1 minute
The Transformative Power of Story Telling
Born in 1960 in Colombia, I belong to a generation permeated by armed conflict and political violence. We simply have learnt to “live with it”. Take La Violencia (The Violence) for example: this is the name given to the 1948-1952 period where a cruel bi-partisan war killed more than 300 thousand and displaced many thousands, and was triggered by the conservative elite ́s fears of structural social and land reforms. My parents and grandparents lived thru these years and we all used the term naturally. But we did not talk about it enough and perhaps the fact that my father came from a very conservative family and my mother from a very liberal one had something to do with it. Not dealing with the structural issues underpinning our history probably explains why the majority of Colombians still are cautious about the Truth Commission ́s final report (June 2022). Facts such as more than 9 million victims directly affected by the war, almost 40 thousand civilians kidnapped, 6 402 innocent civilians killed by the Army or the report ́s recommendation on addressing structural racism and drugs ́ legalization should be faced up front and debated ....