Walking together: Healing and hope for Colombian refugees

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or no infrastructure. This has meant that illegal armed groups (insurgents and paramilitaries) can easily take
over large territorial blocks.
Colombia’s legal economic activity revolves around petroleum, coal, coffee, tropical fruits, flowers, textiles
and leather, emeralds and sugar cane. Tragically, the monopoly of the Colombian elite over the country’s
wealth has led to the creation of a high level of parallel illegal economic activity, first in the emerald trade,
then marijuana and then, since the 1980s, cocaine and heroin. In the early 1990s, Colombia moved
from not only being the world’s biggest “processor” of coca-to-cocaine, to also becoming the biggest
“cultivator” of coca as this crop was pushed out of Bolivia and Peru by massive fumigation programs. The
coca production cycle has become concentrated in Colombia and now finances illegal activities within
many sectors of society, including all of the armed groups. Large scale money laundering mechanisms
exist as a result of the illegal activities. The demand for cocaine in other countries keeps the incentives
high for coca farmers who have no other viable agricultural options.
Since 1991, the Colombian government has opened up the Colombian economy to the international
trade market. Colombians now face the challenge of confronting economic globalization in a country with
inadequate infrastructure and few subsidies. In recent years, Colombia’s economic policies have essentially
followed the guidelines and demands from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Many
sectors of society fear that the Free Trade Agreements negotiated with the United States and Canada will
lead to greater difficulties for the Colombian economy. Free Trade with Canada could potentially exacerbate
a very difficult situation of human rights violations around the extractive industry in Colombia. 5
CAUSES OF DISPLACEMENT
Displacement is never voluntary. The causes of forced displacement in Colombia vary, and each family’s
case is unique. Although diverse, the driving factors behind forced displacement can be grouped into
general categories. What follows are six leading causes of displacement in Colombia. 6
Paramilitary Violence: The activities of old and newly formed paramilitary groups is the leading cause
of displacement in Colombia. Paramilitaries use force, threats and violence to displace campesino
farmers from their land. The objective of paramilitary groups in Colombia is to gain political, military and
strategic domination of large pieces of territory for the benefit of powerful economic interests, almost
always associated with the cultivation of drugs, although also associated with monoculture of lucrative
crops such as African Palm. Paramilitaries are known to have relationships with State agents, to threaten
(and kill) social and political opposition leaders, and to impose hegemonic and arbitrary models of social,
institutional and political control.
5. Canadian companies control over 50% of extractive activity in Colombia.
6. This section is adapted from ¿Salto estratégico o salto al vacío? El desplazamiento forzado en los tiempos de la seguridad democrática.
Bulletin #76, January 2010, Bogotá. CODHES - Consultoría para los Derechos Humanos y el Desplazamiento http://www.codhes.org
Sections on Displacement by Agents of the State and Megaprojects contributed by Carlos Lozano, a lawyer who works with the Centre
for Transitional Justice in Colombia and is member of the Justice and Peace Committee of the Teusaquillo Mennonite Church.