PBI-Colombia accompanies CREDHOS in Santa Rosa del Sur as 700 people displaced by armed conflict

On August 10, the Peace Brigades International-Colombia Project posted on Instagram: “Yesterday we accompanied the Humanitarian Commission of @credhos_paz in Santa Rosa del Sur, after the massive forced displacement of communities in the municipalities of Arenal, Montecristo and Morales (Sur de Bolivar).”

The Regional Corporation for the Defence of Human Rights (CREDHOS) has tweeted: “CREDHOS Humanitarian Commission meets with JAC [Juntas de Acción Comunal] presidents and community leaders in the municipality of Santa Rosa del Sur. In the framework of the enforceability of human rights, the documentation of the forced displacement of communities in the municipalities of Arenal, Montecristo and Morales.”

On August 3, Infobae reported: “In Santa Rosa, in southern Bolivar, more than 700 people have arrived displaced from the municipality of Montecristo in recent days, due to constant clashes between illegal armed groups, the department’s security director, Jose Ardila, confirmed in an interview with RCN Radio.”

That article adds: “The Mayor of Santa Rosa, Fabio Morales, in an interview with Blu Radio, said that there would be about 200 families who would have left their homes in fear and anxiety about losing their lives amid the fighting between the ELN [National Liberation Army] and the FARC [Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia] dissidents.”

On August 9, Caracol Radio reported that in coordination with the National Victims Unit in Magdalena Medio, the Bolivar Governor’s Office delivered 300 food kits and 500 hygiene kits to the displaced families who arrived in the urban area of Santa Rosa del Sur, fleeing the clashes between the ELN and armed dissidents.

PBI-Colombia has accompanied CREDHOS since 1994.