Emergency situation in Colombia: the Catatumbo crisis displaces more than 50,000 people
In northeastern Colombia, violence between non-state armed groups has forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. Needs for health, hygiene, protection and education are skyrocketing.
Reception and emergency care of displaced people by HI teams in Cúcuta. | © C. Maldonado / HI
This is Cúcuta, a town on the border between Colombia and Venezuela. A mother and her eight-year-old daughter have just arrived here, exhausted. This is the third time they have had to leave their home to escape violent clashes. The little girl, who has cerebral palsy, urgently needs treatment and a wheelchair. They have joined the long queue in front of the municipal stadium and are anxiously waiting to know whether they are eligible for assistance from the town council. Like them, more than 56,000 people1 have been displaced by the violence raging in the Catatumbo region.
Clashes resume in northeastern Colombia
Since late 2024, the department of Norte de Santander in northeastern Colombia has been the scene of escalating violence between non-state armed groups such as the National Liberation Army and the Estado Mayor de los Bloques y Frentes. According to international observers, it is linked to the strategic nature of the border. These groups are vying for control of the region's vast lands, thriving illegal economies as well as for political and social interests.
On January 15, 2025, the massacre of a family in the small town of Tibú triggered an intensification in the violence that led to the Colombian government suspending talks with the National Liberation Army. In just two weeks, more than 50,000 people were forced onto the roads because of the insecurity, bloodshed, and difficulties obtaining supplies or accessing healthcare. Many left in such a panic that they didn’t have time to pack a few personal belongings or their identity papers.
The road to Cúcuta was a hard one. People were crammed into cars and trucks forming long caravans.
Civilians, the primary victims
The humanitarian consequences of the fighting have been dramatic for the civilian population:
- More than 56,000 people have fled their homes, the first displacement of this kind in Colombia in nearly 30 years.
- Among them were some 46,000 children and teenagers who have had to stop school2. Indeed, 710 schools remain closed in the region for security reasons.
The clashes will have long-term consequences: local communities fear the proliferation of landmines, unexploded ordnance and other improvised explosive devices in the region.
All these displaced people are in dire need of safe shelter, food and access to drinking water. Many of them are also seeking psychosocial support to help them cope with trauma experienced. Moreover, thousands of children are out of school. Although the government of Norte de Santander has set up a “Colegio por la Paz3” in Cúcuta to enable them to resume their education, for many children with disabilities the lack of wheelchairs or crutches makes access to school difficult.
Humanitarian assistance: insufficient resources
The humanitarian response is mainly concentrated in the city of Cúcuta, as access to municipalities such as Tibú and Ocaña, which are among those most affected by the violence, is limited by the presence of non-state armed groups.
“Many people suffered falls and injuries during their escape that could lead to disabilities or aggravate pre-existing physical trauma. Being without crutches or splints for several days has restricted their movements and made them more vulnerable,” explains Claudia Murcia, Community Based Rehabilitation Officer.
In Cúcuta, HI’s teams are providing support to the displaced communities. For people arriving in a state of post-traumatic stress due to the violence and suffering they have endured, HI is providing psychological first aid and helping them make appointments with specialists. Our teams are also carrying out physiotherapy assessments and supplying wheelchairs, canes, crutches or orthoses to help people get around. Finally, they are running awareness-raising sessions on sexual and reproductive rights during group workshops.
The humanitarian crisis in Catatumbo is still evolving and the urgent needs of the population in terms of security, health and protection are exceeding the response capabilities of local and humanitarian actors, who are also suffering from cuts in international funding. Strong mobilisation is needed to address these issues, and notably the disproportionate impact of the crisis on vulnerable communities, such as people with disabilities and migrants.
Reliefweb 26 March 2025
Reliefweb 23 January 2025
