Conflict, Displacement, and Elections Action Plan for Municipal Elections in Colombia Political Rights and Enfranchisement System Strengthening Project (PRESS) Action Plan VIl Jeff Fischer November 2006 IOM International Organization for Migration International Organization for Migration IOM’s Political Rights and Enfranchisement System Strengthening Project is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and IOM is grateful for this support. The views in this paper are those of the author and not necessarily of IOM, its member states, USAID, or the U.S. Government. Additional Information on IOM PRESS can be found at: www.geneseo.edu/~iompress Questions or comments?
[email protected] 2 Table of Contents Acronyms and Organizations 5 PART I 7 Executive Summary 7 PRESS Project Background and Methodologies 10 Colombian Legal Framework for Conflict, Displacement, and Elections 12 Conflict 13 Displacement 14 Elections 15 Colombia History of Conflict, Displacement, and Elections 17 Conflict 17 Displacement 18 Elections 21 Colombian Government Services and Displacement 25 Social Action 25 Office of the Prosecutor 26 Colombian Civil Society Organizations and Displacement 26 National Convergence of Organizations for Displaced Persons 26 National Indigenous Organization of Colombia (ONIC) 27 Afro-Colombian Ethnic Movement (Afrodes) 27 Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement (CODHES) 28 Media for Peace 28 International Community and Displacement 29 International Organization for Migration (IOM) 29 United Nations High Commission