VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #8563/01 3512141
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 172141Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0522
INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 9677
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ JAN 9129
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 5718
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA PRIORITY 0986
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 6419
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL PRIORITY 4219
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1524
RUCNDTA/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1882
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP ADMIN// PRIORITY

UNCLAS BOGOTA 008563 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SECSTATE FOR WHA/AND AND PRM, GENEVA FOR RMA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF PHUM CO
SUBJECT: INDIGENOUS MASS DISPLACEMENT NEAR TUMACO, NARINO - 
LESSONS FROM THE HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE 
 
REF: A. BOGOTA 3108 
 
     ¶B. BOGOTA 4045 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. Since mid-September, the GOC, local officials, and several 
international groups have helped over 1000 Internally 
Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the Awa indigenous group in 
Inda Sabaleta, near Tumaco, Narino.  The Awa were displaced 
by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) incursions 
in local villages as well as FARC clashes with the Colombian 
military.  The GOC and international humanitarian groups made 
a concerted effort to register and aid the Awa, but were 
hampered by the area's remoteness and difficult terrain, the 
lack of security, and poor coordination between the GOC, 
international groups and local authorities. The GOC and 
international groups are developing new strategies that 
reflect the lessons learned from the Awa experience to 
address future displacements in southern Colombia. End 
Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
Mass Displacement of Indigenous Awa near Tumaco 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶2. In mid-September, over 1000 Awa indigenous were displaced 
from their villages in remote, southeastern coastal parts of 
Narino department.  The UN Office Coordinator of Humanitarian 
Affairs (OCHA) and the Pan-American Health Organization 
(PAHO) reported that the IDPs were fleeing from September 18 
clashes between the Colombian military and FARC near the 
village of Inda Sabaleta, and September 20 FARC incursions 
into villages in Cumbitara municipality.  Days before these 
events, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) had 
warned of the possibility of such mass displacements.  In 
addition to increased FARC activity, including FARC laying of 
landmines, the group detected other danger signs such as a 
growing Organizacion Nueva Generacion presence, on-going GOC 
military operations, and an increase in overall general 
violence (murders occurred at a rate of 200 per 100,000 in 
2007). 
 
----------------------------- 
Initial Humanitarian Response 
----------------------------- 
 
¶3. The GOC and international groups received first news of 
the mass displacement within a few days, but needed several 
weeks to clarify the total number of IDPs, their locations, 
and living conditions.  Initial visits to Inda Sabaleta by 
the GOC's Accion Social's Emergency Coordinator, PAHO and the 
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were hampered 
by the lack of security and water-logged dirt roads.  Within 
a week of the IDP arrivals, the ICRC, PAHO, IOM 
(International Organization for Migration), and GOC agencies 
(Accion Social, Instituto Bienestar Familiar de Colombia or 
ICBF) were on the ground providing basic emergency aid - 
food/non-food items, emergency and hygiene kits, and some 
health and shelter assistance. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
Conditions Complicate IDP Census and Extent of Response 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶4. As with the El Charco mass displacement in April (reftel 
A), taking an accurate census of the IDP population was 
difficult.  Upon first arrival, ICRC and Accion Social 
conducted a census that concluded that most IDPs were in 
school buildings in Inda Sabaleta.  The census assumed the 
indigenous would stay together in temporary shelters and 
nearby homes and that there would be little dispersion to 
other parts of the village.  In the first delivery, ICRC and 
the Tumaco municipality, in coordination with Accion Social, 
assisted only 626 IDPs. 
 
¶5. Days later, the indigenous advocacy group, Cabildo 
Indigena, claimed that many IDPs were staying with local 
residents well away from the center of Inda Sabaleta and had 
been missed in the initial census.  The UN / Interagency 
 
Standing Committee (IASC) assessment mission later confirmed 
this.  In addition to delivering more basic aid, the IASC 
mission conducted a needs assessment that recommended that 
the GOC and humanitarian actors provide other aid to the 
area, especially in the sectors of water/sanitation and 
housing. 
 
¶6. In early October, Narino reps of the IASC - OCHA, PAHO, 
IOM, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the 
World Food Program (WFP) - committed to providing additional 
aid.  For example, UNHCR supplied five, 2000 liter water 
tanks to the area, and PAHO brought in engineers to install 
water purifiers at the shelters.  IOM and ICBF brought in 
emergency medical response teams.  After meeting with the 
IASC and Accion Social, the ICRC returned the week of October 
20 and carried out a second distribution of aid materials to 
530 IDPs.  ICRC noted that 500 (195 families) had already 
returned to their home villages. 
 
¶7.  Besides the problematic census, the lack of cooperation 
by local authorities in Tumaco was a major problem.  UNHCR 
and ICRC reported that the mayor of Tumaco was uncooperative 
- even refusing to work with Accion Social reps (similar to 
the El Charco displacement reftel A).  Still, the Tumaco 
municipality formed a committee for Integrated IDP response 
and eventually participated in aid effort. 
 
----------------- 
Current Situation 
----------------- 
 
¶8. ICRC and IOM report that since mid-October, Accion 
Social's Emergency Response team (reftel B) has the lead in 
providing and coordinating aid.  ICRC has made a third 
delivery of aid.  PAHO and the Narino Departmental Health 
Authorities (IDSN) are actively coordinating the health 
sector.  IOM and ICBF established six community kitchens, 
cafeterias, and spaces for the IDPs and resident population. 
By early December, all but 200 of the IDPs had returned to 
their villages.  IOM reports that Accion Social and ICBF have 
set up programs close to return areas.  For example, ICBF, in 
collaboration with IDSN, has deployed emergency medical teams 
to these areas. 
 
¶9. The security situation near Tumaco has remained calm, but 
the situation continues to be unstable.  UNHCR warned that 
unless there is greater presence by Public Forces - police 
and military - to keep peace and protect the population, 
additional mass displacements in the area are likely. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
Changes in International Response Methods in Narino 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶10. The mass displacement in Tumaco is just one of 27 that 
have occurred in Narino in 2007.  Most recently, 700 were 
displaced by FARC actions to Iscaunde in the north near Cauca 
department, and 148 were displaced to Sidon near Policarpa at 
the foothills of the western Andes.  Due to their frequency, 
the GOC, Narino authorities and international groups are 
working to improve coordination, communication and response 
to mass displacements.  New steps include: 
 
- The ICRC has dedicated more resources to Narino and Pacific 
Coastal regions, including shifting personnel from Putumayo 
and deploying a census specialist immediately after reports 
of a mass displacement (50 or more persons, ten or more 
families). 
 
- UNHCR and PAHO, working with Accion Social, will continue 
with assessment missions in Narino to identify areas at risk 
for violence and displacement.  UNHCR has arranged with the 
Defensoria in Tumaco and Gaupi (just north of the Cauca / 
Narino department borders) to monitor changes in the security 
situation and help at-risk communities update response 
contingency plans. 
 
- IASC assessment missions will continue to use and deploy 
the rapid response/needs assessment technique (known as 
"ILA") that was piloted in their late September mission to 
Inda Sabaleta. 
 
 
- The Narino UN IASC team and departmental authorities are 
developing a plan to maintain emergency aid stocks in a 
centralized location in Narino, readily deployable as 
situations warrant.  The department will provide the 
facility, and the UN will stock it with supplies. 
Brownfield