Human Rights and Democracy - Official Documents

igade in Apartadó and the Chargée d’Affaires made representations to the
Presidential Programme on Human Rights. The Presidential Programme
subsequently instructed the relevant provincial authorities to take measures to end
the illegal occupation of collective territory but the “invaders” remain. Our Embassy
continued to follow the situation with other diplomatic missions and the Inter-
Ecclesiastical Commission for Justice and Peace, which works with the local
community.
Like Colombia’s indigenous groups, Afro-Colombians make up a significant
proportion of the displaced population. In April, our Embassy supported the launch
of a report by the National Association of Displaced Afro-Colombians which includes
recommendations on how to include the views of displaced Afro-Colombians in
public policy-making. In August, Mr Browne met representatives of the association
in Cartagena and publicly condemned the threats against them. Afro-Colombian
communities are particularly vulnerable because they occupy land of strategic
importance to guerrilla groups, cocaine cultivation or narco-trafficking. Mr Browne’s
visible support for the association gave recognition to the organisation which – as
testified by its members – contributed to their security and helped strengthen the
message that NGOs are an integral and important part of democratic society.
We co-funded a project with the Norwegian Refugee Council which supported
hearings before the ombudsman to highlight violations of land and territorial rights in
Nariño and Santander provinces. As a direct result of the hearings the ombudsman
signed two new resolutions which oblige state authorities to investigate the
allegations and to monitor the protection of human rights in both regions.
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