Colombian village faces humanitarian crisis after a week without power and water amid armed conflict

The remote corregimiento of Tabiles in Colombia's Nariño department is grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis, with its 2,500 inhabitants enduring eight days without essential services of electricity and potable water. This prolonged outage has plunged the community into a dire situation, exacerbated by the backdrop of escalating armed conflict in the surrounding mountains.

The disruption began on Friday, July 3, when an unexpected power outage occurred. This immediately crippled the water pumping system, suspending the water supply not only to Tabiles but also to approximately ten neighboring villages. The dual lack of power and water has created immense hardship for residents, including the elderly, children, and local businesses, making the situation "unsustainable."

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Our bodies and souls hurt having had to leave our homes in Tabiles. We feel the weight of the war that is today banishing our bodies; what we ask is that they do not take away our dignity and hope.

Adding to the community's distress, armed illegal groups have been clashing in the nearby mountains for nearly a month, vying for control of drug trafficking routes. This violence has directly impacted Tabiles, forcing nearly 300 people to abandon their homes and seek refuge in the municipal center of Linares. Displaced residents expressed deep sorrow and a sense of abandonment, pleading for their dignity and hope not to be stripped away amidst the war's pressures.

Authorities were criticized for a slow response, with an extraordinary security council meeting only convened on Friday, July 10, in Pasto, a week after the crisis began. During this meeting, initial measures were decided, including the dispatch of a water tanker carrying over 15,000 gallons to assist affected families. The Director of Administrative Management for Disaster Risk and the Mayor's office are coordinating these relief efforts, though residents feel official help has been too slow to arrive.

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This situation is already unsustainable for families, the elderly, children, and businesses in the area. We ask Cedenar (Nariño Electrical Companies) for an immediate solution.