UN Office of Humanitarian Affairs warns of violence and displacement in the country

On April 19, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that so far in 2022, 69,800 people have been displaced or ended up confined because of the violence of armed groups, with the Pacific departments being the most affected.

Chocó is the department in which there are the most confinements, since according to OCHA, there are at least 48,300 people in this situation, the most affected are indigenous people and people of African descent. The region accounts for 89 per cent of registered confinements in Colombia and reports 1,496 displaced persons.

Nariño records nine mass displacements where more than 3,400 people have had to leave their homes because of the violence. In Valle del Cauca, the international organization has recorded six displacement events involving 3,000 victims and Cauca reported 500 displaced by violence.

“The Pacific area accounts for 55% of those affected by displacement reported nationally, it should be noted that the high level of affection to Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities is particularly serious,” says the Office.

Between April 10 and 17, the massive displacement of the Community Council of La Comunidad Negra of the Lower Calima River Basin (Vereda San Isidro) from the municipality of Buenaventura was presented.

At least 124 families (264 persons) were forcibly displaced to the urban area of Buenaventura, following the presence, incursion and clashes between armed groups. It is important to mention that this community would be in confinement since January 2022, and since December 2002, it would have presented restrictions on mobility and access to services.

Likewise, the confinement of at least 900 families in Bajo Calima remains active, with a possible risk of mass displacement in the face of violence and armed conflict. As a background, four emergencies of this Community Council stand out:

Since January 10, the confinement of at least 958 families (2,028 persons) due to the continuous presence of two GANE, in addition to homicides and the imposition of codes of conduct that generated mass displacement; between January 21 and January 25, the mass displacement of at least 840 families (2,215 persons) of the same Council was presented Community given the constant incursion and threats by a GANE towards the municipality of Cali;

On January 19, the displacement of 33 people belonging to the Black Community of the Lower Calima River Basin was reported, following the incursion and clashes between GANE and the municipality of Tuluá; iv) between 18 and 21 January there was a displacement of at least 331 people (134 families) from the same community council to the town urban area of Buenaventura.

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