data revista no 73 colombiainternacional73-03-analisis-gill

8/4/2019 Data Revista No 73 ColombiaInternacional73-03-Analisis-Gill

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ClbiaIeracial 73, enero a junio de 2011: 49-70

Recibido el 29 de noviembre de 2010 aceptado el 29 de marzo de 2011.

Dirder ad Everda Lie i Barracabereja

Lesle GillVanderbilt University

AbracThis article examines how ears o political violence and neoliberal restructuring have dis-organized social lie in Barrancabermeja. How, it asks, can working people grasp the uturewithout the stabilit to understand the present and the was that it both emerges andis dierent rom the past? It explores how an extreme orm o neoliberalism ragmentedvarious orms o social solidarit, inused social lie with ear, and generated violent,clientelistic networks that ourished in the absence o rights. It argues that unrestrainedpower and violence deprived people o the coherence needed to take care o themselvesand to grasp the connections between the past, present, and uture that are necessar tomake histor.

Kewrd

everyday life neoliberalism political violence Barrancabermeja

Derde vida cidiaa e Barracabereja

ReeEste artculo examina cmo aos de violencia poltica neoliberalismo han desorganiza-do la vida social en Barrancabermeja. Cmo es posible, pregunta la autora, que la clasetrabajadora capte el uturo sin la estabilidad de entender el presente la manera en queel presente emerge del pasado pero al mismo tiempo es dierente? Explora cmo una ormaextrema del neoliberalismo ragment varias ormas de solidaridad social, inund la vidacotidiana con miedo gener redes violentas de clientelismo que orecieron en la ausenciade derechos. Sostiene que el poder la violencia descontrolados privaron a los barranque-os de la coherencia necesaria para cuidarse a s mismos para captar las conexiones entreel pasado, el presente, el uturo que son necesarias para hacer historia.

Palabra clavevida cotidiana neoliberalismo violencia poltica Barrancabermeja


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I would l ike to thank Oscar Jansson, Forre st Hlton, and twoanonmous rev iewers or thei r comments on an ear l ier vers ion o th is

a r t i c l e .

Lele Gi l l es p ro esora de l Depar tamento de Ant ropo log a de l a

Univers idad Vanderbi l t , Nashvi l le, Estados Unidos.

les ley.gi l l@vanderbi lt .edu


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ClbiaIeracial 73, enero a junio de 2011: 49-70

I Jy, 2010, v Cb by b, gz, , b , g g g Bbj, -y M Mg g. Uk gv w b Bg w 19 y w, y gg y b gg 20 y Bbj g . T b gz- R E M M C, wk O Hg M C, vy C . T v g, , wkg v Bbj wkg , C,Bq, M, b y b g- v y 20 y b-g. Cqy, , , - w g bg wkg ww gy b Bbj. Wkg y jy 20 y, w g-wg - L w g g

.

Dg w y g , , v v b By P N, y , w g g - y-bk

1 Compare, or example, Ann Farnsworth-Alvears discussion o the intense paternalismthat shaped earl 20th centur labor relations between Medelln textile mill ownersand emale workers (Farnsworth-Alvear 2000) with the description o worker radicalism

in Barrancabermejas oreign-dominated oil enclave in Vega Cantor et al (2009).

Dirder ad Everda Lie i Barracabereja

Lesle GillVanderbilt University


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52

GILL

k , v g-x z A v, v x- g kg, gv g x- , w b wv y.

Cb, y , w .Bgg 1980, , g , j

y , v , x g M Mg g. Ty g y w g -wg g- gz b y g g-wg b g , , wy gk w , x-j x, , g v wkg w . Rg kg v Bbj. Y b y gz wkg , g , g Mg v, v g- g, Bbj b y g 20 y, w x j x.

Bw 1998 2003, k v y w v y . T v - v v, vg wk US Ob, wk b -gz. P k v b g- v gg g b w kw lacmbinacindetdalafrmadelcha v g b b b gz, , , C b . Pvz gw v g wkg bk w y, y by y vv j w -

b. A b wkg , y g b v w g by y. D By y v, w k b v y y Bbj, w b j,

2 For more on this process in Colombia and the Middle Magdalena region, see Hlton

(2010), Lpez (2010), Bonilla (2007), and Archila et al (2006).


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53ClbiaIeracial 73, enero a junio de 2011: 49-70

DISORDER AND EVERyDAy LIFE IN BARRANC ABERMEJA

b g b v gg ky - b wy 1920 1970.

Cy Bbj x: g , w

wkg- w, vv y Cb , - gz. Cg y g y. Y y b , j g b yv y. T v g b y v g , w b v y -, , by. T v g y b wkg b g . A , w y, vv , v by g g k, , g- b b bw vz - wb.

y, g 20 y 21 b, b v k j bw . Ty z by w-y . T v wkg b gz wkg vb b w y vg. T g , wv, vy g w b wy g v, barranqe w k vg -

, w y w b, w y w gg w , , g, wy vg . Hw, k, wkg g , w j , w by wy b g ?

I w w, I x q wkg by v v. I g x b

3 I borrow the concept o accumulation b dispossesion rom David Harve (2003).


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Bbj y wkg y , -k -wk w by y. Y vv Bbj wkg ,

b b, y , b . T Bbj x y wy g b xg T W gg v, g, v.

T b by y xy wk-g x , wy, w . Wkg y - , g by y. Ty w g w v, b y v gg - vyy v y . I vyy b wkg k b, gv g x, v g y w y . Cg vyy j y x g gk gg Cb, y Bbj. T b w b, b wy , v - v , w, wv b w -y y gb.

T gz wg . F, b w v g Bbj wkg

b g, w y. I x w, -y kv, , , g v gv

4 Davis (2006) sketches in broad outline the rise o an inormal urban proletariat inThird World cities and the variet o strategies, both atavistic and avant-garde, thatit has developed to contend with marginalization and the withdrawal o social welareservices.

5 See Sider (2008). In this article, m discussion o everda lie draws on Siders

conceptualization.


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g b wy wkg k b , , .

RuPtuREs: thE unmAKInG of A WoRKInG CLAss

Nwy, Bbj j y. A , y b x , k bg y b g, w 200- g g ky. S w b chalpa bk b, yg g g w MgRv. T j w , g y g bg , wkg- gb y . T ww b w, y y . A g g y y , w vg y g g, w g kg g. T b y x v, w w jbw y .

W C C, w U S-DF Cb -v b g , bw 1997 2006, v g y gz, by w b Nw Y Dy 2001 kg Bbj, y k y w M Mg g. Ty gb Bbj, w, My 16, 1998, y y-v . Ev g y y 1980, bggw , , , yb g w v b

Bbj b g , gz, -wg , w j g g gw g v y. Y w y gz g , ,g v g -g v .

T g Bbj wkg 20y w -- w gw Cb y.A gv g by S O Nw Jy, 1919, x, g

y v kg wk, w , y


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vg x v g b y Cb y. L g,Bbj v v bg w w-b wk, , g U.S.

y g w w y z A-Cbwk y bg - y w . N gy, wkg Bbj b gy - . Iw by ky b , M C R EM, x g U S Ob (uso),w bg gz wk 1920. T uso y ky gv z y 1951 -w y, E Cb P (ecopetrol).By w y, g Cb g , wk, w w g g b y, w g b (Vg, Nz P 2009).

I 1960 1970, wv, b kg jb Bbj y ecopetrol bb .Nw g gb g g v k y, w y w b B b k b v vy . D v bw B vy w- wk ecopetrol, uso wy by g g b - v gb, bk v gg b , vz ecopetrol.A , C , by b -

gy, gv y gb g -b gz. T w wk gz x vk k y 1970, w y x b v, y w, .

6 For more on the civic strikes that erupted in Barrancabermeja and elsewhere inColombia, see Carillo Bedoa (1981) and Giraldo and Camargo (1985). See also vanIsschot (2010) or a useul discussion o the social movements in Barrancabermeja

rom the 1970s-1990s.


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I w y g . Bw 2000 2003, y v by Bbj g (cinep credhos 2004). Svy-

uso w bw 1988 2002 ( Lgg2002), gz, x v , x-. T w v k wkg gb , w g N Lb Ay(eln) Rvy A F Cb (farc) y y. T b y g, bw y , vw gy b. Mv, y k-- g b w , b v v b v b- b . B g-- v Bbj y, y w w g , gb, , , v, w g b , byg .

o make matters worse, paramilitaries suspected anyone who lived inpoor neighborhoods o guerrilla sympathies, and many previously dis-

placed amilies ound themselves obliged to ee again, along with long-time residents, to other cities. As the paramilitaries took up positions inthe northeast, they enorced rigid gender and generational hierarchiesthat included the prohibition o long hair and earrings on men and the

public humiliation o gays and prostitutes. Tey also extorted weeklynancial contributions rom residents or the provision o security.Tese contributions, however, were only a partial guarantee against the

violence o the paramilitaries themselves. Because o the widespread im-punity that accompanied the paramilitary reign o terror, and the harsh

control exercised by the mercenaries in the northeastern neighborhoods,it was impossible or victimized individuals to speak out about what was

happening to them. Te violence, however, did not afect all working classresidents equally. Merchants and small business owners had sufered romguerrilla extortion or years, and many were happy to see the insurgents

expelled. Some people had also become disgruntled with the guerrillasheavy-handed tactics, such as attacks on police stations in densely popu-lated neighborhoods, and they initially welcomed the arrival o the para-militaries, even passing them inormation about the guerrillas and their

sympathizers.


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T y kv Bbj w Cb, w gy b y b, gw y , , , z w vy b (Lz 2010;

R 2007). A y v -g g g, y y g v g . Ty bb gv , b kkbk. I Bbj, y , gz g ecopetrol , g b, , , v y , bg . T w g g, gw by .

T g vg, , b b bw gz , v- b g kg (Hy 2010). P y Bbj, x, by , w g v, , wy g k x g, A P ,g g, y- j, . IBbj, y g b w vz k g b g gbg k (G 2007; 2009). I, by y 21 y, w v g Cb g y w b -b, z y y w y S.

T -w y b gy wkg w y g by v, w w gb, bb, y q. T gz y y w wwk y , v , , g w wkg bq v b vy w y. By -g gz gg wkg gb,

g wy g b v


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. A w bjvy g v g wkg , w ggv , v . v. S gw vz b k w , -

z gz, C b -, y .P gy w vg , wy , b. Svvg b v v w g , by byg v, , .Rbg wk y g w bgy gwg , , .

DIsoRDER AnD DAILy LIfE

y, Bbj . Fwg 2003 ykv x g Cb, y gz k w P v Ub Vz, v gy v b w w . T w gvbk y g, by g g -zg y, g y . T , wv, v ybz w g wk bk . Ty g w g , - g , w gv gg vw wk g b q w vw y v.

A v g v y, P v Ub D Sy g, - gy farc g vv g g

7 For a comparative Colombian example, see Aviva Chomsks discussion o the paramili-tar takeover o the Colombian banana zone in the province o Urab (Chomsk 2008,181221).

8 Barrancabermeja mirrors in man was similar phenomena in post-war Guatemala. SeeGrandin (2004, 180198) or an excellent discussion o the impact o counterinsurgentterror in Guatemala on the insurgent sel and the reshaping o political subjectivitin the atermath o violence.

9 For more discussion o post-peace accord paramilitarism, in which criminalit remainstethered to a deense o the status quo and the suppression o dissent, see Romero

and Arias (2010) and Restrepo (2010).


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v y bkg y g. Cv , g bw g g . A y y vg ,

vg wg ecopetrol by - g v . Y b q v, w .

T g by y y- v g y by , -, v , w v b b wg b b wy . T bg ywk v y y y wkg ;- y wk v wy vb . T- y, x, by b ecopetrolb w bg wk y g y jb w y, , b w v y w g - v . Mv, wkg gz b k v w ; k by uso, 2004, .

Iv v - bw , y x v v xb. T k b g w w wzg, b -g, v b y v y. I 2000, 1,123,764 y Cb,b by 2004, g 1,787,947, yx 65 bw 2003 2004 (HIz 2007). D g Bbj b

wk y bz, yg, k-- v y k y y -v v. Uk y b, w w y w , mttaxita k g y xy y b, - by 50 bb g. , v w . Sw by w bz w bg

v g g .


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Py x - g bb w y. Sbv y b vyy gz x. A bb , y

w y b w. N gy, bb gv-

x, yg w y .Fwg k, Ag 2007, y x x w w,w v g w b, b g b. T, , k by x, y w g b b wy. M - b g by w .

I gwg vby g-z y v g w bg y y. T b g, g, bgg w -z ww x , w x b g (.g., Dv 2006; Sbk 1996; G2000). A v w w g -gy b v v w w , - b, , w .P wk v g b y jb, , y z by y g v - y, b y kv y g, w wk - v v.

T y w b w jb , k , , g g -v (Lgg 2002), y , wk.S y vv by wk g kw v y w g b y g. A

10 Interview, Barrancabermeja, Jul 2007.

11 See Auero (2007) or a good discussion o clientelism and violent criminal networks

in Buenos Aires.


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y y, x, w - g gb, w y w q . H b q , b vg ,

qky b k . H - vv w, kw , w gy.

Ag jb k w bkg g-b gz -wg y w x y wk k y w v. O y wk xw b bg y, b kg wk g -wk v bg g y . Tvz y [by ], , bb [ ] v b b g , v g w y kwgy y , gy w g, g . S y , k g, v g , gbk . Ty v v k . T by g ggv , w b w -v wk, y vv.T by b k yBbj gg gy gy bv w wk gy vg wg, wgb, g g g .

Nwy, v g x v b,y g wk b-z wk x

w y. Cgg y b

12 Interview, Barrancabermeja, March 2007.

13 Ibid.

14 See Narotzk and Smith (2006, 5674) or an interesting discussion o how ear anduncertaint regulated social lie in Spain during the Franco regime.

15 See Berquist (1996, 161209) or a comparative discussion o labor struggles in theUnited States and Latin America. The violence required to undo the labor and popularorganizations in Barrancabermeja attests to the strength, interconnections, andlegitimac o these groups and contrasts with the relative ease that capitalists and

neoliberal government ofcials disciplined organized labor in the United States.


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b bw gz , y - y v, , b gz y vy . T v yg, b

, y . R b v w gb g, ,k , y b v y g . T y g ,g vz x, - g g z . A by b w g. D w g b 2009, v y g wk w k Bbj. H y bgg b y. T yg , , w g g gg g g v w g b v.

A Pb L, bg gb j -, x, T bg q w y ? L gy w w gb j y, g b g y, k y gb , v jb. H v y j . I 2010, wv, , w - - k , v y v k w .

g k , w ,L w j w y, ,

x x , v,y y. L y w w g vg b. A g, b x g w b b b k

16 See the Colombian journal Arcanos (#15, 2010) or a series o articles that describehow a new wave o paramilitar violence and criminalit has aected Colombiancities, such as Medelln and Bogot, in the atermath o the demobilizations.

17 This is a pseudonm.


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64

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w bgg w . L x yg b w y v j, v , bg w

bv. N v , w gv w y w . b q , Lv y y b wb. Pyg x w g y w g; , w g j w - gg wg w w .F, L g j by y w w- k g v y. H - , wv, w y. H y , , w x y w , b k y, y bv . H L bzzg y y .

A bg q b wy -y b b . I y g y, L y w v b g x, b v g g x - g g, g b. I, wy w g k, y bv L y,gv g y x by b y g g y? C y , , w -? W g w y g? I g y , b, vy , w yw by. B L y y?

T y g g by, y L wy. M v b bkb k atm , gv g v - -y y. Ty y w ky . Ty b b v jb y . A , Nby k b b vy g g w b .

18 Interview, Barrancabermeja, Jul 2010.


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Awg q y b. L , wv,gg zzy g z -z wk kwb b, , g y g

kwg. I wy g y y ky v b , y . A y, L x k wy w v, , y q, - qy. T y vv ; y b y k w y . Mv, y v w -wy g v b w w x w b bw g g , bw q. B wy v y w k bw g, b w , kg -v jb, v, j by xyb.

T y, , vg x g b v- v, . D vwgy y kv , ggz b v jy g v , y w b v y 21 y g. R -b w w bw w g w; y x w y wk g v w g y-

g ; y g v bg w y . Y wv w g . A

19 These views reect less past realities than the victor o the counterinsurgenc, thedeeat o revolutionar hopes, and the widespread social malaise that emerged in thewake o the paramilitar takeover. The echo assertions made in post-war Guatemalathat the guerrillas were complicit in the Maan genocide because the provoked stateviolence. yet as McAllister notes, such claims not onl ignore statistics; the also ig-nore the chronolog o revolutionar struggles and the vicissitudes o insurrectionar

revolutionar movments (Mcallister 2010).


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GILL

gb b g g, x, y w y v b v gb, w g . T v b y b g

b g, g kg g g, g , y, -y g, v g k bw 2000 2002, w b by y wg g g v w g- gb w b g . Sgy, , g v, g b y v g g k y .

I y kv b v w, bgg g xy , G R w vv v x y y w by g, wy v v. T y kv g - g y y. I wy v v , wk yb w. T b kg 4-y g, 2004, y vy y . Mg b wwk jy b b g v y, wk w w q. T x vy g, w v.

T b v vyy vy y wk v . I

gy k-- q b w bw v , g , v g g, w v w q v y . g -v wkg g by w x gg . T x- , , w , wyb w g k x b vb yb v v. Dy ,

vyy , x xy b


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-. P k y, y y, b z y. Mv, g w wg vg k g v-, Cb x w gz

D Av Sy- v , w v g v .

I , g by bz b y Bbj g gy w. Sv v g y b -v xg g , -v c - v, , x , b, y. Y v qy w b g v , y , gv . Ty v, wv, g gz v- w v g v -b w g w v.T by vg. Pyv vg v b Cb.Ty k v , y g v, , v g v (H Rg F 2009). A -x v wy y j b gz y Cb.

ConCLusIon

Y v g, g by w- y, v Bbj, k v v b, b , v b Bv, E, Vz w

L A. Cy Bbj x b, w y y v bg, y , v, - wk b g v bggw. W x, y y w wy w v g , , - v. U w v v v wkg q k y, .., g - bw , , wy wy ,

y b. Ty v g b,


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68

GILL

, kwg by k v , y v w by b g g k, b- , g-x.

Y g y , y, , y Bbj v-, , g y Cb Bbj wkg . T v g g By P N, x, w b v y by w g. T -v Cb M Mg g b by y b b bw v . Tyg v, w y v Bbj v g. A y gg b w y, vg v w b by g v b w .

Reerece A, M N. et al. 2006. C,

Mg M, 1990-2001. Bg: C, cinep. Ay, Jv. 2007. R v Ag: T gy

z S w. Nw Yk: Cbg Uvy P.B, L. 2007. Mg M:

b. I Parapltica: Lartadeexpaninparamilitarylacerdpltic, . M R, 341390.

Bg: C Nv A I.Cky, Avv. 2008. Lk b : Nw Eg, Cb, kg gb wkg . D: Dk Uvy P.

cinep credhos. 2004. Barrancabermeja, la tra verin: paramilitarim,cntrlcialydeaparicinfrzada, 2000-2003. Bg: cinep, credhos.

Dv, Mk. 2006. Planetflm. L: V.Fw-Av, A. 2000. Dlcinea in the factry: Myth, mral, men

and wmen in Clmbia indtrial experiment, 1905-1960. D: DkUvy P.


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G, Ly. 2000. g : Gb g, y , Bv S. Nw Yk: Cb UvyP.

. 2007. Rg w y: C-C, b g,

v Cb. CritiqefAnthrplgy 27 (3): 235260.. 2009. T P Cb: P v

g Bbj. Anthrplgica 51: 313325.G, Jv, Sg Cg. 1985. P y v v

Cb. Cntrveria 128.Hvy, Dv. 2003. Te new imperialim. Nw Yk: Ox Uvy P.H Rg F. 2009. Baele prectin f Hman Right defender in

Clmbia: In the dck and nder the gn. Nw Yk, Wg: HRg F.

H Iz, J C. 2007. Lv q: . VangardiaLiberal, Jy 9

Hy, F. 2010. P Cb: T . P g L A S A, ,C.

v I, L. 2010. T g g: P v Cb y w, 1919-1993. P.D. , D Hy, MG Uvy, M,C.

Lz, C. 2010. Y refndarn la patria Bg: R HM.

M, C. 2010. A g : V v G g vg. I Acentryfrevltin:Inrgent and cnterinrgent vilence dring Latin America lng CldWar, . Gg G Gb M. J, 276308. D: DkUvy P.

Nzky, S Gv S. 2006. Immediatetrggle: Peple, pwer,

andplaceinrralSpain. Bky: Uvy C P. Lgg, G. 2002. L g g Mg M Cb. ://www..g//x/g2004..

R, J Dg. 2010. E vz M: g v.Arcan 15: 6477.

R, M, . 2007. Parapltica: lartadeexpaninparamilitarylacerdpltic. Bg: C Nv A I.


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R, M Ag A. 2010. Sb , y : , q gb.Arcan 15: 3445.

Sbk, Jy. 1996. In the citie f the th: Scene frm a develpingwrld. L: V.

S, G. 2008. Agy, y, b vyy :I . I Alltag, Erfahrng, Eigeninn:Hitrich-anthrplgiche Erkndngen, . B Dv, TLbg, M W, 120132. Fk, Nw Yk: C.

Vg C, R, Lz g Nz E Ax P F-z. 2009. Petrleyprtetabrera: lausoyltrabajadrepetrlerenClmbia. Bg: C Ay S Mg.

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