-
More families flee unrest near Colombia's northern border with Panama
2 Aug 2006 The department of Chocó in northern Colombia has seen a marked increase in violence and forced displacement in recent weeks. The government has sent reinforcements to boost troop strength along the Atrato River, but families are too scared to return to their riverine communities near the border with Panama. -
UNHCR struggles to reach out to Colombian refugees in Ecuador
21 Jul 2006 The shifting of the Colombian conflict away from the cities and towards border regions is putting increasing pressure on neighbouring countries. Ecuador registers several hundred new Colombian asylum seekers every month, but they are only the tip of the iceberg. The biggest challenge facing UNHCR in Ecuador is to reach out to all those in need of protection in the country. -
Reaching out to Colombians in need of assistance in northern Ecuador
23 Jun 2006 The northern provinces of Ecuador are home to many Colombians who have crossed the border to escape violence in their homeland. Efforts by UNHCR and its partners to assist this population of concern are hampered by the high level of mobility of the refugees and the fact that many are too scared to come out of hiding and seek protection. -
Reaping the artistic fruits of working for peace in Colombia
20 Jun 2006 An innovative Colombian art project is to receive an award today from the Dutch non-governmental organisation and UNHCR partner, Stichting Vluchteling, to mark World Refugee Day. The award is the culmination of years of dedicated work to bring peace and reconciliation through art to young people in a violence-plagued Colombian city. -
UNHCR official says Colombia can ease humanitarian tragedy with help
13 Jun 2006 UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner Judy Cheng-Hopkins said she was worried about the numbers of Colombian refugees and internally displaced people in the country. But the official, wrapping up a week-long tour of Colombia and Ecuador, believed the country could alleviate the problem with international help. -
UNHCR official urges more attention for Colombia's invisible refugees
12 Jun 2006 On a week-long visit to Ecuador and Colombia, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, Judy Cheng-Hopkins, has been calling for more international attention to be paid to the humanitarian impact of the Colombian conflict on the whole region. -
Deteriorating security in Colombia's Nariño area concerns UNHCR
30 May 2006 UNHCR is extremely concerned about the security situation in the Colombian department of Nariño, which has seen a marked increase in violence in the past two weeks. -
Flooding threatens Colombia's displaced with further upheaval
29 May 2006 After fleeing her home in terror five years ago when armed groups kidnapped her mother and her brother, Denise slowly built a life for herself and her children in a poor neighbourhood of Bogota, Colombia's capital. But ten days ago, she lost everything again when torrential rains forced her and many other displaced people, from their homes. UNHCR is working with local authorities in the area to help coordinate the emergency response. -
Colombian indigenous leaders flee to Panama after death threats
19 May 2006 Seven leaders of Colombia's Wounaan indigenous group, recently forced off their ancestral lands by one of Colombia's irregular armed groups, arrived in Panama this week by boat after fleeing death threats.