Human rights organizations, including the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), have urged an immediate end to violence between illegal armed groups in the northeast Colombian region of Catatumbo. WOLA joined the Colombian movement "Defendamos la Paz" in a call for armed groups in Catatumbo to suspend their conflict. In the Jan. 19 statement, WOLA wrote: "The Ejercito Nacional de Liberación (ELN) must cease human rights violations and adopt a truce to halt armed confrontations with Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) dissidents." The rights organizations also called on the Colombian government to provide immediate humanitarian aid for the large number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the region. WOLA urged the armed groups involved to "respect international humanitarian law and allow relief efforts to reach those in need."

The Colombian Ombudsman's office (Defensoría del Pueblo) reported on the situation in Catatumbo Jan. 18, stating that more than 11,000 people had been displaced in the past four days. Additionally, available data shows that at least 60 people have died, including Carmelo Guerrero, the leader of the Association of Peasant Unity of Catatumbo (ASUNCAT). On Jan. 16, at least 20 individuals were abducted by the armed groups, of which 17 are not yet free. Colombian ombudsperson Iris Marín Ortiz called the situation one of the worst humanitarian crises faced by Catatumbo. Ortiz also recalled that the Ombudsman's office had already alerted the government on the gravity of the situation in November.

The situation in Catatumbo is related to the ongoing conflict between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and FARC "dissidents." While the government of Colombia signed a peace accord with the FARC in 2016, "dissident" factions remained in arms, and an agreement with the ELN has been deemed more difficult. The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, described the actions by ELN in Catatumbo as war crimes and stated the Colombian government has suspended any dialogue with the group. Earlier in 2024, Petro suspended ceasefire agreements with another FARC "dissident" group, the Estado Mayor Central (EMC) in Cauca region, due to violent acts. The FARC faction in Catatumbo is identified as the Estado Mayor de los Bloques (EMB).

Minister of Defence Iván Velásquez denounced the ELN as a paramilitary group. As the Colombian armed forces are deployed to Catatumbo, rights groups urge the government to "guarantee a culturally appropriate and comprehensive response to this humanitarian crisis."

From JURIST, Jan. 19. Used with permission. 

See our last reports on the FARC "dissidents" and the struggle in Cataumbo.