For over 40 years, the Colombian government and organized armed groups have been fighting over the control of territory and natural resources. This conflict has had devastating consequences in humanitarian terms, including mass displacement, summary executions, disappearances, the taking of hostages and the forced recruitment of children.

The ICRC has been working in Colombia since 1969, when it began visiting people deprived of their freedom in connection with the armed conflict. Since then, the ICRC delegation in Colombia has significantly increased the levels of assistance it provides to the displaced population, set up agricultural, water and sanitation projects, and, in its capacity as a neutral and independent intermediary, regularly facilitated the release of hostages. The delegation has also actively promoted international humanitarian law among all parties to the conflict, among political authorities and civil society, and at universities.

The armed conflict has continued to force civilians to flee their homes and seek refuge in city suburbs and towns. The departments of Antioquia, Nariño, Caquetá, Putumayo and Arauca were particularly affected by internal displacement in 2007. Individual displacement increased by 20%, while mass displacement decreased by 23%. There was an overall increase of 6% in the amount of aid provided by the ICRC to the displaced population.

The United Nations World Food Programme and the ICRC completed a detailed study on the social and economic conditions of displaced people in Bogotá, Cúcuta, Florencia and Medellín. Local and national authorities welcomed the study as an important source of information which will help them provide better and more coordinated assistance. The study has also raised awareness in the media and among the general public of the social and economic effects of forced displacement.

In 2007, the ICRC distributed:

• food aid to 47,000 displaced people;
• food vouchers to 20,000 displaced people;
• essential household items to over 66,000 displaced people.

The ICRC has maintained a presence in the areas most severely affected by the armed conflict, and has continued to document alleged violations of international humanitarian law (IHL). The majority of these cases were disappearances (346) and summary executions (326). There were also 55 reports of sexual violence; after speaking to the ICRC, the victims were assisted and directed to appropriate medical facilities. The ICRC documented a number of cases where children had been forced to join fighting forces; meanwhile five other children were released by armed groups and handed over to the ICRC. The Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF) took them into its care for psychological counselling and to help them reintegrate into society.

A total of 214 representations were made to weapon bearers regarding violations of IHL. The ICRC served as a neutral and independent intermediary in the handover of 23 individuals who were being held by organized armed groups. More than 2,300 civilians who had received threats were provided with financial aid so they could travel to safer areas, while the families of over 300 victims of summary execution/people who had died in connection with the armed conflict received economic support for funeral-related expenses. The ICRC also recovered the bodies of 11 members of the departmental assembly of Valle del Cauca who had been held by the FARC, so that these could be returned to their families.

The delegation worked closely with the Colombian prison service (INPEC) to improve general conditions in the country's prisons, and also to develop a more autonomous health programme. An ICRC specialist worked with INPEC’s health services to improve the quality of health care detainees receive.

It was unfortunately not possible to visit hostages and detainees held by organized armed groups.

• The ICRC visited 5,490 detainees (including 1,485 newly registered detainees) over the course of 762 visits to 410 places of detention;
• With ICRC support, 1,834 detainees were visited by their relatives;
• 21 detainees were fitted with prosthetic-orthotic appliances, thanks to a cost-sharing agreement between INPEC and the ICRC.

Working with the Ministry for Social Protection and the Colombian Red Cross, the ICRC supported a series of training sessions on first aid and on the clinical management of patients with weapon wounds for medical staff working in exposed areas. The ICRC also took an active role in creating a working group to help the Ministry for Social Protection and the National Apprenticeship Service set up training programmes for prosthetist-orthotists meeting international standards.

• The ICRC dealt with over 400 new victims of landmines and other explosive remnants of war and directed them to suitable medical facilities;
• The ICRC trained 232 health promoters and auxiliary nurses from 78 health posts and centres;
• The ICRC trained 126 nurses and doctors on the clinical management of patients with weapon wounds;
• The ICRC fitted 38 new patients with prosthetic-orthotic devices.

Political authorities

Colombia is party to most IHL treaties but has yet to ratify the Protocol on Explosive Remnants of War (Protocol V to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons). The delegation set up a working group of representatives from several government departments, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence and the Office of the Vice President. This led to a working paper detailing the benefits and challenges of adhering to this legal instrument for Colombia.

The ICRC met with the members of the Constitutional Court on several occasions to promote a variety of IHL issues. These meetings contributed to the Court's recommendation that Congress ratify the Second Protocol to the Hague Convention on cultural property and to its decision to draw up a series of legal measures benefiting missing persons and their families.

Armed forces

The delegation worked closely with field divisions, battalions and military schools to promote humanitarian rules and disseminate information on the ICRC's mandate and activities, as well as speak about the conflict's humanitarian consequences.

• The ICRC held 185 dissemination sessions attended by more than 14,650 military personnel.

Police

Together with the Colombian Red Cross and the national police force, the ICRC drew up a guide to IHL, enabling several special police forces to incorporate humanitarian rules and principles in their core teaching subjects.

• The ICRC made 85 presentations to over 2,800 police officers who regularly participate in hostilities.

Organized armed groups

The ICRC continued to engage in confidential dialogue with all parties to the conflict, highlighting the consequences of IHL violations and the ICRC's activities and mandate. This has allowed the organization to continue its humanitarian activities in FARC- and ELN-controlled areas. The ICRC also organized several sessions to spread information about IHL among rebel fighters.

The media

The delegation was in regular contact with the national and international media to update them on ICRC activities and to raise awareness of the conflict's humanitarian consequences.

• The ICRC held a series of 45-hour workshops for more than 160 journalists;
• The delegation issued more than 40 press releases on the humanitarian situation in Colombia and on ICRC activities, resulting in the publication of over 600 articles;
• The ICRC organized nine press conferences in various Colombian cities and in Geneva during which it presented the 2006 Annual Report to more than 130 regional, national and international media.

The ICRC worked closely with the Colombian Red Cross to boost its capacity and to assist the displaced population. The ICRC also helped the Colombian Red Cross increase HIV/AIDS prevention activities (working with local health authorities) and mine-risk education activities.