Impact of the national strike in Chocó

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By: Isaac Dahl
When we arrived at our placement in Chocó, Colombia we had not yet heard about the national Paro[i] (Strike) that would later begin just 21 days later. Between our arrival to Colombia on February 21st and our arrival to Chocó on April 7th, we spent the weeks learning and hearing from many presenters and MCC staff about the complicated past of Colombia and its continuing effects. Living in Colombia during a time of Paro and listening to the stories from the community has helped me to see the struggles that they face.

A few days before the Paro began on April 28th, we finished putting together an emergency food kit, not out of fear but as a regular practice that SEEDers follow. With the news of the paros beginning in a few days, we knew it would be best to have the food kit ready in case it would restrict our regular visits to the market. Out of precaution, the first few days of the Paro we stayed at home as the situation was assessed. As the Paro stretched on into multiple weeks, one peaceful demonstration was held in Istmina, marching down the main road that runs through the center of the city. Thankfully, we learned through friends and local news sources that the march remained peaceful and that no one was injured and nothing was damaged. For many more weeks after the local march, we continued to hear about the tumult in other parts of the country and continued to pray for justice for the oppressed and open hearts for the politicians.

The largest way in which the Paros have affected the communities here is through prices of necessities. Most of the food sold in markets here is imported from other parts of Colombia and because there are only two main roads that lead into the department of Chocó, prices of various goods have increased. It is common, especially in times of national paros, for roads to be blocked, limiting the entry of basic goods. Upon talking to one of the local pastors, we were told that the price of some food has almost tripled — for example, the cost of tomatoes per pound went from $1,000 COP ($0.27 USD) to around $3,000 COP ($0.79 USD). With many common goods experiencing similar price inflation, the increased cost of necessities takes the greatest toll on those already struggling to make ends meet. We were also told that merchants not affected by the Paros are raising their prices in order to take advantage of the situation. Prices of some goods will return to normal after the Paro, but for other items these new high prices may become the norm.

The most visible food shortage in Istmina was the empty shelves at the chain store D1, which specializes in common packaged food products such as flour and rice, as well as home goods and personal hygiene products. Many people here do the majority of their shopping at D1 because it offers lower prices than small businesses can. For the month of May the local D1 was largely empty, and completely closed for nearly two weeks, due to road closures interrupting the supply chain. In early June a large truck finally arrived and the store was able to re-open.

My observation from this time of Paro is that each season of unrest uncovers more systems of inequality that fuel the silencing of the people’s voice. And silencing and neglect of these voices perpetuates an ugly cycle of sorrow, fear, and anger, and prevents peaceful conversations. As Christians and Anabaptists, I pray that we strive to be a community that lives in Shalom with one another, lifting up the voices of the unheard and accompanying them on their journey to justice and peace.

[i] Strike: An activity that may take various forms in terms of the suspension or stoppage of activities related to the smooth running of society’s activities at the national level.

The strike is usually carried out collectively, with the purpose of causing commotion and response to the requirements of those who lead it. It always involves economic losses for the affected parties. Depending on each particular situation, a national strike can be short or long, peaceful or intense (in this case it can even involve the use of violence).