Colombian environment group wins Norway rights prize

The Collegiate Body of Guardians of the Atrato River (CCGA) was on Wednesday awarded Norway's Rafto Prize for its fight against illegal mining and environmental destruction in Colombia.

The CCGA was honoured for their members' "courageous fight against environmental destruction and for the protection of human rights in Colombia", the Rafto Foundation said in a statement.

The Atrato basin in north-west Colombia "is exposed to high levels of violence" linked to armed groups and criminal networks "engaged in widespread, environmentally destructive illegal mining", the foundation said.

It noted that illegal resource extraction and gold mining in particular "have caused severe environmental devastation and pollution in the area".

The Guardians of the Atrato River monitor and document areas affected by illegal extraction, raise awareness among local residents about the risks of pollution, and seek to pressure authorities to ensure that court decisions are enforced.

The river, which springs from the Andes and flows into the Caribbean Sea, runs through one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet, but also one of the most affected by the Colombian conflict.

Its natural resources have drawn in armed groups, cartels and criminal networks, who engage there in drug and arms trafficking in addition to the illegal exploitation of resources.

The use of mercury in the mining of gold "has led to accumulation of toxic substances in the soil, river water and aquatic life", the foundation noted.

"In these challenging conditions and at significant personal risk, the Guardians have stood firm on the front lines," the Rafto Foundation said.

First awarded in 1987 and named after Norwegian historian and human rights activist Thorolf Rafto, the prize carries a cash award of $20,000.

It has previously been given to four people -- Aung San Suu Kyi, Jose Ramos-Horta, Kim Dae-Jung and Shirin Ebadi -- who went on to win Nobel Peace prizes, which are also awarded in Norway.

The winner of this year's Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on October 9 in Oslo.