COLOMBIA weekly humanitarian situation report | N°29

[ 0 50 100 200 300 400

Km.
Teorama
Norte de Santander
Barranquilla Minefield vicitim
Juan de AcostaZona Bananera
(1 civilian injured)

Tarazá
Antioquia
Mass displacement Magangue El Tarra
Puerto EscondidoSan Benito Abad Convencion
(66 people) Teorama
Norte de Santander
El Tarra Minefield vicitim
San Calixto (1 military injured)
Turbo Nechi Cucuta

Taraza
Ituango Ituango Anori
Antioquia BarrancabermejaChitaga
Piedecuesta Arauquita
Minefield victims Tame
Socorro Tame
(1 military dead Arauca
and 2 injured) Minefield vicitim
Paz de Ariporo
Saman Pesca (2 militaries dead
Pueblo RicoPensilvania and 4 injured)
Murillo Monterrey
Istmina Istmina Alvarado
Bogota
Chocó Roncesvalles
OrtegaCunday
Massacre
BuenaventuraRio BlancoCoyaima
CaliPradera
Corinto
Jambalo Puerto Rico
El Tambo
Sotara
El Rosario
Florencia

Legend Valle del GuamuezPuerto As¡s

Cartagena del Ch.

1 Dot = 1
Minefield/UXO victims
Armed confrontations
Attacks against candidates Valle del
Guamuez
Attacks against civilians Putumayo
Mass displacement
Homicides (130 people)
Mass displacement event
Homicides of candidates
Kidnapping of candidates
Information can be shared by humanitarian community directly involved in the crisis response though the Humanitarian Situation Room,
www.colombiassh.org Organisations can post their contact details though the Who What Where information channel, as well as any other
pertinent information at the site by submitting to: onu-ssh@colombiassh.org Updated information on IASC Colombia can be found at
www.colombiassh.org/iasc.
 weekly humanitarian situation report | N°29

Situation and events

Events per department Mass-displacements in Antioquia
10
10
9 and Putumayo
8 8 66 displaced from rural Tarazá towards the
7 7 7 urban area, fleeing from alleged abuses by
6 FARC members, whereas 130 displaced in Valle
5 del Guamuéz after FARC attacked a police
5
4 patrol
3 3 3

2 2 2 10/10/2007 – 15/10/2007
1 1 1 1 1 1 FARC members allegedly arrived to the rural outskirts of
Tarazá (Antioquia), burned a house and retained 20
0 peasants for five hours. Following these events, on
Bolivar
Putumayo
Bogotá, D.C.

Boyacá
Norte de Santander
Valle del Cauca

Chocó

Cauca

Caquetá

Casanare

Córdoba

Nariño

Risaralda
Tolima

Caldas

Santander
Atlántico

Arauca

Antioquia

Magdalena

Meta

Sucre
October 17 66 people (among them 35 demobilised
paramilitaries) displaced to this area looking for
protection. IDPs are settled in a municipality’s facility
and received food aid from the local government and the
Presidential Office for Reintegration. DAPARD, Acción
Events Social and ICBF also assisted them. On October 19,
during a Security Council IDPs agreed to return once the
35
31
Army reinforces security measures in the area.
According to the Peace Adviser of Antioquia department,
28 most IDPs have now returned.
22
21
On the other hand, press sources reported the
17
displacement of 130 people, following an attack to a
14
police patrol by FARC in a rural road of Valle del
14 Guamuéz (Putumayo). According to the local mayor, the
displaced population was stigmatised as FARC
7
supporters allegedly by members of the Police and the
3
Army. So far, IDPs are settled in the town’s church.
2 2
1
0
Humanitarian situation in Chocó
Homicides

Homicides of
Minefield/UXO
Attacks against

Attacks against
confrontations

displacement

Kidnapping of
candidates

candidates
candidates

civilians
Armed

victims

event
Mass

One massacre, the forced disappearance of 10

people and armed confrontations in Istmina,
Sipí and Bagadó raised concerns among
Armed confrontations national authorities and humanitarian actors
Police - FARC, 2,
6% Army - "New 26/10/2007
Police - "New emerging bands", 6, On October 27 the Ombudsman’s Office informed 6
emerging bands", 1, 18% miners were killed and 4 injured after an attack by an
3%
illegal armed group in Istmina. The government of
Istmina summoned a security council in order to assess
Army - delinquency, the situation. The Ombudsman’s Office and
2, 6% Procuraduría visited the affected community and raised
the alerts. Humanitarian actors are reporting the
situation to national and local authorities, as well as to
the humanitarian community, considering there is still a
Army - ELN, 4, 12%
high risk for the local population. Meanwhile, since
October 21 a group of 10 people (4 underage) is missing
Army - FARC, 19,
in Sipí. According to preliminary information, this
55% situation (as the one in Istmina) could be related to the
arrival of new illegal armed groups who are struggling for
DATA HEREWITH PRESENTED WAS COLLECTED FROM OFFICIAL SOURCES BY OCHA territorial control.

OCTOBER 17 - 24 1
 weekly humanitarian situation report | N°29
The local and national Ombudsman’s Offices as well as the Catholic Church in Chocó have raised the alerts among the
humanitarian community. The Ombudsman’s Office is considering the activation of a rapid search mechanism.

On the other hand, between October 15 and 18, the Catholic Church in Chocó and WFP reported that rural communities of the
municipality of Bagadó are confined due to sustained armed confrontations between the Army and FARC. WFP fear possible food
shortages among these communities. WFP delivered food aid on October 19 and 20. The humanitarian actors in the region are
monitoring the situation in order to prevent food shortages.

Follow-up: mass-displacement in Cocorná, Antioquia

133 people (35 families) continue in the urban area after the murder of 2 candidates for deputies by FARC and
sustained threats against 28 more

26/10/2007
According to recent information, one of the candidate’s families displaced to Medellín. IDPs are temporarily settled in relatives’
houses and in a municipality’s facility and have received food aid from the departmental government. DAPARD, Acción Social,
CISP, UNHCHR and UNHCR are also assisting the population.

Follow-up: Awá displacement in Nariño

According to Awá indigenous authorities risks in their communities persist. 1,018 IDPs remain in a school
facility in precarious food and sanitation and conditions

26/10/2007
Following the mass displacement of an Awá indigenous community in rural Tumaco on September 18, indigenous authorities issued
a communiqué denouncing precarious conditions of IDPs in Inda Sabaleta and the lack of guarantees for their return. According to
the release, indigenous communities fear possible attacks due to the increasing presence of Army troops and coca eradication
groups near their reservations. On the other hand, coordination between humanitarian actors in the region is improving. On October
19, representatives of Solidarity International, Coopi, UNHCR, the government of Nariño and UNIPA held a meeting in order
coordinate actions and humanitarian response; Solidarity International and the departmental government suggested the
construction of a shelter. PAHO is supporting the construction of 5 water wells.

OCTOBER 17 - 24 2
 Violence against candidates
COLOMBIA weekly humanitarian situation report | N°29

[ 0 50 100 200 300 400

Km.

Puerto ColombiaSanta Marta

Pueblo Viejo
Bogota Aracataca
Cerro de San AntonioValledupar
Marialabaja
San Jacinto La Jagua de Ibirico
Coloso Guamal
SampuesMagangueEl Banco
Cerete
Achi San Calixto
Necocli
Tuiquisio Ocana
Turbo AguachicaLa Playa
Santa Rosa del SurSimitiPuerto Wilches
Chigorodo
Mutata San Pablo Surata
Anori Cantagallo Matanza
Toledo Floridablanca
Carolina
Vigia del Fuerte
BetuliaMedellin
Cocorna
La Dorada
AguadasSamana Chiquinquira
Pueblo RicoPensilvania
Villamaria
AnsermanuevoPereiraLibano
Roldanillo Restrepo
Zarzal Villavicencio
Espinal
Guadalajara de BugaTulua VillaricaAcaciasPuerto LopezPuerto Gaitan
Palmira CubarralCastilla la Nueva
BuenaventuraRioblanco
Cali Ataco
Corinto Neiva
Morales
Algeciras
Timbio
La Macarena
Florencia Calamar

Milan
Puerto Guzman
Ipiales Cartagena del Chaira

Violence against candidates

February - October 25, 2007
Source: MOE, Observatorio de Derechos
Humanos, press sources.

Pie size corresponds to the number of

events registered per municipality

Threats
Attacks
Kidnappings
Homicides

Information can be shared by humanitarian community directly involved in the crisis response though the Humanitarian Situation Room,
www.colombiassh.org Organisations can post their contact details though the Who What Where information channel, as well as any other
pertinent information at the site by submitting to: onu-ssh@colombiassh.org Updated information on IASC Colombia can be found at
www.colombiassh.org/iasc.
 weekly humanitarian situation report | N°29

Political overview
Elections jeopardised by violence against candidates and electoral crimes
Two days before to the election of governors, mayors and regional/local deputies the candidates are at high
risk due to sustained attacks against them that have seriously increased in the last three weeks and to the
denounces of crimes related to the electoral process. The Early Warning System and the Electoral Watch
Mission (MOE for its Spanish acronym) issued reports whereby they asses the risk related to elections
throughout the country. So far, 29 candidates have been killed.

26/10/2007
The MOE presented a series of maps registering the different levels of risk for the October 28th’s elections. These maps indicate
challenges entailed vis-à-vis the development of fair, free and transparent electoral round bearing in mind corrupt practices against
voting and scrutiny as well as threats posed by different forms of violence perpetrated by illegal armed actors against candidates,
voters and institutions at the local, departmental and national levels. The MOE highlights 164 municipalities are in extreme risk (175
in high risk and 337 in medium risk).

Closer looks to the main variables observed by OCHA and also compiled by the MOE are offered below (also see attached map):

Homicides 4.5 4
4
29 candidates have been killed throughout the year; Antioquia is the 3.5 3
3
most affected department with 8 candidates in four municipalities, 2.5 2 2 2
followed by Valle del Cauca with 5 homicides and Tolima with 4. In 72% 2
1.5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
of the cases the author is unknown; the remaining 8% were allegedly 1
committed by FARC. 72% of the homicides occurred during September 0.5
0
(25%) and October (47%). 13 of the candidates killed were aspiring for
Buenaventura
Medellín

Toledo
San Jacinto

Tuluá
Ipiales
Calamar
Cartagena
Cocorná
Villarica

Samaná
San Fracisco

Corinto

Aguachica

San Calixto
Puerto
Ataco
Rioblanco

Yumbo
Guadalajara
Morales
the mayor position, whereas 11 were aspiring for deputies positions.

4.5 4
Attacks 4
3.5
3
23 homicide attempts were registered throughout the year, 7 of which 2.5 2 2
2
occurred in Valle del Cauca department. Buenaventura registered the 1.5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
highest number of attacks against candidates (4). In 86% of the cases 1
the perpetrator is unknown; FARC was the supposed responsible for 0.5
0
the remaining 14%. 85% of the events occurred during September and Timbío
Buenaventura

Neiva

Villavicencio

Ansermanuevo
La Jagua de

Juan de

Villamaría
Villarica
Pereira

Bogotá

Florencia
Milán

Floridablanca

Pradera
Sabanagrande

Chiquinquirá

Cali
October (58%). 16 of the attacks were against candidates for mayors
whereas 8 were against candidates for deputies. During some of the
attacks, civilians resulted injured.

30
Threats 24
25 21
128 threats against candidates were reported during the electoral 20 16
campaigns; Antioquia was the most affected department with 24, 15 12 11 11 10
followed by Meta with 21. The most affected municipality was Riosucio, 9
10 7
in Caldas, where all the candidates from the Polo Democrático
5 2 2 1 1 1
Alternativo Party were threatened. Similarly, in Meta department, 21
candidates from the Conservative Party were threatened. In 66% of the 0
Bolivar
Santander

Cesar

Santander
Antioquia

Meta

Magdalena

Sucre

Atlántico

Córdoba

Risaralda

Huila
Valle del
Caldas

Norte de
Cauca

cases the author is unknown and in 28% FARC was reported as the
perpetrator. 79% of the events occurred during September and October
and a significant 13% occurred in the month of July. 45% of the
threatened are candidates for deputies and 43% are candidates for
mayor.

OCTOBER 17 - 24 3
 weekly humanitarian situation report | N°29
Kidnappings Department Municipality Kidnapping
Tolima Rioblanco 1
8 kidnappings were registered between July and September; Antioquia Antioquia Anorí 1
and Tolima register the highest number each with three cases. In three
Antioquia Betulia 1
cases the alleged kidnapper was FARC, the others are unknown. 7 of
are candidates for mayor and 1 is a candidate for departmental Antioquia Vigía del Fuerte 1
assembly (deputy). So far, candidates remain kidnapped. Bolivar Regidor 1
Norte de Santander La Playa 1
Tolima Espinal 1
Tolima Líbano 1

OCTOBER 17 - 24 4