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"Although we are making every effort to end this nightmare, violent acts are likely to persist since armed groups do not seem to cease their territorial disputes," Ombudsman Camargo lamented.
On Tuesday, Colombia's Ombudsman Carlos Camargo informed that at least 176 citizens have been displaced from the Arauca department over the last week due to clashes between paramilitary groups dedicated to drug trafficking activities.
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"Our people flee because they fear being affected by the clashes, which mainly occurred in Tame, Saravena, Arauquita, and Fortul municipalities,” Camargo explained, adding that some displaced citizens had been threatened to death by the armed groups.
Currently, the Office of the Ombudsman works to create a register with the identity of the displacement victims and their place of temporary residence to keep attentive to their needs. It has also provided financial and psychological support to the relatives of 24 citizens killed in the clashes.
"We are making every effort to support our people and end this nightmare. However, we cannot deny that acts of violence against citizens are likely to persist since armed groups do not seem to cease their territorial disputes," Camargo lamented.
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Armed groups have historically been present in the Arauca department, where the limited presence of the State allows them to control drug trafficking routes, increase cocaine production, and extort money from the civilian population.
On Monday, President Ivan Duque announced he will send two Army battalions and war equipment to the region to increase intelligence and counter intelligence operations. Camargo, however, disagreed with this decision, which he considers will foster even more violence.
“What we need are peace-booster policies, which base themselves on a holistic approach that enables to end organized crime and the humanitarian crisis it has generated for decades,” he stressed.
In Colombia, there is a group of midwives capable of facing armed groups to bring a child into the world. They are the midwives of Buenaventura on the Pacific Coast. pic.twitter.com/vsuVSyqFHr
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) June 15, 2021
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