A/HRC/4/48
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F. Forced displacements
65.
During 2006, there were reports of cases of forced displacement, both individual and
collective. Some of these were precipitated by armed conflicts. Others were due to death
threats, fear of reprisals, abuses committed by persons directly participating in hostilities and the
use of aerial spraying of areas where illicit crops were grown.
66.
From April onwards, in the municipalities of Fortul, Tame and Saravena (Arauca), as a
result of armed clashes between FARC-EP and ELN guerrillas, a number of forced
displacements occurred. One particularly serious displacement took place in early August,
affecting over 330 families.
67.
On 27 April in Puerto Asís (Putumayo), nine families of the Siona ethnic group were
forced to leave their homes, fleeing attacks by FARC-EP guerrillas against ships belonging to the
Southern Naval Force anchored near that indigenous community.
68.
In the municipality of Itsmina (Chocó) on 30 or 31 March, the FARC-EP murdered two
teachers. This development caused the displacement of 1,748 persons from different indigenous
communities in the Medio San Juan region.
69.
In Cumbitara and Policarpa (Nariño) on 17 April, fighting between the army and the
FARC-EP caused the massive displacement of 1,455 Afro-Colombians. In Ricaurte (Nariño) on
12 July, as a result of fighting between guerrillas and army personnel carrying out Operation
Jupiter II, 1,816 members of the Awá indigenous community were forced to leave their land.
70.
In January, in several villages in the municipalities of San Juan de Arama and
Vista Hermosa (Meta), FARC-EP guerrillas trying to prevent the manual eradication of illegal
crops forced the displacement of over 1,500 inhabitants from the area. During August, in Nariño
and Argelia (Antioquia), members of this same group forced over 2,400 peasants off their land in
order to put pressure on the authorities to stop spraying illegal crops.
71.
The Office also learned of cases of forced displacement motivated by abuses by army
personnel. One such displacement, involving 1,228 peasants, occurred in the municipality of
Samaná (Caldas).
G. Boy and girl victims of the armed conflict
72.
Young boys and girls and adolescents continued to suffer the impact of the armed
conflict. The OHCHR Office was informed of a number of murders of boys and girls. On
29 April in Trinidad (Casanare), two children were allegedly arrested illegally at their school by
army personnel. Next day, the Brigade XVI military authorities produced their bodies,
identifying them as guerrillas killed in combat.
73.
Cases of recruitment of children continued to occur in several parts of the country,
especially in Arauca, Putumayo, Guaviare, Meta, Antioquia, Cauca and Valle. In Arauca, in
connection with the fighting between the FARC-EP and ELN, several boys and girls were
recruited by members of both these illegal groups.
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