|
There
is no data that will allow a precise determination of the number of people
belonging to the Afro-Colombian community. According to the 1993 census,
1,5% of the total national population, or 502,343 people, define themselves
as black. Nevertheless, according to estimates done by academics and Afro-Colombian
leaders, including members of the Commission of Studies that formulated
the 1998-2002 Afro-Colombian Development Plan, the actual proportion of
blacks could be around 25% of the total national population (these estimates
do not take into account whether the person defines him or herself as
black).
Most of the Afro-Colombian population is located in marginal zones, excluded
from the benefits of development. Their quality of life is one of the
lowest among the Colombian population. This community's traditional settlement
zones are particularly the Caribbean and Pacific Coasts. There are also
important Afro-Colombian communities in the country's main urban centers,
specially in Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Medellín and Bogotá.
|
Municipalities
with most afro-colombian population, 1998
|
 |
| Source:
Official map of territorial entities IGAC Geographic Information System
for the Black community lands. Technical Commission Law 70, 1993 National
Development Plan for the Afro-Colombian population - DNP, 1998. |
|
Municipality
|
Percentage
of afro-colombian population
|
| Timbiquí,
Cauca |
100%
|
| Sipí,
Choco |
100%
|
| Francisco
Pizarro (Salahonda), Nariño |
100%
|
| La
Tola, Nariño |
100%
|
| Maguí
(Payán), Nariño |
100%
|
| Nóvita,
Chocó |
99%
|
| Mosquera,
Nariño |
99%
|
| Roberto
Payán (San José), Nariño |
99%
|
| Santa
Bárbara (Iscuandé), Nariño |
99%
|
| Tadó,
Chocó |
98%
|
| Murindó,
Antioquia |
97%
|
| Guapi,
Cauca |
97%
|
| Barbacoas,
Nariño |
97%
|
| Atrato,
Chocó |
95%
|
| Olaya
Herrera (Bocas de Satinga), Nariño |
95%
|
| Vigía
del Fuerte, Antioquia |
94%
|
| Suárez,
Cauca |
94%
|
| Condoto,
Chocó |
94%
|
| El
Charco, Nariño |
94%
|
| Mutatá,
Antioquia |
92%
|
| Alto
Baudó (Pie de Pato), Chocó |
92%
|
| Quibdó,
Chocó |
92%
|
| Tumaco,
Nariño |
92%
|
| Tumaco,
Nariño |
92%
|
| Majagual,
Sucre |
92%
|
| Turbo,
Antioquia |
91%
|
| Padilla,
Cauca |
91%
|
| López,
Cauca |
90%
|
| Puerto
Tejada, Cauca |
90%
|
| Bagadó,
Chocó |
90%
|
| Puerto
Escondido, Córdoba |
90%
|
| Fundación,
Magdalena |
90%
|
| Tenerife,
Magdalena |
90%
|
| Lloró,
Chocó |
89%
|
| San
Pedro de Urabá, Antioquia |
88%
|
| La
Vega, Cauca |
88%
|
| Pedraza,
Magdalena |
88%
|
| Buenaventura,
Valle del Cauca |
88%
|
| Sabanalarga,
Atlántico |
87%
|
| María
la Baja, Bolívar |
87%
|
| Bahía
Solano (Mutis), Chocó |
87%
|
| Istmina,
Chocó |
87%
|
| Momil,
Córdoba |
87%
|
| El
Banco, Magdalena |
87%
|
| Salamina,
Magdalena |
87%
|
| San
Bernardo del Viento, Córdoba |
86%
|
| Chigorodó,
Antioquia |
85%
|
| Necoclí,
Antioquia |
85%
|
| Pueblorrico,
Antioquia |
85%
|
| Puerto
Triunfo, Antioquia |
85%
|
| Piojo,
Atlántico |
85%
|
| Bajo
Baudó (Pizarro), Chocó |
85%
|
| Bojayá
(Bellavista), Chocó |
85%
|
| El
Cantón del San Pablo, Chocó |
85%
|
| Chinú,
Córdoba |
85%
|
| Plato,
Magdalena |
85%
|
| Colosó,
Sucre |
85%
|
| Buenos
Aires, Cauca |
84%
|
| Santander
de Quilichao, Cauca |
84%
|
| Remolino,
Magdalena |
83%
|
| Ríosucio,
Chocó |
81%
|
| Ungía,
Chocó |
81%
|
| San
Antero, Córdoba |
81%
|
| Arboletes,
Antioquia |
80%
|
| Belmira,
Antioquia |
80%
|
| Soplaviento,
Bolívar |
80%
|
| El
Litoral del San Juan, Chocó |
80%
|
| San
Onofre, Sucre |
80%
|
| Tolú,
Sucre |
80%
|
| Ponedera,
Atlántico |
79%
|
|
Nearly
30% of the Afro-Colombian population is based in the Chocó biographic
region, an area characterized by its mega-biodiversity, the wealth of
its natural resources (lumber, gold, fitogenetic resources) and by its
strategic situation (possibility of an inter-oceanic channel) in contrast
to the socioeconomic and cultural conditions of its settlers and their
land tenancy patterns.
|
Displacement
of Afro-Colombian population According to sources
|
Displaced
Afro-Colombian
Population / total displaced |
Period
|
Source
|
|
18% |
January
2000- June 2001 |
RSS
Forced Displacement Estimation System |
| 30% |
August-
December 2000 |
Office
of the National Ombudsman |
| 10.8% |
January-
December 2001 |
Office
of the National Ombudsman |
|
Within
the armed conflict, the intensity of the actions and the widening of areas
disputed by illegal armed groups have involved Afro-Colombian ancestral
territories and particulary their people, who are object of recruitment,
massacres, attacks on their villages, forced displacement, control of
their natural resources, goods and even of food, medicines, provisions
and humanitarian support entering these communities.
|
LAND
GIVEN WITH LEGAL TITTLE
TO BLACK COMMUNITIES
|
|
|
|
- The studies
of the Human Mobility Section of the Social Pastoral of the Episcopal
Conference demonstrate that the present human rights crisis among
the Afro-Colombian population is caused by confrontations between
the armed actors and it occurs in the midst of collective land
title-granting processes.
- The United
Farmers Association of the Atrato-(HACIA), involved in promoting
defense of the territory and the collective rights of these communities,
reports the advance in the granting of legal titles over the land:
4 million hectares.
- According
to a report by the NGO "Organizational Process of Black Communities",
(PCN), Afro-Colombian families of Chocó, Cauca, Nariño,
the South of Bolívar and Cesar (among other zones of the
country) are arriving at Medellín, Bogotá, Cali
and Pasto after surviving massacres, threats, forced disappearances
and other human rights violations and infractions of International
Humanitarian Law.
|
| Source:
Official map of territorial entities IGAC Geographic Information System
for the Black community lands. Technical Commission Law 70, 1993. |
|
Even
though there is no exact data of the total number of human rights violations
against Afro-Colombians, many take place in their traditional settlements.
As a result of pressure exerted by illegal armed groups, the typical cases
of threats, deaths, massacres and major displacements occur in territories
where collective land title granting processes are taking place, such
as Middle and Lower Naya in Valle and Cauca provinces; Yurumanguí
and Anchicayá in Valle province; and Upper and Lower Baudó
(ACABA titles) and Middle and Lower Atrato (HACIA and Truandó titles)
in Chocó province. In addition to conflicts relating to the formerly
mentioned collective title-granting processes, the present situation of
violence has also resulted in the abandonment by displaced people of properties
belonging to the Afro-Colombian population particularly in the provinces
of Valle del Cauca and Cauca.
|
SOCIOECONOMIC
CONDITIONS
OF AFRO-COLOMBIANS EDUCATION
EDUCATION
Illiteracy
43% of rural population
Coverage of primary education 60%
Admittance to University 2%
HEALTH
Infant Mortality Rates More than 20% ( 10% above national average)
Life expectancy 20% lower than national average
Deficit in health service administration
Caribbean Coast 61 of 182 municipalities
Pacific Coast 3 of 42 municipalities
ECONOMIC SITUATION
Living in extreme poverty 80%*
Per capita Income 3 times lower than national average
Earning salary below Legal Minumum wage 74%
(*) In 1993,
the poverty level reached 76.4% of this population, against a national
average of 37%
Source: National Planning Department. Processed by the Human Rights
Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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