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Bogota, Colombia-based photographer Jorge Oviedo visited a military base camp in the mountains of Colombia to document the day-to-day lives of military personnel for Soho Magazine. Jorge captured the bravery and determination of women soldiers responsible for finding and collecting anti-personnel mines left by guerrilla groups prior to the signing of the Peace Agreement.
The magazine commissioned Jorge for this project as a result of documentary-style work he’s done for the publication in the past. In a similar respect, Jorge has also shot unit photography for HBO’s Mil Colmillos – a 2021 show where a Colombian military team is dispatched into the jungle.
Since the images were captured while on a military camp surrounded by mountains, the terrain made it extremely challenging to transport the cameras and equipment, but with the Colombian Army’s cooperation, it proved to be a rewarding experience. The camp — where the soldiers had been stationed for over a year — was constructed of green and black tents surrounded by a coffee plantation. In addition to the soldiers, hens, chickens, and dogs roamed freely.
The soldiers were fortunate to enjoy the comforts of satellite television, electricity, hot showers, and clean water — amenities that would be unthinkable in such a remote area just a few years back.
Just a few years earlier, the guerrillas (civilian fighters who engage in non-confrontational warfare) planted hundreds of mines that claimed the lives of almost 12,000 people throughout the country, including other civilians and soldiers. While the process of demining began in 2010, it’s difficult to estimate how many mines still remain. Yet through their efforts, more than 80% of the 179 villages have been made free of mines and almost 500,000 meters of minefields have been cleared.
In the beginning, it was difficult for us to understand the position and rank of the militaries, to avoid interfering with their job.
Demining is a meticulous procedure that requires infinite patience. When a foreign element is detected the procedure must be carried out by following the International Standards for Mine Action and also those outlined by the UN.
I remember the moment when, while following a women’s battalion, they found an antipersonnel mine. We waited for 30 – 40 minutes until they took out the mine and declared that “everything is ok now”.
Using black and white imagery to add a level of uniformity to the project, Jorge’s work depicts the soldiers in a compelling light without being haunting or sad despite the nature of the profession. He is grateful for the humbling and informative experience and now has a better understanding of how Colombian soldiers work to improve the lives of the communities they serve.
“There is nothing more beautiful than approaching a community and seeing in their faces that change from sadness to hope, that very soon they will be able to recover that land that they have abandoned to grow their coffee and be productive. That’s really gratifying.” Second Lieutenant Molina in an interview with Soho magazine.
My favorite part was to realize how soldiers encounter their situation in a happy and positive way.
Credits
Photographer: Jorge Oviedo
Producer: Lucy Moreno
Journalist: Martin Franco
Photographic Assistant: Nicolás García