Colombia’s river guardians battle to protect the Atrato amid threats and abandonment

Associated Press

PAIMADO, Colombia (AP) — Illegal gold mining along the banks of northwestern Colombia’s Atrato river is causing severe contamination and deforestation for the small, impoverished riverbank communities made up of predominantly Afro-Colombian and Indigenous peoples. The river was granted legal rights in 2016 and local guardians were put in place who work as its legal representatives. But the vast part of the river is now controlled by criminal groups and rebels. River guardians are continuing their efforts to protect the Atrato. But they are growing increasingly frustrated by the environmental issues they face, cuts in resources and a rise in threats from armed groups in the region.