Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
San Lorenzo (Agenzia Fides) - "We give support to the inhabitants of the northern border provinces, men, women, children, farmers, the Afro-Ecuadorian people and the Awá, Chanchis, Éperas, Cofanes, Secoyas and Sionas indigenous groups, as well as migrant populations in transit in the area, who face the consequences of a complex conflict that has worsened in recent weeks". This is what is highlighted in the statement of the Tundayme community, sent to Agenzia Fides, to signal the postponement of a visit to a date yet to be defined of the visits of the General Controller of the State regarding the mining projects of Mirador and Fruta del Norte, in the province of Zamora, in Ecuador (see Fides 23/02/2018).
The wave of violence with attacks and kidnappings that is affecting the north of Ecuador, on the border with Colombia, has caused so far the displacement of 158 families, coming from the villages of El Pan and Mataje, towards the province of Esmeraldas, according to the information released by the authorities of the country. The displacement began about three weeks ago, when the two journalists and the driver of the newspaper "El Comercio" were kidnapped and subsequently murdered (see Fides, 16/04/2018).
In Ecuador there had never been any acts of violence due to Colombian drug trafficking. Since January 27, the country has been hit by a series of attacks in the border area, which have already caused seven deaths (two journalists and the driver and four soldiers) plus dozens of injured and two new kidnapped. The names of the latter were communicated by the authorities on 17 April: an Ecuadorian couple - Oscar Efren Villancís and Katty Vanesa Velasco - who had left the province of Santo Domingo to go to San Lorenzo, in Esmeraldas.
Of the 158 displaced families, 54 are housed in a hostel of the Catholic Church, located in the canton of San Lorenzo, and there are dozens of children and adolescents, as well as elderly and pregnant women among them. The rest of the displaced were welcomed by other families. It is expected that the number of displaced persons from the border area towards San Lorenzo will increase in the coming days, which is why more reception facilities are being prepared.
The Bishop of Esmeraldas and president of the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference, Mgr. Eugenio Arellano, as well as the entire Episcopal Conference, have condemned the acts of violence and terrorism that took place in the canton of San Lorenzo on several occasions, stating that "life is sacred and peace is a gift from God, every terrorist attack is an evil that must be rejected by everyone". (LG) (Agenzia Fides, 19/04/2018)
