Rigo Alonso Velásquez, a civil engineer and IOM Field
Monitor in the Department of Putumayo, says his work requires a
high degree of sensibility.

Putumayo is an isolated department in the Colombian Amazon, on
the border with Ecuador and Peru. The region has seen its share of
violence and crimes perpetrated by illegal armed groups.

Although for many Colombians the region seems a forgotten and
dangerous place, Rigo arrived here looking for professional
challenges, and as he puts it: "I discovered a region where
everything is still to be done."

Rigo has worked for IOM Colombia for the past five years and
agreed to share his experiences in Putumayo.

What is so special about Putumayo?

"Putumayo is a magical place. It is an environmentally rich
region with an abundance of water, oil, and exotic flora and fauna.
It’s also a sort of promised land, where opportunities abound
and where there is much to be done.

"But development in Putumayo moves as at a snail’s pace.
There is no technology and not many advances in new infrastructure.
Also, people here have gotten used to living off of bonanzas: first
it was rubber, then oil and finally coca. The residents here need
to learn skills to help them survive and make a living long
term."

What is your day-to-day work as a field
monitor?

"My day starts at 5:00 AM. I spend the first two hours working
on an on-line degree in Amazon Studies. My day as an IOM Field
Monitor starts at 8:30AM. Sometimes I visit the communities we are
working with, and other times the persons we assist come to the IOM
office in Mocoa (the capital city of Putumayo).

"The vast majority of those who come to IOM are in need of
assistance. In the case of the internally displaced and victims of
violence, they reach out to IOM looking for advice on what
resources and programmes are available in order to claim their
rights. Some people are illiterate, they cannot read or write, much
less how to negotiate with the authorities; this is why they come
to IOM for assistance."

What moments come to mind as the most
difficult?

"Certainly situations where there is violence and public order
is disrupted, are the most stressful and tense; we never know what
may happen. In the past, it was quite common for paramilitary
groups to ask IOM staff: Who are you? What are you doing in this
area? And so now, in order to avoid conflict with armed groups, we
let the community know ahead of time that we plan to visit them so
that the news reaches everyone. We also try to have someone from
the community accompany us at all times during our visit; this
reconfirms that we are performing humanitarian work and we avoid
problems with the armed groups."

What moments come to mind as the most
gratifying?

"Overall the work is very gratifying. But I especially remember
the first time we arrived at a small village near Puerto Leguizamo
(one of the main municipalities of Putumayo) where the residents
were showing incredible curiosity to approach us and meet us. When
we explained that our intentions were to discuss with them a
potential project to improve the quality of education of their
children they became very happy. And we quickly learned that IOM
was the first international organization to visit the area and
offer to work with them."

What is the most important thing, in your
opinion, that the world should know about the work you and your
colleagues are carrying out?

"For us it is very important for all IOM colleagues and the
world to know that the projects under way in Putumayo are human and
made of flesh and bones. We see more than just the development and
execution of a project; we actually see how the lives of many human
beings are being transformed for the better.

"That is why are work requires a degree of sensibility. Every
single day we come into contact with families that live on less
than one dollar per day; families that have many unmet needs and
are working hard to survive. And so, in order to understand the
people, work with them and help them, we need to empathize with
them. To do our work well, we must sit and share with the
community."

Where do you see yourself in the
future?

"I think all human beings have cycles that they must complete.
And therefore I know that at some point I will leave behind my work
as a field monitor and set out on a new road to learn a new
language, live in a foreign country, etc. By doing so, I will learn
new things that I can put to use when I return to my country to
contribute to its development."

For more information on IOM’s activities in Colombia,
visit "http://www.oim.org.co/" target="_blank" title=
"">http://www.oim.org.co/