The Environment as a Victim of the Armed Conflict in Colombia: The Case of Glyphosate Spraying on Illicit Crops in the Context of the War on Drugs, Community Voices

Abstract

Within the framework of the 2016 Peace Agreement and the institutional mechanisms derived from it, the Comprehensive System of Truth, Justice, Reparation, and Non-Repetition has included the environment as a victim of the internal conflict. One of the main victimizing events affecting the environment has been the spraying of illicit crops with chemicals such as glyphosate. In this context, this study examines the voices of communities affected by these sprayings and their perceptions of the resulting environmental damage. The objective is to identify community perspectives on the impacts of glyphosate spraying on illicit crops in the context of the armed conflict in Colombia, contributing to the understanding of the environment as a victim of the conflict. To achieve this, the study first establishes a theoretical basis for environmental conflict. Second, it provides a historical analysis of the phenomenon. Finally, it highlights the voices of communities affected by the sprayings. The study concludes that aerial spraying has damaged territories of significant ecological value, challenging the anthropocentric perspective by disrupting vital environmental cycles and human-nature relationships.