Colombia's Catatumbo region has descended into an acute humanitarian crisis following intensified violent clashes between non-state armed groups (NSAGs), in particular the National Liberation Army (ELN) and splinter groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). With more than 80 people killed in armed violence, President Gustavo Petro Urrego suspended peace talks with the ELN.
The EU's humanitarian aid office (ECHO) said in an update on Tuesday that the situation in Catatumbo had left at least 80 people dead and several others disappeared. Many residents remain confined to their homes, and there have been mass displacements to neighboring areas.
The Catatumbo region is in the north-east of the Norte de Santander department. ECHO is the acronym for the European Commission's Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid, which is part of the European Union (EU) executive branch.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported that more than 22,000 people have been affected, including more than 18,700 displaced and more than 1,260 people trapped.
Local communities report heightened fear and reluctance to provide information due to the presence of armed groups. Some areas are without electricity, shops are largely closed, and health services are under pressure to help injured civilians.
According to OCHA, there have been reports of mass displacement of families and teachers, as well as attacks on the civilian population, causing widespread fear. This situation is disproportionately impacting vulnerable groups, including children, women and farming communities.
The situation has also put human rights defenders, signatories to the peace agreement and social leaders in immediate danger, as they have been subjected to threats and direct attacks.
According to ECHO, priorities for the humanitarian response are health, protection, food, non-food items and hygiene kits.
The situation is also having an impact on migrants and refugees from Venezuela in the region. Preliminary reports indicate an influx of up to 2,000 people into Venezuela, and their humanitarian needs include health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), shelter and food security.
The government said 28 tons of humanitarian aid arrived in the Catatumbo region on Monday, including food and hygiene kits, as well as mattresses, sheets, dishes, shoes, clothes and blankets.
Colombian President Gustavo said in a statement on Monday that the military was ready to protect the population affected by the escalation of violence unleashed by the ELN.
“The ELN has chosen the path of war, and war it will have. We, the Government, are on the side of the people,” he said.
“What happened in Catatumbo is nothing more than another demonstration of the transition from insurgent guerrillas to narco-armed organizations.”
Iván Velásquez, Minister of Defense, said the “instruction of President Gustavo Petro is that the dedication of the Public Force is directed to guarantee life, to save lives that are at serious risk due to this action of the ELN.”
Eight years after the signing of the peace agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the humanitarian situation in Colombia is still characterized by massive internal displacement and insecurity due to armed violence.
The National Liberation Army is the largest remaining non-state armed group in Colombia. The Colombian government and the ELN had agreed to resume peace talks in November 2022. The country has endured more than half a century of intense armed conflict, fueled by widespread illicit drug production and trafficking and rooted in territorial control by armed groups.
According to OCHA, at least 9.3 million people are affected by the presence of non-state armed actors, including the ELN, FARC dissident groups, paramilitary successor groups, and drug trafficking gangs. Civilians in different parts of Colombia suffer serious human rights violations at the hands of these armed groups.
Colombia faces one of the worst internal displacement situations in the world, linked to six decades of conflict and violence. At the end of 2023, there were 6.9 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), making Colombia one of the countries with the highest number of IDPs in the world.
Estimates suggest that the number of newly displaced people will exceed 260,000 in 2024. The number of people trapped in confinement also continues to grow. Between January and October 2024, more than 100,000 people living in remote areas were confined by NSAGs, compared to 65,000 in the same period in 2023.