Press Release: The Danish Refugee Council is responding to the humanitarian crisis in Catatumbo, Colombia

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has been responding from the municipality of Tibu and the district of La Gabarra, where 13,373 people have been displaced and 17,733 people confined as of January 27.

The Emergency and Protection team has been providing food, water filters, hygiene kits, women's and baby kits, as well as offering first aid, psychological support, legal counseling, and informational spaces regarding available services and the rights of people as victims of armed conflict.

“We express our deepest solidarity with the victims of Catatumbo and call for respect for International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. It is essential that access to the territories be guaranteed in order to save lives and prevent the suffering of the population,” said Irene Cabrera Roda, Country Director, Colombia, Danish Refugee Council.

Protection Risks
Attacks on civilians and massive forced displacement have resulted in family separations. The main causes of separation identified by DRC among the population in five shelters in Tibu during and after the displacement include fear of recruitment, the use and exploitation of children and adolescents (CNA), who are sent out of the territory to safeguard their lives. Other causes include attachment to the land, where one or more family members do not move in order to maintain their livelihoods associated with agriculture, as well as fear of land and property appropriation by the NSAGs and direct threats from them. Additionally, social leaders often remain to protect their integrity and that of their families. 

Barriers and gaps restricting access to rights and basic services have also been identified. While local authorities, as well as national and international NGOs, have contributed to managing shelters, persistent gaps in the humanitarian response remain, which is still insufficient and fragmented. This results in limited access to food and basic hygiene products. There is a lack of sanitation units, showers, and access to drinking water, while overcrowding and the lack of suitable spaces disproportionately affect people with reduced mobility, serious medical conditions, or disabilities. Venezuelan migrants in irregular migration status face additional barriers, particularly those without documents or without the Temporary Protection Permit (PPT), limiting their access to healthcare services, even in medical emergencies.

Furthermore, there is a severe lack of information and knowledge about procedures and routes for taking statements related to victimization events, limiting inclusion in the Single Victims Registry (RUV) and affecting access to justice and comprehensive reparation. 

The displaced and sheltered people have suffered serious impacts on their psychosocial and emotional well-being, and traumatic memories of previous events have been reactivated, leading to revictimization. These experiences, along with the lack of adequate psychosocial care, pose a significant risk to mental and physical health, potentially leading to conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety, and depression. 

For the full findings and recommendations, please refer to the snapshot Protection Monitoring: Humanitarian Impact and Protection Risks from the Crisis of Mass Forced Displacement in Tibú, Norte de Santander. 

Press contact for more information: 
Katerine Lara Rojas 
Communications Coordinator - Colombia 
+57 314 247 6451 
[email protected]