The number of people displaced by violence in Colombia increased 41 percent the
past six months. A total of 270,675 Colombians were forced to seek
security elsewhere, the Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement
(Codhes) reported Tuesday.
According to the agency, the situation has been most critical in the department of Antioquia where there was a 105 percent increase of displaced people. 38,638 people registered as being displaced the half year.
Bogotá saw a 74 percent increase of displaced people seeking refuge. 39,950 displaced arrived in the capital having fled the violence.
"Each day, on average, 1503 people were displaced," Codhes director was quoted by Spanish press agency EFE, adding that displacement is taking place in almost all parts of Colombia.
"The exodus continues to be a serious, critical, continuing and prolonging manifestation of the humanitarian and human rights crisis our country is going through," Rojas said.
"Unfortunately the country is returning to the times before 2002 when the population was constantly displaced,"he added.
According to official government figures, Colombia has 2,6 million displaced. Some NGOs calculate the real number of displaced is around 4 million.
