The President of the Association of Combatants with Disabilities and Decorated Heroes of Cenepa speaks of the need to return to subjects such as civics in schools and colleges.
Carlos Hurtado is 55 years old. When asked about the Cenepa war, he details that in 1995 there was great expectation and that the motto “not one step back” by President Sixto Durán Ballén became a popular phrase.
Adrian Cabezas is 25 years old. He says that he is always confused with another war (referring to Paquisha). “I honestly don’t remember seeing that at school,” he says.
For Luis Albuja, president of the Association of Disabled and Decorated Combatants Heroes of Cenepacitizens have less and less knowledge of the historical facts of the country.
Albuja, a first sergeant in a passive state, who fought in that war, points out that in the government of Sixto Durán Ballén a special law was made (late 1995) of gratitude for all the wounded in the conflict and for relatives of those who died.
With the association, he says, the aim is to ensure compliance with these benefits; Although he points out that the State has not been ungrateful to its combatants, he considers that the citizenry has and explains what the causes would be.
The value of civic
According to the former war combatant, one of the reasons why there is less knowledge about the libertarian deeds and armed conflicts of the country is that – during the Government of Rafael Correa – the curriculum of the educational institutions was eliminated from the civic matter.
“The population is forgetting those who at some point defended them at the border, who gave their lives,” says Albuja.
“In his time (Rafael Correa) what was done was more to try to ensure that the socialist question endures in the educational units of the country (…); that harmed what we are, the memories of our fallen comrades in combat”, adds the ex-combatant.
Andrés Orbe, a history teacher, says that propaganda, during the Correismo, occupied all the spaces: “In the curriculum, the teaching of civics in high school and the history and geography study books of Ecuador were suppressed. They were manipulated.”
On this, in 2018, the Plan V. portal made an analysis, where it was reflected that the school textbooks of the Correísta era were edited by the Ministry of Education and have the name of former President Correa in the indexes and in the credits.
“It was a strategy to bring the youngest closer to a policy built from the perspective of the regime,” says Orbe.
In 2019, the Social Contract for Education requested the then minister, Milton Luna, to review the curriculum for basic education and high school so that subjects such as civic, but currently it is still out of the curriculum.
Both Albuja and Orbe agree that learning about civics and republican history allows people to have a sense of belonging to their country.
“Being patriotic allows us to work to have a better society, because we want to take care of the country in which we live, to be better citizens,” adds the ex-combatant.
national hero day
The February 21 and 22 They are commemorative dates for the ex-combatants association, since they were the battle dates in which most of the soldiers were wounded and lost their lives, “finally giving us victory in the undeclared war against Peru,” details the group.
Albuja points out that although by executive decree of October 29, 2008, February 21 was established as National Hero Day, “few activities are planned these days.”
For this reason, the organization seeks that this day be of collective knowledge and be commemorated like other historical dates, since it was that day, which is known as ‘black wednesday’when “Peru signed the ceasefire and left against all principles.”
Today, for this day, a mass has been scheduled at the Basilica of the National Vote, at noon, in honor of the heroes of Cenepa.
“We would like all those who want to feel linked to the patriotic sense that we are going to have that day to go, since we celebrate 27 years of victory”, Albuja adds. (AVV)
“We cannot speak ill of the State, because it has complied. But from there what we can say is that the general population in Ecuador is the one that is forgetting the people who defended Ecuador on the border.”
Luis Albuja, president of the Association of Combatants with Disabilities and Decorated Heroes of Cenepa.
“The memories of our fallen comrades in combat are being lost and the feat (Cenepa) hardly gives it the relevance that it does on May 24 or February 27.”
Luis Albuja, president of the Association of Combatants with Disabilities and Decorated Heroes of Cenepa.
The Law of Recognition to the National Heroes and Heroines is the one in force.
La asociación tiene 260 personas, incluidos los fallecidos en la guerra del Cenepa y sus familiares.
