Birth of a Barrio (11 images)

Birth of a Barrio
Work in progress

Colombia has the highest number of internally displaced people in the world. People flee the countryside where guerrilla and paramilitary groups fight with police and army or with each other. The population is usually stuck in between.

The relatively safe cities Bogota and Medellin grow involuntarily because new settlers occupy every piece of available land.

High on a mountainside with a breath taking view of...
more »

Birth of a Barrio
Work in progress

Colombia has the highest number of internally displaced people in the world. People flee the countryside where guerrilla and paramilitary groups fight with police and army or with each other. The population is usually stuck in between.

The relatively safe cities Bogota and Medellin grow involuntarily because new settlers occupy every piece of available land.

High on a mountainside with a breath taking view of Medellin a new 'barrio' has sprung up. The land squatters have had a few rough months. Their huts were demolished or burnt down six times, but now about 150 of them have united to fight the authorities. They have started negotiations with the municipality of Bello, the owner of the land.

They are not sent away anymore. They have slowly started to flatten the land and constructs huts. Soon it will be a real neighbourhood.

In April 2010 I will return to see the latest changes. During the next years I will follow the development of the area and the lives of some of the first settlers.
« less