We're moving from purely humanitarian aid to helping the displaced build their own participative processes, to build real democracy. The head of Mencoldes' work with IDPs, Juan Manuel Bustillo, claims the international community has been slow to understand this. Yet we don't want dependency. The displaced who are organized are clear that they don't want aid. They want to work and have their rights protected.
Internal obstacles inhibit the organization of the displaced.
Although many of the displaced were leaders in their communities of origin, often that leadership is what got them targeted for displacement, thus discouraging further activism. Although there are separate organizations of the displaced, no single national movement has emerged. Should that happen, it could have an enormous political impact here. The organizations formed by the displaced are not yet very strong, but they're making a valiant effort to organize themselves and carve out space in the public debate. They face security risks and economic difficulties.