Unit 1: Task 1 - Collaborative work 1 (Discussion Forum)

Presented by

Mirza Cabrera Palacios

Presented to

Wilson German Alvarez

National Open and Distance University

Medellin 2019
 Problem that bleeds Choco: Mining and logging in the Quito River

https://www.elespectador.com/noticias/medio-ambiente/ordenan-suspender-toda-la-
mineria-en-uno-de-los-rios-mas-importantes-de-choco-articulo-754898

One of the most disturbing problems at the moment for the Chocoan population,
especially the one emphasized on the slopes of the Quito river, the latter an important water
wealth for the region being a body of fresh water, which flows into the river to be treated as
it passes through different districts and municipalities, as well as a river devastated and
affected by the armed conflict present in the area, illegal mining derived from the presence
of the previous named groups outside the law.

The gold rush, given its abundance in the riverbank sector, is the focus of many of those
interested in forced enrichment, the sponsorship of armed groups that take control of the
area by force, it is they who have increased the problem and its vandalism actions for the
region which additionally represents an increase in mortality, insecurity causing the
department of chocho has one of the highest indices at the national level. According to the
Dane in 2017 (Putumayo Caquetá, Guaviare, Arauca, Cesar, Sucre and Chocó were the
departments with the highest proportion of victims in the country registered in November
2016.) Therefore, it is possible to demonstrate the great problem and the presence of groups

From its mining beginnings in the region the inhabitants made use of this metal for their
livelihood, making a handmade and controlled extraction which allows the progressive
recovery and without obvious impact on the ecosystem being this the most important
economic activity of the region, with the arrival of businessmen and groups outside the law
that seek to sponsor their activities, these force small and large miners to perform more
invasive extractions with a machine that allows dredging the river, and with more invasive
methods that allow obtaining metal in a manner Quick and effortless they provided the
protection and support that the national government does not provide.

This being the situation, these entities involved are given to the use of highly toxic
supplements that are not suitable for the health of the population and the environment, such
as mercury or “flogging,” this element of what allows the union of gold particles in a single
one to later be burned and thus of the separation of gold and mercury where the latter is
applied directly to the water in which the presence of gold has been located, and in many
cases it is discarded in the same body of water the residues of mercury that help to further
aggravate the situation due to the fact that pests such as bocachico cease to be a food source
for the population since being contaminated by mercury this can present serious health
conditions for those who consume it by carrying even to malformations and even death, the
Colombian government has taken many legal actions on the subject but the reality is
different its presence is very small and Corrupted, Colombia's Ministry of Environment and
Sustainable Development in resolution 0773 of May 10, 2018, considers in its articles “the
imposition of preventive measures for temporary suspension of mining activities and / or
exploitation in the Quito River and its tributaries and They adopt other general
determinations. ”This type of dissipation to a very small extent is executed given the
disinterest of the state in the region since this is not the only important slope of the state in
terms of security and security.
 United Nations Environment Program.(2018). ONU medio ambiente:The devastating
impact of conflicts on the environment,[6. Minería y tala en Colombia].obtanied from
https://www.unenvironment.org/es/noticias-y-reportajes/reportajes/el-devastador-impacto-
de-los-conflictos-en-el-medio-ambiente

Minambiente.(2018). Resolucion N°0773 – 10 mayo 2018. recuperado de

http://www.minambiente.gov.co/images/normativa/app/resoluciones/86-
res%20773%20de%202018.pdf

Contraloría.(2018).comunicado de prensa N°205: débil control ambiental por parte de

CODECHOCO, Crece actividad minera ilegal en municipios del Chocó, recuperado de
https://www.contraloria.gov.co/contraloria/sala-de-prensa/boletines-de-prensa/boletines-
prensa-2017/-/asset_publisher/y0hcpbxJNnDG/content/debil-control-ambiental-por-parte-
de-codechoco-crece-actividad-minera-ilegal-en-municipios-del-
choco/pop_up?_101_INSTANCE_y0hcpbxJNnDG_viewMode=print

El espectador. (2018). Redacción Medio Ambiente: ordenan suspender toda la minería

en un o delos ríos mas importantes de choco, recuperado de
https://www.elespectador.com/noticias/medio-ambiente/ordenan-suspender-toda-la-mineria-en-
uno-de-los-rios-mas-importantes-de-choco-articulo-754898