memorandum of justification concerning human ... - Just the Facts

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document presented by Afro-Colombian organizations at the National Assembly of
Community Councils and Ethnic Organizations from Afro-Colombian, Raizal, and
Palenquera Communities in San Andrés de Tumaco on December 17-18, 2008. The
Directorate, together with Accion Social‘s Sub-Unit on the Displaced, has met with
AFRODES three times to further develop its proposal and design a methodology for
moving it forward.
As addressed in the section above on civilian outreach to indigenous communities,
the Colombian government continued to implement the ―Integrated Plan to Support
Indigenous Communities with High Vulnerability and Risk for Disappearance.‖ During
the certification period, the government continued to implement nine plans, begun in
2006, to benefit Afro-Colombians in Chocó and Cauca. In the department of Nariño, six
plans in Olaya Herrera, Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé, La Tola, El Charco, Francisco
Pizarro, and Tumaco focused on strengthening prevention and protection mechanisms for
public authorities, family structures and community psycho-social assistance, and
alternative development opportunities. As of May 2009, these plans were 85 percent
completed. In Cauca, the government is executing two plans in Bolivar and Mercedes,
and on La Sierra and El Tambo, which are focused on strengthening protection and
prevention mechanisms with respect to human rights, and increasing citizen participation,
including by strengthening Afro-Colombian organizations in the region. One additional
plan in Cauca, developed in 2009, is being executed in Balboa and Patía, focused on
implementing measures to strengthen the social fabric of Afro-Colombian communities
and mitigating the impact of violence on those communities.
Training on Rights of Afro-Colombians
During the certification period, the Colombian government conducted 10
workshops on the rights of Afro-Colombian communities for 855 local government
representatives and others throughout the country:
Armenia (Quindío) – July 2008: Conference on the rights of Afro-
Colombians; 100 participants from district and municipal offices in Armenia
Acandi (Choco) – July 2008: Conference on rights of Afro-Colombians
with a focus on prior consult; 150 participants from the municipal
administration and community councils in Acandi
Riosucio (Choco) – September 2008: Meeting on Afro-Colombian
legislation; 120 participants from community councils in the Atrato zone
Villavicencio (Meta) – November 2008: Workshop on the rights of Afro-
Colombians; 130 participants from the municipal administration in
Villavicencio
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