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Colombia

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colombia violence war conflict photo

Medellín, February 1990

Street corner. Man waiting at public phone booth. This was a time without mobile phones. The Medellín cartel headed by Pablo Escobar was at its heyday and violence and fear ruled the streets of Medellín. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Medellín, October 1997

Man sitting on the edge of a fountain under a sculpture by the famous Colombian artist Botero. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Medellín, May 2002

Police detectives from the CTI (Cuerpo Technico de Investigation) investigat a murder. The man was shot several times from a car by an unidentified gunman. On an average weeknight, around ten people died a violent death in the city. Some killings are politically motivated, but according to the police, most are the result of alchohol abuse and resulting violence. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Medellín, May 2002

A man is identifying his brother that was shot dead on a street in Medellín. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Medellín, May 2002

Man with crucifixes walks past homeless family, that are most probably internally displaced persons who have fled the violence on the countryside. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Amaga, September 1997

During "Childrens Day”, children dress up and have their own parade. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Apartado, June 1997

The Colombian army has organized a rally to strengthen support for their cause. Among the special guests are Chief of Staffs General Bonnet and Miss Colombia 1996, Claudia Veléz Angel. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Urrao, Antioquia Department, October 1997

The countryside around Urrao is a stronghold of the FARC guerrilla. A bus going into FARC territory is thoroughly searched by the Colombian army that has a base in Urrao. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Caicedo, Antioquia Department, October 1997

A column of the FARC guerrilla has attacked the town of Caicedo. They destroyed not only the police station, but the adjacent church as well. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Caicedo, Antioquia Department, October 1997

A column of the FARC guerrilla has attacked the town of Caicedo. They destroyed not only the police station, but the adjacent church as well. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Caicedo, Antioquia Department, October 1997

Destroyed church of Caicedo. Children inspect the ruins. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Medellín, Colombia May 2002

Special police troops (CEAT, Elita Anti Terrorista) patrol the streets of Medellín. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Medellín, Colombia May 2002

Police forces from the CEAT (Anti Terrorist Elite Corps) are patrolling the streets in a contested neighborhood of Medellín. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Medellín, Colombia May 2002

Police forces from the CEAT (Anti Terrorist Elite Corps) are patrolling the streets in a contested neighborhood of Medellín and search people for weapons. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Outside Urrao, October 1997

Guerrillas from the FARC wash and clean on a farm on the countryside outside the garrison town of Urrao in the National Natural Orchid Park. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Outside Urrao, October 1997

The countryside around Urrao, departement of Antioquia, is a stronghold of the FARC guerrilla. Female guerrilla fighters on patrol. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Rio Sucio, Chocó Department, May 1997

The area around the Rio Atrato is heavily contested between paramiltary forces and guerillas. An army boat is ready to board to make a patrol as local kids look on. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Barrancabermeja, Colombia, June 2002

Displaced people from the nearby village of Cienaga de Opon. When paramilitaries entered the village and killed some suspected guerrilla sympathizers, most of the villagers fled. For more as a year and a half, the displaced have been camping out in a school in the centre of Barrancabermeja. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Barrancabermeja, March 2001

Barrancabermeja was in 2001 the most violent city in Colombia. Kids in "Nororriente" a neighboorhood with leftist leanings, have just gotten a free meal at a soup kitchen, run by a woman's organization. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Barrancabermeja, March 2001

In Barrancabermeja, a war is going on between left wing guerrillas and right wing paramilitary groups. Most of the victims are civilians, accused by either side of being supporters and sympathizers of the other side. Special police forces patrol a contested neighborhood. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Barrancabermeja, March 2001

Special forces of the police (COPES, Commando Especial Policia) try to curb the killings by searching people for weapons. The police is accused of tacitly lending support to the paramilitaries. Soldier on watch while girls looks on. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Barrancabermeja, March 2001

Police driving through a neighborhood with murals of Che Guevara and leftist Colombian leaders. On an average week, 20 people are killed, most of them in the impoverished outskirts. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Barrancabermeja, March 2001

During a violent weekend night, victims are brought in at the morgue, were a forensic expert is carrying out the autopsy. Police members chat and joke while a victim of political violence is laying on a stretcher. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Barrancabermeja, March 2001

On the weekend of March 24th, eight people were murdered in this town of 250.000. Most victims were guerrilla sympathizers and union organizers, presumably killed by paramilitaries. At the morgue, a girl identifies the body of a relative. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Barrancabermeja, March 2001

In the funeral parlor, family members are mourning a slain victim. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Barrancabermeja, March 2001

After battles between the Colombian army and the ELN guerrillas, dead bodies of guerrilla fighters are brought back at the army base and put on display for the press. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Barrancabermeja, March 2001

In the outskirts of Barrancabermeja, a member of the ELN guerrilla was killed when a hand grenade he was trying to throw at an enemy exploded prematurely. Soldier chasing away a vulture that is eating body parts of the victim. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Barrancabermeja, March 2001

Barrancabermeja is the most violent city in Colombia. Funeral of slain union leader Rafael Attencia, presumably killed by paramilitaries. Relatives throw flowers on his grave. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

Medellín, Colombia, May 2002

Police detectives from the CTI (Cuerpo Technico de Investigation) ride a dead body on a stretcher in the city morgue. On an average weeknight, around ten people died a violent death in the city. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
colombia violence war conflict photo

San José de Apartado, June 1997

Tired of torn between paramilitaries and guerrillas, the town of San José has declared itself neutral 'Communidad de Paz'. Nonetheless, FARC guerrillas have entered the town and killed a few men while accusing the people of collaborating with the paramilitaries. Woman mourns her son. — Colombia

  • © Teun Voeten
war conflict photography

War and Conflict

The human dimension always has priority

For more than 28 years, from the First Gulf War when Scuds were falling down in Tel Aviv until the recent violence in Mexico and Syria, Voeten has been photographing wars and conflicts worldwide for international magazines and organizations.

In his work, he tries to strike a balance between form and content, in which the human dimension always has priority.

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