Feminist International Radio Endeavour/ July 2003



UN Declares Humanitarian Crisis in Colombia One of Most Serious in World


The humanitarian crisis in Colombia could become the most serious in the world, according to Kenzo Oshima, UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator, after his visit to that country in June, 2003 to communities most affected by the armed conflict.  Oshima called to all sides in the conflict to respect the human rights of the civilian population. 

The recent UN report by Oshima emphasized that civilians have not only been caught in the crossfire in the conflict but have also been deliberately targeted as part of military and guerilla strategies to control specific access routes and territories.

Oshima noted that AfroColombian and indigenous communities are those most affected by the conflicts, as targets of economic blockades, murders, abductions and forced displacements.

Colombia has nearly 2 million displaced persons, 80% of whom are women and children who have been forced to flee their homes as a result of the conflicts, which is further evidence of the growing escalation and devastating impact of the conflicts on the civilian population.

A majority of those displaced come from rural areas and have fled to urban areas where they are struggling to survive with little food or other subsistence, all of which further complicates their situation, according to Oshima.  They also have little chance of returning to their homeland in the near future.

As a result, Oshima declared that the magnitude of the internal displacement in Colombia is one of the most serious of the world, comparing it to the current humanitarian crises in Afghanistan, Angola and Iraq.

The UN official noted that paradoxically the government has not paid sufficient attention to this situation, contrary to Law 387 passed in that country in 1997, which requires specific protection measures and attention to persons displaced by violence, and which is based on principles of internal displacement developed and used by the United Nations.

Oshima declared that not only is the Colombian Government responsible for this humanitarian crisis, but also the private sector in Colombia as well as the international community.  He suggested that all these sectors should combine efforts and resources to immediately address this grave situation.

The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator requested $80 million to implement a Humanitarian Plan of Action, of which $27 million has already been received from the international donor community. 

Oshima emphasized the urgent need for displaced persons to return to their homelands, which is one of the requests by the government of the indigenous Uribe population, with guarantees to permit re-establishment of their rights along with reconstruction of their lives.