HUMANITARIAN BULLETIN ISSUES 43 | 20 - 26 October 2010

Key developments: - New displacements in Antioquia and Nariño Departments - Protection of civilians: Attacks against indigenous people, children and social leaders. - Children: victims of the armed conflict in .

HUMANITARIAN BULLETIN ISSUES 43 | 20 - 26 October 2010 COLOMBIA

Displacements in Antioquia and Nariño departments

On 22 October, at least 50 people displaced to the urban area of Zaragoza municipality, Antioquia de- partment, leaving from threats by an unknown illegal armed group. According to Acción Social, IDPs are being sheltered by relatives and friends. Local authorities delivered emergency assistance, while Ac- ción Social deployed a field mission on 22 October to assess the situation.

On 20 October, in El Charco municipality, , 29 people displaced due to the presence of an unknown illegal armed group. According to the Local Ombudsman of El CHarco, IDPs are being sheltered by relatives and friends. This displacement was not considered as “massive” due to the thre- shold number of families displaced (“massive” starts to qualify with 10 families). Due to the non “mas- sive” nature of the displacement, the declaration of displacement by part of the Personeria is being done on an individual basis. For the time being, the IDP families have not received any humanitarian assis- tance from Acción Social or the municipality. This is the third displacement event that has occurred in this municipality this year. Official data shows that in Nariño department the rate of displacement per 100.000 inhabitants is three times higher than the national rate.

Protests and blockade in Norte de Santander.

On 22 October, 800 peasants demonstrated against manual eradication of illicit crops in El Tarra munici- pality, Norte de . Protests began on 11 October and blocked the road that connects El Tarra to Tibú municipality. Protesters demanded local authorities to offer alternative crop opportuni- ties to substitute illicit crops. After negotiations, the Ombudsman Office, local authorities and protesters agreed to end the blockade. A field mission from the Ombudsman Office to assess the situation is cur- rently taking place.

Attacks against civilians continue in Antioquia and Córdoba.

On 25 October, an IDP leader involved in land restitution process was critically injured in an attack in Apartadó municipality, . The GoC, the National Comission for Reparation and Reconciliation (CNRR) and local NGOs condemned the attack. On 21 September, another leader from the same organization, Asovirestibi, was killed in similar circumstances.

Indigenous Zenú authorities from “Alto San Jorge” Reservation expressed their concern in relation to the increasing killings and threats against members of the Zenú community, in Puerto Libertador and Mon- telibano municipalities, Cordoba department. According to Zenú authorities, in 2009, 12members of their community were killed, while in 2010 the figure has pointed to 16. In addition, indigenous authori- ties flagged the repeated threats and displacements of entire communities, in particular in the rural area of Las Cordobas Village, Montelibano municipality.

HUMANITARIAN BULLETIN ISSUES 43 | 20 - 26 October 2010 COLOMBIA

The situation of children in Arauca

A 2010 report by the Catholic Church Humanitarian Office in Arauca department, Caritas Arauca, indi- cate that at least 20 children have died as a result of the armed conflict. “It is unfortunate how children, adolescents and youth continue to face serious rights violations in the context of the armed conflict. It´s deplorable the impunity for perpetrators of the acts”, stated Caritas. The NGO condemns the fact that children have been affected by landmines, displacement, kidnappings, forced recruitment and gender based violence.

This week, the Attorney General and the General Prosecutor assumed the investigation for the killing of three children of the same family, one girl and two boys, in Tame municipality. The bodies were found with signs of torture three days after their disappearance on 14 October. Local media reported that the girl was raped and 60 soldiers are under investigation.

Events for department*

Follow up: Natural Disasters

During the period from 18 to 24 October, Colombian authorities (DPAD) reported 2 deaths, 8 injured persons, 15.674 persons and 2.975 families affected by natural disasters in Colombia. Two houses were destroyed and 2.973 were damaged during the week. Most of the natural disasters this week were re- lated to the rainy season and La Niña phenomenon, which is currently affecting the weather patterns, . Floods affected a total of 13.420 persons, windstorms 2.212 persons, and landslides 33 persons.

HUMANITARIAN BULLETIN ISSUES 43 | 20 - 26 October 2010 COLOMBIA

The most serious event was a flood in López de Micay municipality, , on 22 October. This flood affected 5.600 persons. There were 800 houses and one schools damaged, while 520 hectares of crops were destroyed. On 18 October a flood in Palmar de Varela, Atlántico department, affected 2.500 persons and damaged 700 houses. In , César department, a flood affected 2.100 per- sons and damaged 420 houses on 22 October. There was also a flood in Barranquilla, Atlántico depart- ment, affecting 1.500 persons and damaging 300 houses on 23 October. A serious windstorm on 24 Octo- ber affected 750 persons in San Pedro, Valle del Cauca department, and damaged 150 houses.

The volcano Santa Fé de las Platas erupted on 18 October in Arboletes, Antioquia department, some 40 km from the urban centre of Arboletes. Four people were injured according to Colombian authorities (DPAD). According to the Colombian Geological and Mining Institute INGEOMINAS, there are three volcanoes with a level III warning (level I being the highest); the volcano Cerro Machín, the volcano Ne- vado del Huila and the volcano . The third level means changes in volcanic activity.

Contact: Carrera 10 # 97A - 13 Oficina 401 OCHA Colombia Pbx. 57 + 1 6221100 www. colombiassh.org Fax. 57 + 1 622 1232

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* All data herewith presented was processed by OCHA from official and secondary sources. ** Other categories refer to events that are not directly linked with HR violations or IHL infractions.