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Date: 17 November, 2005

Chico reads one of the many death threats sent to CREDHOS while a volunteer from Peace Brigades International stands guard. The volunteers job is to offer unarmed protection to human rights activists at risk. photo: Christian Aid / Judith Escribano
'Reading about human rights abuses is a very different to hearing the victim tell you in their own words, face to face.'

Peace Brigades International (PBI) is a Christian Aid partner in Colombia. Volunteers from around the world offer unarmed protective accompaniment to individuals, organisations, and communities threatened with violence and human rights abuses.

Nikki Evans is a volunteer based in Barranca, in the Magdalena Medio region of Colombia. Here she talks to Christian Aid about how she helps Colombian organisations carry out their vital work without fear of violence.

Can you tell me about one of the people you accompany?
I accompany one of the Co-ordinators from the Organizacion Femenina Popular (OFP) on her weekly visit to the Women’s Centre in San Pablo. San Pablo is a small town on the edge of the river Magdalena, an hour north by boat. Before travelling outside of Barranca, we always notify the authorities (civil and military) by fax and phone to ensure our security. From time to time there are naval checkpoints along the river.

While the coordinators meet to discuss their work, I sit in the porch and chat to the people coming to eat the lunch provided by the Centre.

We visit women in the community that are members of the organisation. They are holding a meeting to coordinate a march in Barranca to celebrate the Women’s Social Movement against the War.

I do not join in the meeting but sit a few metres away because PBI has a strict principal of non-involvement in the work of the organisations we accompany. PBI does not give funds or advice and as volunteers we do not attend the meetings of the organisations that we accompany. I can hear the women discussing the recent assassinations in the town and the fear they feel.

At 4pm we leave to travel back to Barranca as we cannot travel by night for security reasons.

Why it is important to accompany people from OFP?
The OFP is an important organisation; they work to protect and promote women’s rights and improve conditions for women in Colombia. At the twelve Women’s Centres in this region, the women can meet, learn vocational skills like hairdressing and attend workshops on issues like human rights.

The coordinators spend a lot of time in communities where their presence is perceived as a threat by the paramilitary forces that control the area. They and the women they work with suffer intimidation and threats. The presence of a PBI volunteer means the coordinators can do their work without fear of violence and indirectly can lend protection to the women that they work with.

Are you ever afraid?
If I’m afraid it’s for the people we accompany rather than for myself.

With PBI you are not put in a situation that is too dangerous but the people we accompany don’t work with that luxury so I’m often afraid for them.

Most difficult are the moments when people I know have described the horrific things they have suffered during the conflict. Reading about human rights abuses is a very different to hearing the victim tell you in their own words, face to face.

What do you find most inspiring about your work?
It’s something very simple. All the human rights defenders from different organisations in Barranca come together to talk and work every week. I find it very inspiring to see all the people who have lived through so much fear and suffering, who are still working hard, who haven’t given up hope, who are still smiling and planning the next project or event.