Ombudsman's Office warns of the displacement of 850 people in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta

This Friday, April 22, the Office of the Ombudsman reported that the armed clashes that have been taking place for a week in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta between residual groups of paramilitarism have left at least 850 displaced persons, including 300 minors and 30 pregnant women.

This was confirmed by the Ombudsman, Carlos Camargo, who paid a visit to the municipality of Ciénaga, Magdalena, the municipal seat where the hundreds of displaced persons have arrived from the district of Siberia, La Secreta, as well as from the El Guayacamayo, San Martín, La Aguja and Quebrada de los Perros sectors, where the Clan of Golfo and the Pachencas dispute illegal rents and control of this strategic corridor.

“The communities of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta are at very high risk due to the presence of armed groups, whose clashes have led to the forced displacement of hundreds of people, which in turn represents a social tragedy of enormous proportions,” the official said after verifying the situation of the inhabitants who have seen their rights violated.

At the same time, the human rights defender warned that the number of displaced persons “increases with the passing of hours”, which is why the humanitarian crisis in this sector of the Colombian Caribbean, which has historically been affected by the different armed actors during the conflict, would be worsening the humanitarian crisis that occurs in this sector of the Colombian Caribbean, which has historically been affected by the different armed actors during the conflict, and which currently requires the attention of the State as a matter of urgency.

The entity had initially recorded the forced displacement of 300 people, belonging to 85 families, however, during this week the number of inhabitants who have left their belongings in these towns of the mountains has tripled due to the serious risks that they face in their territories, with forced displacement being one of the largest for children and adolescents, who had to abandon their studies to flee with their families.

“This tragedy also has serious implications for the environment, since it represents violence in the area affects the biodiversity present in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, one of the country's greatest natural and cultural assets,” explained the Ombudsman, who confirmed that 116 of the displaced are among the displaced people with underlying diseases.

On the other hand, the Magdalena Regional team, which carried out a verification of the La Secreta village and part of the La Unión trail, showed that along the access road there is “unexploded war material” and that a group of inhabitants decided to stay in their territory to protect their property and preferred to send the minors and women to the municipal seat.

“The Magdalena Regional team, with the support of national officials, will continue to accompany communities to verify the care and guarantee of the rights of those affected. However, I reiterate my call for departmental law enforcement authorities to work in coordination with municipal and national law enforcement authorities. At this time, victims require all the institutions of the State to guarantee their rights”, concluded defender Carlos Camargo.

For his part, the governor of Magdalena, Carlos Caicedo, announced a reward of $776 million pesos for anyone who offers information to capture the leaders of these residual criminal structures of paramilitarism, whose photos were shown at a press conference in which the authorities participated.

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