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. JACK-
SON 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 Colom-
bia’s Constitutional Court has done on behalf of Colom-
bia’s internally displaced persons, especially indigenous 
peoples, Afro-Colombians, and women. 
Whereas Colombia contains one of the largest internally dis-
placed 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 ex-
propriation of territories titled to Afro-Colombian and in-
digenous communities continue to cause displacement; 
Whereas the internal armed conflict between the Government 
of Colombia and guerilla groups, paramilitaries, and nar-
cotics production and trafficking organizations has con-
tributed 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 peo-
ples, and such fumigation has blighted some lands such 
that non-coca agriculture is no longer viable; 
Whereas IDP leaders are often targets of threats, intimida-
tion, violence, and assassinations; 
Whereas internally displaced women, who often become wid-
ows 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 indige-
nous populations; 
Whereas Afro-Colombian and indigenous IDPs suffer from 
loss of identity and cultural traditions, are often dispos-
sessed 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 Rep-
resentatives 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 incom-
plete; 
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-Colom-
bians, 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, or-
dered the Government of Colombia to formulate a preven-
tion and protection plan for 62 Afro-Colombian terri-
tories with populations at risk of internal displacement; 
and 
Whereas Colombia’s Constitutional Court, in order 004, or-
dered 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 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
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•HRES 1224 IH 
(1) recognizes and honors the important work 
that Colombia’s Constitutional Court has done on 
behalf of Colombia’s internally displaced persons, es-
pecially indigenous peoples, Afro-Colombians, and 
women; 
(2) calls on the Government of Colombia to 
fully implement the orders issued by the Colombian 
Constitutional Court; 
(3) urges the United States Government to 
work with Colombian authorities to ensure that the 
orders of the Colombian Constitutional Court to up-
hold the rights of internally displaced persons in Co-
lombia are implemented; and 
(4) affirms that Colombia’s human rights 
record will continue to be relevant as Congress delib-
erates relations between Colombia and the United 
States. 
Æ 
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