Constructing the Notion of the Maritime Cultural Heritage in The
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CONSTRUCTING THE NOTION OF THE MARITIME CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THE COLOMBIAN TERRITORY: TOOLS FOR THE PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OF FRESH AND SALT AQUATIC SURROUNDINGS Aura Tatiana Ome Baron The United Nations-Nippon Foundation Fellowship Programme 2007 - 2008 DIVISION FOR OCEAN AFFAIRS AND THE LAW OF THE SEA OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS, THE UNITED NATIONS NEW YORK, 2008 DISCLAIMER The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of Colombia, the United Nations, the Nippon Foundation of Japan, or the University of Edinburgh. © 2008 Aura Tatiana Ome Baron. All rights reserved. Abstract Colombia is the only country of South America with coasts in both oceans, the Atlantic and the Pacific. Thanks to the work of the Colombian Commission of the Ocean (CCO) the National Policy of the Ocean and the Coastal Zones 1 was approved in 2007 by the Colombian government. Throughout the elaborations of the said policy, the need to strengthen and intensify the development of social and cultural aspects related to the seas became evident. It was observed that the coastal zones have an important patrimonial value due to the cultural goods that lie in these social spaces and in the maritime cultural landscapes. This wealth is also owed to the local communities, whose traditions and expressions constitute a unique material and immaterial legacy of the humanity, because of their pluri-ethnic and multicultural features. However, many of these populations have most of their basic needs unmet. Although the effort to solve this situation has been made, their problems have increased throughout the last decades due to the national internal conflict, to non-sustainable development, and to the difficulty to apply mechanisms in their favor because of the situation of the country. These conditions have generated not only the displacement of these communities and the worsening of their standard of living, but also the deterioration of the tangible and intangible heritage, leading to its potential disappearance. Before this dramatic historical moment arrives, it is considered pertinent to continue working in the construction of the notion and the safeguarding of the maritime cultural heritage for the Colombian territory and to design a proposal or theoretical contribution approached from an anthropological perspective, within the framework of the aquatic cultural heritage. Important aspects ought to be explained and the implications of this approach, its definition, safeguarding and conservation at theoretical and legal level, within a national and international scope. All this with the purpose of suggesting some initial parameters for the design of future normative and political instruments, or any other mechanisms, that allow to generate labor possibilities to the coastal populations, from a controlled sustainable development. All this also to promote both the positive valuation of the coasts, their resources and societies, and to guarantee the appropriation, valuation and safeguarding of the maritime cultural heritage in Colombian territory. 1 Hereafter; PNOEC spanish acronym. i Summary WORKING TITLE: Constructing the Notion of the Maritime Cultural Heritage in the Colombian Territory: Tools for the Protection and Conservation of Fresh and Salt Aquatic Surroundings SUPERVISORS: Proffesor Alan Boyle Dr. Francois Bailet ii Acronyms ASCUN Asociación Colombiana de Universidades [Colombian Association of Universities] CCO Colombian Commission of the Ocean COLCIENCIAS Instituto Colombiano para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y la Tecnología [Colombian Institute for Science and Technological Development] DANE Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadistica [National Administrative Department of Statistics] DIMAR Dirección General Marítima [National Maritime Authority] DNP Departamento Nacional de Planeación [Planning National Department] ICOMOS International Council of Monuments and Historical-Artistic Places ICANH Instituto Colombiano de Antropología e Historia [Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History] ILA International Law Association IMO International Maritime Organization INAH Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia – México [ National Institute of Anthropology and History - México] PNOEC Política Nacional del Océano y de los Espacios Costeros [National Policy of the Ocean and the Coastal Zones] SICAS Sistema Cartográfico de Arqueología Subacuatica [Cartographic Information System of Underwater Archaeology] UN United Nations UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNLOSC United Nations Law of the Sea Convention iii Acknowledgements First of all I want to thank the United Nations - the Nippon Foundation of Japan Fellowship Program, for having trusted a great challenge when granting me this fellowship award. Unquestionably, the outstanding responsability has allowed me to have a unique experience to further my knowledge in maritime subjects, essential for the development of my country, through the investigative practice. The participation in this program has also offered me the possibility to experience unique situations such as being hosted by the Division for Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea, home of important international tools and process related to the oceans, such the Law of the Sea, are designed. This gave me new ideas and motivated me to continue working in the strengthening of the maritime policies in Colombia. I am very grateful to my Supervisor and Program Advisor of the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea, Dr. Francois Bailet, for his constant guidance and advice during the process of elaboration of the present study. I acknowledge his very valuable direction, comments and support throughout this work, which made possible its successful fulfillment. Thanks a lot to my Supervisor of the Scottish Centre of International Law - Edinburgh University School of Law, Professor Alan Boyle, for his exceptional direction and support in the development of this study. For his advice and guidance with respect to international maritime legal subjects as well as the diverse normative tools within the national and international frameworks. His valuable contributions played a fundamental role in the achievement of this project. I thank Mr. Václav Mikulka (Director of DOALOS) and all DOALOS staff members for their support and advices during my time in the office. I also thank the Lecturer of the Scottish Centre of the International Law - Edinburgh University School of Law, Dr. James Harrison, for his very valuable comments and contributions regarding many different legal aspects and international maritime normative tools. The Colombian Commission of the Ocean (CCO) and its Executive Secretary, Frigate Captain Julian Augusto Reyna Moreno, for his unconditional support in this process and his advice and direction on Colombian maritime policy. Also for giving me the chance to work as the cultural advisor, therefore, among other things, on the design of the National Policy of the Ocean and the Coastal Zones ( PNOEC ), which has recent be approved. iv The professor of the Javeriana University, Mrs. Monika Therrien, for her accurate suggestions and valuable anthropological, political and archaeological contributions regarding the project. The Director and Researcher of the Foundation Terra Firme, Mr. Carlos Romulo del Cairo Hurtado, for his crucial guide and support in aspects related to the maritime cultural heritage, cultural submerged heritage, and sub-aquatic archaeology in Colombia. The Researcher and Member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation Terra Firme, Ms. Catalina García, for her contributions and suggestions regarding the maritime history, sub-aquatic archaeology and submerged cultural heritage in Colombia. One of the General Maritime Direction lawyers, Mr. Juan Camilo Monsalve, for his counsel on legal subjects within the Colombian and the international framework. Terra Firme Foundation for some of the pictures used. All the UN-Nippon 2007-2008 fellows (Andi, Ritche, Sampan, Uirá, Rodrigue, Mohamed, Robert, Christophe, and Tricia) for their helpful comments and friendship. To all and everyone my deep acknowledgment for their wise support. v Table of Contents Abstract ......................................................................................................................................i Summary....................................................................................................................................ii Acronyms .................................................................................................................................iii Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................iv Table of Contents .....................................................................................................................vi List of Figures/Maps/Tables ..................................................................................................viii 1. Introduction ...........................................................................................................................1 1.1 Background and Context ....................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Objective and Scope.............................................................................................................. 4 1.3 Methodology .........................................................................................................................