte de Hety, ‘rey del creole’. https://www.semana.com/nacion/articulo/sanandresanos-bloquearon-el-aeropuerto-pidiendo-justicia-por-la-muerte-de-hety-rey-del-creole/202217/

Indepaz. (2022) LÍDERES SOCIALES, DEFENSORES DE DD.HH Y FIRMANTES DE ACUERDO ASESINADOS EN 2022. Retrieved October 8 2022 from https://indepaz.org.co/lideres-sociales-defensores-de-dd-hh-y-firmantes-de-acuerdo-asesinados-en-2022/

Chaves, I. (2018). https://www.eje21.com.co/2018/09/el-archipielago-de-san-andres-olvidado-por-el-estado-y-en-total-orfandad/

Presidencia de la República de Colombia. (2021). Gobierno fija metas del ‘Plan 100’ para la reconstrucción de la isla de Providencia. https://idm.presidencia.gov.co/prensa/gobierno-fija-metas-del-plan-100-para-la-reconstruccion-de-la-isla-de-pro-210106

El Heraldo. (2022). Contraloría revisa compromisos del plan de reconstrucción de San Andrés. https://www.elheraldo.co/colombia/contraloria-revisa-compromisos-del-plan-de-reconstruccion-de-san-andres-914451