Violence in Colombia causes a sharp increase in forced displacement

Colombian soldiers in the town of Tibu near the Venezuelan border, the scene of violence between armed groups which are causing the population to flee (illustration image).

AFP - JOHN VIZCAINO

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

Colombia had not experienced such an outbreak of violence since the signing of the peace agreements in 2016. The number of forcibly displaced people has almost doubled in one year.

This is the assessment of a report published by Ocha, the Office of Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations.

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In several departments of Colombia, particularly near the Pacific coast (west) and towards the Venezuelan border,

are waging a bloody battle for " 

 ", warn the UN experts.

But the control of the territories passes by that of the populations which live there: Ocha is worried about the forced recruitment of children, the targeted assassinations, the harassments of all kinds of which the civilians are victims.

More than 73,000 Colombians fled the violence.

Sixty thousand others had to live

and more than 85,000 were unable to access basic services because of the control of armed groups.

67.5% of those forced to confine themselves were indigenous, and 18% Afro-Colombians.

Choco, Valle del Cauca and Nariño, three drug-producing departments located on

routes , represent 75% of the country's population displacements in 2021. Here too, black (42%) and indigenous communities ( 15%) were the main victims.

The displaced will not be able to participate in the elections

Of the total number of displaced people, 18% are children.

Ocha estimates that only 16% of displaced people have returned home in 2021.

In this context, how to envisage the holding of legislative elections in March and

elections  in May?

For the Electoral Observation Mission, a civil society platform, candidates will not be able to campaign throughout the country.

And the displaced will not be able to participate in the vote unless they take the risk of returning to their places of residence.  

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