The sociocultural impact of the El Cerrejon coal mine on the Wayuu of the southern Guajira, Colombia

The Wayuu of Colombia are suffering the impacts of the world's largest coal mine that is operating in their traditional land use area. El Cerrejon opened without any environmental or social assessments as to its possible impacts on the indigenous population of the area. These impacts have been most noticeable in the areas of increasing health problems, environmental degradation, and changes to their political/social organization. The Wayuu, now relegated to small reservations of land insufficient to sustain them, are struggling to survive the enormous upheavals to their social/cultural systems.; Five months were spent accompanying the Wayuu to understand the impacts and to make recommendations for their capacitation under these difficult circumstances. The Wayuu are at a crucial crossroads. If they are to survive; cognitive political participation must occur. The communities must organize politically to combat the negative effects of massive development projects like El Cerrejon.