Migrant’s testimony This story began 15 years ago, when I was about 8 years old. I had lived in Belen of the Andaquies Caquetá’s Department in Colombia, my hometown. Caqueta is one of the most problematic and also have big illegal armed group presence in the region, FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) and ELN (National Liberation Army). In 2000, I was in my house with some members of my family. Suddenly, I heard several very loud sounds that I could not recognized. Then, my brother told me something that concerned me a lot: “Vicky, come into the house, close the door and go to my mom’s room”. I asked why?. He said that bad people were shooting on the street. I was really nervous. In that moment, all the members of family hid under the bed for around three hours. We did that in order to cover us from shoot and bombs. Polices, militaries and helicopters were fighting against these ilegal groups. This was the first war that I experience. Since that moment, my town has been consider very insecure and fearful. This ilegal armed groups were camouflaged among the townspeople. They threaten to kill the majority of farmers and traders. One day, my father, was threaten by one of these men of death and kidnap my brother, if someone talks to the police. Also, exist many other cases like these. My family was tired about this insecure and fearful situation, so they wanted to leave this danger zone and seek a better future for all of us. One day my uncle suggested us the idea of living in Ecuador, in order to find better opportunities, stable economic situation, and be safe. It was a wonderfull idea for my father, but it was not for my mother. She was afraid about the future of hers other family, they were still at risk.
Migrants testimonyThisstorybegan15yearsago, whenIwasabout
8yearsold. IhadlivedinBelenoftheAndauies !auet"s #e$artment in
!olombia, my hometown.!aueta is one of the most $roblemati% and
also have big illegal armed grou$ $resen%e in theregion, &A'!
('evolutionary Armed &or%es of !olombia) and *+, (,ational
+iberation Army).In -..., I was in my house with some members of my
family. /uddenly, I heard several veryloud sounds that I %ould not
re%ogni0ed. Then, my brother told me something that %on%erned mea
lot1 23i%4y, %ome into the house, %lose the door and go to my moms
room5. I as4ed why6. 7esaid that bad $eo$le were shooting on the
street. I was really nervous.In that moment, all the members of
family hid under the bed for around three hours. 8e did
thatinorderto%overusfromshoot andbombs. 9oli%es,
militariesandheli%o$terswerefightingagainst these ilegal
grou$s.This was the first war that I e:$erien%e. /in%e that moment,
my town has been %onsider veryinse%ure and fearful. This ilegal
armed grou$s were %amouflaged among the towns$eo$le. Theythreaten
to 4ill the ma;ority of farmers and traders.
