In 2016, a Colombian court sent a powerful statement on environmental protection by ruling that a crucial river in the northwestern Choco jungle, which was being decimated by illegal mining, had legal rights. The landmark ruling, which came in the same year as the government inked an historic peace deal with the FARC guerrillas who controlled much of Choco, compelled the state to protect the Arato river, the lifeblood of the region. A new dawn seemed possible in Colombia's poorest, conflict-scarred department, where dozens of children had died due from mercury poisoning due to illegal gold mining in the river. But eight years later, the Atrato is still dotted with illegal dredging barges that churn up the river bed in search of gold, assent of other armed groups that have filled the void left by FARC. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES ARRANGED IN SEQUENCES