IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1224 

Recognizing and honoring the important work that Colombia’s Constitutional 

Court has done on behalf of Colombia’s internally displaced persons, 

especially indigenous peoples, Afro-Colombians, and women. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 25, 2010 

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia (for himself, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. MCGOVERN, 

Mr. PAYNE, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. RUSH, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. 

HONDA, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Ms. 

SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. ELLISON, Ms. WOOLSEY, Ms. NORTON, Mr. SERRANO, 

Ms. WATSON, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Ms. LINDA T. SA ́NCHEZ of California, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. 

FARR, and Ms. RICHARDSON) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing and honoring the important work that Colombia’s Constitutional Court has done on behalf of Colombia’s internally displaced persons, especially indigenous 

peoples, Afro-Colombians, and women. 

Whereas Colombia contains one of the largest internally displaced persons (IDP) populations in the world, with an 

estimated 4,000,000 IDPs, according to the Consultancy 

for Human Rights and Displacement (CODHES); 


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•HRES 1224 IH 

Whereas in Colombia, an estimated 380,000 people became 

newly displaced in 2008, a 24 percent increase over 2007, 

according to CODHES; 

Whereas a disproportionate number of Colombia’s IDPs have 

African or indigenous ancestry; 

Whereas Colombia’s internal armed conflict, drug trafficking, 

aerial fumigation efforts, and the illegal and violent expropriation of territories titled to Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities continue to cause displacement; 

Whereas the internal armed conflict between the Government 

of Colombia and guerilla groups, paramilitaries, and narcotics production and trafficking organizations has contributed to ongoing violence and instability; 

Whereas Colombia, at the urging of the United States, has 

aggressively fumigated coca fields, many of which are in 

areas populated by Afro-Colombian and indigenous peoples, and such fumigation has blighted some lands such 

that non-coca agriculture is no longer viable; 

Whereas IDP leaders are often targets of threats, intimidation, violence, and assassinations; 

Whereas internally displaced women, who often become widows and single heads of IDP households, are vulnerable 

to sexual violence and risk losing their children to forced 

recruitment by illegal armed groups; 

Whereas sexual violence against women is used to intimidate 

and coerce IDPs, especially Afro-Colombian and indigenous populations; 

Whereas Afro-Colombian and indigenous IDPs suffer from 

loss of identity and cultural traditions, are often dispossessed and destitute, face major obstacles to fulfilling 


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•HRES 1224 IH 

basic needs, are victims of racial discrimination, and are 

vulnerable to exploitation and physical harm; 

Whereas, on May 22, 2007, the United States House of Representatives passed H. Res. 426, which recognized 2007 

as the Year of the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons 

in Colombia; 

Whereas Colombia has made great progress in recognizing 

and developing national policies to address its IDP crisis, 

although implementation of such policies remains incomplete; 

Whereas Colombia’s Constitutional Court in its T–025 ruling 

of April 2004 and subsequent orders, including 005 of 

2009 on protection of internally displaced Afro-Colombians, 004 of 2009 on protection of indigenous internally 

displaced persons (IDP), 092 of 2008 on protection of 

the rights of IDP women, and 200 of 2007 on protection 

of IDP leaders, has played a key role in defending the 

human rights of Colombia’s estimated more than 

4,000,000 IDPs; 

Whereas Colombia’s Constitutional Court, in order 005, ordered the Government of Colombia to formulate a prevention and protection plan for 62 Afro-Colombian territories with populations at risk of internal displacement; 

and 

Whereas Colombia’s Constitutional Court, in order 004, ordered the relevant Colombian authorities to develop a 

program that guarantees the rights of indigenous IDPs 

and to implement ‘‘life saving’’ plans for 34 indigenous 

ethnic groups: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 


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•HRES 1224 IH 

1 (1) recognizes and honors the important work 

2 that Colombia’s Constitutional Court has done on 

3 behalf of Colombia’s internally displaced persons, es4 pecially indigenous peoples, Afro-Colombians, and 

5 women; 

6 (2) calls on the Government of Colombia to 

7 fully implement the orders issued by the Colombian 

8 Constitutional Court; 

9 (3) urges the United States Government to 

10 work with Colombian authorities to ensure that the 

11 orders of the Colombian Constitutional Court to up12 hold the rights of internally displaced persons in Co13 lombia are implemented; and 

14 (4) affirms that Colombia’s human rights 

15 record will continue to be relevant as Congress delib16 erates relations between Colombia and the United 

17 States. 

Æ 


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