The Colombian population is the victim of the internal armed conflict and, in this context, it also is, to an alarming degree, the main victim of kidnapping. The figures show a rampant escalation of attacks against personal freedom. Systematic kidnapping is reaching a point that exceeds the results of the action taken and the operations conducted by the State to contain it.

KIDNAPPING, MONTHLY AVERAGE, BY PARTY RESPONSIBLE

*Figures to july 2001 Source: National Police - Criminologic Research Center Processed by: the Observatory of the Presidential Program for Human Rights and IHL, Vice President´s Office.

Official and civil-society bodies have unified the handling of figures and cases into the FONDELIBERTAD National Data Center, which gathers information provided by the Free Country Foundation and the Military Forces General Command. The National Police, for its part, keep kidnapping under scrutiny through its Center for Criminological Investigations.

The increase in kidnapping in Colombia reflects, above all, the action of the guerrillas and, during the past year, the use of this practice as a form of extortion for political ends by the self-defense groups. The number of kidnappings attributed to parties of the internal armed conflict is on the rise, while that attributed to common criminals is falling. The combination of economic purposes and political aims makes the classification of cases more difficult. The various guerrilla groups carry out many kidnappings directly, often in association with gangs of criminals. Mass kidnappings have become more common in the past few years, particularly those carried out by the ELN. These include the kidnapping of the passengers of an Avianca airliner, that of a group of parishioners of La María church in Cali, and that of men on a fishing trip at El Torno Marsh, near Barranquilla. Furthermore, there has been an increase in the so-called "pescas milagrosas" (lucky dips), or illegal roadblocks set up particularly by the FARC for the purpose of picking persons for financial ends. The practice of kidnapping for extortion on the part of the FARC was publicly formalized as a financial, military strategy through the so-called "law 002".

ALGUNOS HECHOS RELACIONADOS CON EL SECUESTRO EN COLOMBIA, SEGÚN LAS CIFRAS

• Between 1996 and 2000, 12,834 persons were kidnapped in Colombia.
• Subversive groups are responsible for the majority of kidnappings.
• During the past two years the ELN has committed more kidnappings than any other organization, including the FARC, the perpetrator of the largest proportion of kidnappings since 1996.
• The number of kidnappings committed by the self-defense groups has risen considerably since 1999.
• Kidnapping affects all sectors of Colombian society, including peasants, cattle ranchers, mayors, state officials, particularly those of the judiciary, foreign nationals, journalists, humanitarian aid workers, students, and so on.
• Business people, professionals, and cattle ranchers suffer the highest number of kidnappings.
• The number of foreign nationals kidnapped is relatively small, although they are considered to be of strategic significance.
• Cases of kidnapping of indigenous peoples were recorded during 2000 for the first time, affecting 41 individuals.
• This year, until June, 20% of victims was women, and 8.5% were children.
• Antioquia, and particularly Cesar, have been the departments worst affected by kidnapping.
• Successful army and police rescue operations are on the rise.
• During the past year (2000), of the 3,706 victims of kidnapping, 1,243 (41%) were released, while 659 (34%) were rescued.
• Kidnapping has been concentrated in 18% of Colombia's municipal areas. Of the country's 1,039 municipalities, 175 were affected by kidnapping during 2000.
• The number of municipalities affected by kidnapping is growing.
• During 2000, 144 municipalities had kidnapping rates that were higher that the national rate (8,71 kidnappings per hundred thousand inhabitants).