Colombia's History
Colombia is caught in a complex web of violence and tragedy resulting in the most severe humanitarian crisis in the hemisphere. Colombia's insurgency is rooted in decades of extreme inequality and political exclusion. After years of warfare, the innocent families of Colombia have paid a terrible price. Over 300,000 people are forced to flee their homes from political violence each year.
After years of warfare, the innocent families of Colombia have paid a terrible price.
Two leftist guerrilla groups, the FARC and the ELN, are responsible for kidnappings-for-profit, killings of civilians by assassination, and indiscriminate use of weapons such as gas cylinder bombs. Right-wing paramilitary groups are responsible for the majority of human rights violations in Colombia, including massacres and targeted assassinations, particularly those of rural community leaders, trade unionists, and other civilians.
Six of every ten refugees are children.
Over the past 12 years, 1.5 million people have fled Colombia and over 2 million are internally displaced. Six of every ten refugees are children. There are at least 6,000 child soldiers in Colombia and thousands of children have been killed in Colombia's violence.
U.S. policy towards Colombia is pouring fuel on the fire and making very little positive difference for the people of Colombia. Between 1999-2002, the United States gave Colombia $2.04 billion, of which 83% has gone to Colombia's military and police. U.S. counter-drug policy pressed for a massive aerial fumigation program with controversial environmental and human consequences.
In the past five years the United States has sent almost $4 billion to Colombia's ineffectual Plan Colombia which devotes less than 1% of its funds to the peace process.
