Dozens of inhabitants of El Neme, a lane in the municipality of Valle de San Juan (Tolima department) wore t-shirts with messages in favor of the victims of the armed conflict, forgiveness, and peace in Colombia. This is how they wanted to pay tribute to the victims who had been killed 14 years ago, on the 24th of April 2001, in a massacre perpetrated by paramilitary groups.

Dozens of inhabitants of El Neme, a lane in the municipality of Valle de San Juan (Tolima department) wore t-shirts with messages in favor of the victims of the armed conflict, forgiveness, and peace in Colombia. This is how they wanted to pay tribute to the victims who had been killed 14 years ago, on the 24th of April 2001, in a massacre perpetrated by paramilitary groups.

Nowadays, the community of El Neme is in the middle of a collective reparations process with the Unit for Attention and Reparation of Victims. Thanks to a rehabilitation strategy called ‘Entrelazando’ they are rebuilding the ties that were broken after the violent events. This reparation measure seeks to contribute to comprehensive reparation, Nohora Moncayo, from the Victims Unit, explained.

‘We were seen as a “red zone”, but little by little that is changing,’ said Aleida Segura, one of the women member of the support committee in the collective reparation process of El Neme. Jorge Orlando Sánchez, territorial director of the Victims Unit in the Tolima department, said that ‘one of the most important tasks we are developing is rebuilding the social fabric in this area that was affected by the armed conflict.’

‘Being in this group helped me a lot, because after what happened, it was a very hard life. I used to sleep one night, but not the next one. I had a very difficult time for four or five years,’ said Ángel, the only survivor of all those who were tied that night. ‘Now, I can talk about it in a calm way. Before, I started to cry.’ 

• For more information (in Spanish): http://www.unidadvictimas.gov.co/es/reparaci%C3%B3n-colectiva/el-neme-se-visti%C3%B3-por-las-v%C3%ADctimas-y-por-la-paz/13313