Rebel related military violence has caused the displacement of least 284 Afro-Colombians in the southwestern state of Nariño.
At least 284 Afro-Colombian citizens were displaced on Monday in the rural area of San Pedro del Vino, Rio Patia as a result of military operations against Colombia’s largest rebel group the FARC, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Wednesday.
FACT SHEET: Colombia displacement statistics
Numbers are still likely to rise according to the OCHA’s press release.
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The Afro-Colombian population that fled the area in the municipality of Francisco Pizarro are currently being sheltered in four locations: the Office for Culture, the parish house, an educational institution and a family home.
The municipality’s limited capacity to deal with the mass displacement has triggered a call for help to state institutions. Local authorities have stressed the need to provide supplies and evaluate the humanitarian requirements of the community.
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Sources
- Flash Update No. 1 – Desplazamiento masivo en Francisco Pizarro (Nariño) (Sala Humanitaria – OCHA)