“So far in 2022, 38 people have been displaced daily in Arauca”: Ombudsman's Office

This Thursday, April 21, the Ombudsman's Office denounced that so far in 2022, an average of 38 people have been displaced every day in the border department of Arauca, due to clashes between armed groups that are present in this troubled region in eastern Colombia.

The entity showed that through the monitoring carried out by officials to the serious humanitarian crisis that has been taking place since January 2 in this department on the border with Venezuela, due to the armed confrontation between the FARC and the National Liberation Army (ELN) dissidents, there has been an increase in forced displacement, murder and the feeling of anxiety among the population.

“From our Regional Arauca we have been constantly monitoring the human rights situation. We are concerned that actions continue to be taken against civilians in violation of International Humanitarian Law. Just over the weekend, the attack on a car carrying 9 people was reported between Tame and Puerto Rondón, in fact two adults and two children aged 5 and 8 died,” said the Ombudsman, Carlos Camargo.

The official also warned that so far this year there have been reports of the murder of 146 people in this region who have suffered the onslaught of illegal armed groups for the control of illegal economies and this strategic corridor, of which five were social leaders, which has generated fear among the population that is in the middle of the “all-out war” that was declared.

Similarly, the defender warned that the risk of the civilian population is high and asked the authorities to follow the recommendations suggested in the early warnings that are in force in Arauca and that have been issued since 2018 for the municipality of Arauca; the 029 of 2019 for Arauquita, Saravena, Fortul and Tame; the 06 of 2021 for the urban area of this municipality; and 023 in 2021 for the municipalities of Cravo Norte and Puerto Rondón.

“We have shown that since March 13, the violation of human rights in the communities of Arauca has intensified amid the confrontations between the ELN and dissident factions of the FARC, which have kept in confinement, threat and risk of displacement the inhabitants of 14 villages of Puerto Rondón, 17 in Tame, 15 in Arauquita and nine in the municipality of Arauca,” said defender Carlos Camargo.

Finally, he called on illegal armed actors to leave out the civilian population by illegal armed groups and to allow access to humanitarian missions in the territory, as threats against social leaders and the community at large continue to exist for arrests and disappearances.

It also called on local authorities to design action plans to address communities that have been displaced and are confined, while calling for the increase of the security forces, a measure that requires an institutional complement.

“So far this year we have sent 4 trades of consummation of these risks to CIPRAT, in order to guide the competent authorities to take effective measures that can counter, mitigate and overcome the risks and threats posed by outlaw groups, against the targeted population”, concluded the Ombudsman, Carlos Camargo.

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