Hola from Colombia! As part of the same project which Leila, Mary, and Shonali worked on in Liberia, we have travelled to Bogotá in order to research the witness protection programs in Colombia. There are four of us here: three clinic students – Nicolle, Farnoosh, and Priyan as well as Professor Kaye, the director of the clinic. We have several interesting meetings lined up and we are sure this will be a fruitful trip!
The three students left the humid air and white beaches of Cartagena for the bustling mile-high metropolis of Bogotá late Sunday night to meet Professor Kaye. In contrast to the laid back, beach town attitude of Cartagena we were greeted in Bogotá by a hoard of overzealous taxi drivers bidding for our business. After some unsettling confusion we picked a driver and we were off. We drove by a walled compound which our taxi driver pointed out as the American Embassy or the “bunker” as he referred to it. The driver started asking us questions about our trip. We knew Bogotá was safe for Americans now, but nevertheless we were told to constantly be alert while travelling in Bogotá and since the roads were desolate at that time of night and I started to feel a bit apprehensive.
Our driver kept asking us probing questions and I found myself bending the truth to try and make us seem less vulnerable. As I answered the driver’s questions, I couldn’t help but reflect on our project. If I was feeling uncomfortable in this relatively safe situation, how could we even begin to comprehend how vulnerable victims of sexual violence and armed conflict must feel when seeking the benefits of a witnesses program? This was one of the many difficult questions we have had to ask people as we conduct interviews this week.
Don’t worry, we arrived safely at the hotel and as our driver graciously wished us good luck on our trip with a big grin on his face I realized all of that tension I felt was in my head. After a few hours of sleep we met with Professor Kaye and our journey began. We have already met with some inspiring individuals and have several more exciting interviews to come. We will keep you updated as the week progresses!
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