Colombian Traffic

by Tim Wichert
October 9, 2002
Refugee Assistance

After years of conflict, Colombian asylum-seekers are on the move. The number of Colombians claiming refugee status in Canada has been steadily increasing over the past few years. This year, Colombia is poised to crack the Top Three countries of origin for those coming to Canada. Almost 80% are accepted.

Meanwhile, those applying for resettlement through the Canadian Embassy in Bogota have also gone up. Recognizing the dangers that people are facing, Canada has increased its quota for those applying directly from Colombia.

In September, I traveled to Colombia. Following a plea from Mennonites there, MCC Canada has been developing a project to assist Colombians whose lives are in danger. A Mennonite Church in Bogota is identifying people who need to flee the country, and MCC has been finding churches in Canada to sponsor them. The Canadian Embassy in Bogota has facilitated the process; so far, they have approved over 90% of the referrals from the Colombian Mennonite Church.

Canada is the only country with a specific policy to resettle asylum-seekers from within Colombia. Technically, those who are persecuted but remain within their own country are not defined as refugees. To become a refugee, you have to flee your country. International refugee law, and the protection it provides, only applies to those who have crossed a border.

The international community has tended to take a "hands off" approach to those who are displaced within their own countries, largely because of the political complications. In particular, governments with large numbers of "internally displaced persons", known as IDPs, don't want outside governments meddling in their internal affairs, especially when they are trying to avoid criticism for human rights abuses.

There is evidence connecting the Colombian military to the displacement of people, usually in conjunction with the paramilitary groups. Yet despite allegations of Colombian Government complicity, they have nonetheless allowed Canada to set up their program to resettle displaced people out of Colombia. Ironically, the Colombian Government has even referred cases to Canada for resettlement, in particular people whose lives are in danger because they have come forward as witnesses against those committing human rights abuses and other atrocities.

The sheer numbers of people displaced by conflict and human rights violations within Colombia is overwhelming. Current estimates exceed 2 million, making Colombia the Number Two country of displacement in the world today (after Sudan). Typical cases involve threats, rape, torture, extortion, kidnapping, and murder. Depending on the region, these atrocities are committed in almost equal measure by the left-wing guerrillas and the right-wing paramilitaries. Ironically, the number of Colombians that have chosen to leave the country is relatively small, given the size of the problem. In most conflicts around the world, the number of refugees fleeing the country is much higher than displaced people remaining. One reason suggested for this difference is that Colombians are reluctant asylum-seekers; they explore all the options before the final decision to leave.

So is the new wave in Colombian traffic north the result of changing attitudes amongst Colombians, or perhaps a more open and welcoming attitude by Northern countries? In Canada, it's fair to say that the welcome mat is out for Colombians. The Government in Quebec is particularly keen to receive Colombians, in part because of the skills they bring, but also because they are more likely to adapt to the French culture and language.

At the same time, there is also a sense that Colombians are increasingly fed up with the never-ending conflict in their country. And they are realizing that starting anew in Canada or the US does not preclude them from returning later with the security of a Canadian or American passport.

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