More Colombians fleeing to Venezuela's cities, says UNHCR

[seemslikeadream]

30 Mar 2005 14:52:29 GMT

Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

CARACAS, Venezuela, March 30 (UNHCR) – Rising numbers of refugees and asylum seekers are moving to urban Venezuela, citing security concerns and economic difficulties in the border region. While isolated border communities continue to be the first destination of people fleeing the Colombian conflict, UNHCR has noticed a considerable increase in the number of individuals who seek protection in bigger cities like Maracaibo and Caracas.

In Caracas, the UN refugee agency registered more than 700 asylum seekers last year, almost double the number registered in 2003. These asylum seekers come from a wide range of countries, including Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but up to 85 percent are victims of the Colombian conflict.

"In the cities, they feel more secure by being unidentified within a larger population," explains UNHCR programme officer Andres Ramirez. "They also believe they can find more economic opportunities to survive there."

The profile of asylum seekers has changed, according to Mayris Balza, a representative of UNHCR's implementing partner, Cáritas de Venezuela. The fact that large urban centres might provide more employment opportunities for trained professionals is also an important factor in their decision. "The first thing they say is 'I want to work', yet these people are not farmers and they have different expectations and needs in terms of lifestyle," says Balza.

more
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/UNHCR/eabf6d9194296e7b303bb44739b2b66b.htm

[w4rma]

1. Colombia: The GOP's best (only?) friend in Latin America.

The country they want as the model for the rest of Latin America.

[Say_What]

2. With the WORST human rights record in the Western Hemisphere

not that it was pointed out in the latest US *human rights report*. Gee, I wonder why...:sarcasm:

Here's a clip from yesterday about what the report said about Colombia:

...In Colombia the State Department noted reports of long detention before trial as well as abuses committed by some of the security forces. The United States has helped Colombia reform its judiciary and train its police.

:puke:

http://www.hrw.org/doc?t=americas&c=colomb

http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/colombia/index.do

[katsy]

4. I thought Columbia was the country...

bush wants to model america after.

[Say_What]

3. 3 million people displaced since 1985 --Plan Colombia your tax $$$ at work

<clips>

Internal displacement situation in Colombia continues to worsen

The number of people internally displaced in Colombia is soaring amidst increasing attacks against the civilian population by all sides. In north-western Colombia, eight members of the San José Apartadó peace community were murdered, including three children. Peace communities were established in the 1990s by returning IDPs who, after having suffered the trauma of displacement and war, committed to peaceful civil resistance and neutrality. 154 members of the San José Apartadó community have been murdered since 1997. The Colombian government has failed to protect these communities despite repeated requests from UNHCR and the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights.

Meanwhile, up to 1,500 Afro-Colombians have fled their homes in the Chocó region during February 2005, fearing clashes between paramilitary groups and government forces. Several agencies including UNHCR, WFP, ICRC and NGOs have been assisting the displaced in the town of Bellavista with shelter, food and legal information. The worsening security situation in the region is feared to affect 20 other communities in the region, where some 2000 people are already in need of food aid.

In addition to war, tens of people have been killed or went missing due to floods and about 30,000 people have been evacuated in the IDP-hosting departments of Santander, Norte de Santander, Tolima and Huila.

http://www.idpproject.org/weekly_news/2005/weekly_news_march05_1.htm#4


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

<clips>

"Democratic security" policy fails to improve protection of IDPs

Displacement has been an endemic feature of the 40-year long conflict in Colombia, and over three million Colombians have been displaced since 1985. The IDP crisis has become one of the world's worst, disproportionately affecting Afro-Colombians and indigenous people, who make up some of the country's poorest people. The protection of displaced people has not improved since 2002 when President Uribe's government launched a new effort under its so-called "democratic security" policy to end the conflict by military means. The new strategy drew more civilians into the conflict, allowing armed groups to displace over 175,000 people in 2003 and leaving widespread human rights violations unpunished. Although Colombia has some of the most progressive IDP legislation, the government has undermined the existing legal framework through various amendments.

The number of new displacements decreased in 2003, partly because many IDPs avoided to officially register for fear of reprisal attacks by armed groups. Without this status they are often denied the limited welfare services the state offers. A United Nations plan launched in 2002, which aimed to provide a more effective response to the crisis, has received very little funding. The government has made return of IDPs one of its central objectives. However, for returns to be sustainable, the government needs to do more to ensure security in return areas and provide the IDPs with the necessary means to re-build their livelihoods. (read full summary html / pdf)

http://www.db.idpproject.org/Sites/idpSurvey.nsf/wCountries/Colombia

[goodboy]

5. I think we're gonna attack Venezuela...who'd stop us? and what do they

have there?

O
I
L

the good kind...that light crude.