Afro-Colombian Day: An opportunity to celebrate culture

and reflect on inequality

Wednesday marks Colombia’s Afro-Colombian Day, which pays homage
to the contributions of Afro-Colombian communities and calls attention
to their ongoing struggle for equality.
Specifically, the day commemorates 159 years since the official abolition
of slavery on May 21, 1851. Since then, the country has continuously failed
to guarantee the environment in which the multicultural and multi-ethnic
society outlined in the 1991 Constitution can be realized. Even the process
of abolishing slavery in Colombia was long, with many ups and downs and
inconsistencies.

Through Act 725 of 2001, the Congress of Colombia established May 21 as

the National Afro-Colombian day.

Today, various organizations — including the ministries of Education,

Culture, the Interior and Justice as well as international cooperation
agencies such as the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF), the
US Agency for International Development (USAID), the US Embassy and
the International Organization for Migration (IOM) — have collaborated
in efforts to make the day an example of equality and cultural recognition
in the country.

In honor of the day, President Juan Manuel Santosissued “a salute of

admiration and affection from all Colombians [to Afro-Colombian
communities], with an appreciation for what you have done for our
nation.”
“Since the liberation struggles, you have helped to build this country
and strengthen our democracy. Today you continue to represent the
homeland in such diverse areas as sport, culture, research and science,” it
continued.

“I am aware that we are indebted to you, and it’s never too late to
recognize it.”

Racism has continued to disadvantage the Afro-Colombian population, as

evidenced by economic disparities, a large educational performance gap,
and dramatic under-representation in politics.

The Afro-Colombian population, concentrated along Colombia’s Pacific

and Caribbean coasts, has also been disproportionately affected by the
country’s longstanding armed conflict. The national Ombudsman’s Office
released an Afro-Colombian Day report that claimed 47% of Colombia’s
displacement victims in 2013 came from Afro-Colombian communities,
which make up just over 10% of the total population.

Santos’ statement made reference to the cost of the armed conflict on the
Afro-Colombian people, saying, “In my efforts to achieve peace, I have to
make clear the enormous impact that the armed conflict has generated
among the Afro-Colombian people.”

“So peace – seeking peace and working for it, with all its benefits – is the
best hope that today we can share,” continued Santos.

Santos promised that the implementation of an Afro-Colombian

Presidential Programme would benefit the position of Afro-Colombians in
society by the adoption of a law which criminalizes racism and racial
discrimination.

Santos has taken criticism for the government’s meager response to

human rights situations on the Pacific coast in particular. Just last week,
almost 3,000 people were displaced in the heavily Afro Choco department
in northwest Colombia. Buenaventura, the coastal port city whose
population is over 80% Afro, has the highest levels of urban displacement
in the country and an unemployment of over 60%.