Colombia: Crime rates in Cartagena, Medellin and Santiago de Cali; ability of people relocating to these cities to access municipal services, including schools and hospitals; availability of residences to newcomers to these cities (January 2013-November 2013)

1. Crime Rates

1.1 Statistics, Homicides

According to a report published by the Security and Democracy Centre (Centro Seguridad y Democracia), a think-tank created by the University Sergio Arboleda in Bogotá to analyze security issues in Colombia (n.d.), there were 7,380 homicides in Colombia between January and July of 2013, which represented an increase of 7 percent compared to the same period in 2012 (Centro Seguridad y Democracia 2013, Sec. 1). There were 6,918 homicides in 2012 (ibid.). However, Colprensa, a Bogota-based news agency (Colprensa n.d.), notes that, according to police records, there were 8,939 homicides in Colombia between January and August of 2012 and 8,393 homicides in the same period in 2013, which represents a decrease of 6 percent (ibid. 11 Aug. 2013). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

The Security and Democracy Centre provides information on the number of homicides in the first six months of 2012 and 2013:

City Number of cases 2012 Number of cases 2013 Percentage change Rate per 100,000 inhabitants first half 2012 Rate per 100,000 inhabitants first half 2013

Cali 834 977 17% 79 92

Medellín 579 554 -4% 52 50

Cartagena 100 80 -20% 22 18

(Centro Seguridad y Democracia 2013, Sec. 3)

In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a professor of political science at the University Los Andes (Universidad de los Andes) in Bogotá who specializes in armed conflicts, global studies and violence in Colombia, stated that, according to international standards, Cali is the "seventh most dangerous city worldwide [and] first among Colombian cities" (Professor 28 Nov. 2013). According to the Professor, crime rates in Cartagena and Medellín are "high" (ibid.). The Professor further noted that, although Cartagena, Cali and Medellín are "relatively safer than [they] were 10 years ago, [all these cities] are considered to be very unsafe by international standards" (ibid.).

1.2 Cali

An InSight Crime report dated 15 November 2013 states that Cali remains the "most violent of Colombia's main cities" (InSight Crime 15 Nov. 2013). InSight Crime is an independent research institution based in Medellín that produces reports on the dynamics of conflict and organized crime in Latin America (ibid. n.d.). InSight Crime further indicates that, according to the government, between January and November 2013 there were 1,677 murders recorded in Cali, and that 205 of the victims were minors (ibid. 15 Nov. 2013). According to the Government of Canada's Travel and Advisories for Colombia report, "violent crimes... have been reported even in wealthier neighbourhoods" of Cali, as well as in the shopping malls (Canada 27 Sept. 2013). The report further states that there are "high" crime rates in some neighbourhoods of Cali, however "mugging and assaults occur even in safer parts" of the city (ibid.). Further information on criminal activities in Cali could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

1.3 Cartagena

According to the US Department of State's Colombia 2012 Crime and Safety Report: Cartagena,

[t]he most common types of crime [in Cartagena] include, but are not limited to, muggings, assaults, general thefts, credit card fraud, and burglaries. Criminals are quick to resort to physical assault and commonly use knives and firearms in the commission of crimes. Crime levels in the major tourist areas of Centro Histórico, Bocagrande, and Castillogrande are considered comparably lower but are continually areas of much petty theft and other similar crimes. (US 4 Mar. 2012, 1-2)

El Universal, a Cartagena-based newspaper, reports that insecurity and violence have increased in the city (10 Nov. 2012). Media sources report that the number of gang groups has increased in Cartagena (RCN La Radio 7 Nov. 2013; El Universal 10 Nov. 2012). There are about 80 gangs with approximately 1,500 or more than 1,600 members (El Heraldo 27 May 2013; Noticias RCN 6 Oct. 2013) in "popular areas of Cartagena" (ibid.). RCN La Radio also reports that murders, extortion, and theft linked to gangs have spread into touristic areas of the city (RCN La Radio 7 Nov. 2013). El Heraldo, a Barranquilla-based newspaper, notes that confrontations between gangs affect the following neighbourhoods: Olaya Herrera, El Progreso, Ricaurte, La Puntilla, Rafael Núñez, El Campamento, Torices, Paseo Bolívar, La Candelaria, Fredonia, 9 de Abril, El Zapatero, Nueva Venecia, Nelson Mandela, La Pajarera, Piedra Bolívar, El Pozón, Cartagenita and San Francisco (27 May 2013). Further information on criminal activities in Cartagena could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

1.4 Medellín

The Government of Canada's Travel and Advisories for Colombia report states that "high" crime rates have been reported in Medellín, including in "safer parts" of the city (Canada 27 Sept. 2013). InSight Crime reports that homicides in Medellín were down over 60 percent in October 2013 compared to the same month the previous year (InSight Crime 2013). However, the same report further states that

[o]fficials credited the favorable statistics to greater investment in security and coordination between police and the municipal government. However, the Popular Training Institute (IPC), a Medellin-based NGO, attributed the decrease in violence to the recent truce between Medellin's two major criminal groups, the Oficina de Envigado and the Urabeños.

IPC director ... noted that although murders have decreased, this drop has corresponded with a rise in disappearances. IPC also noted that criminal activities such as micro-trafficking and forced displacement have not decreased. (ibid.)

Semana, a Colombian national magazine, reports that, according to government statistics, the number of homicides in Medellin was higher in the first months of 2013, with 189 homicides, compared to the same period in 2012, with 149 homicides (Semana 11 Mar. 2013). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

In a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, the General Director of Corporación Región, an NGO based in Medellín that conducts research on human rights and aims to promote democracy and social inclusion (Corporación Región n.d.), stated that in Medellín,

[translation]

[t]he victims of both intra-urban displacement and those from other parts of the country, live in territories controlled by armed groups. Even though sometimes these groups are not the same as those that caused the victims' initial displacement, eventually these groups become a serious threat to the displaced. Although these armed groups have no power at the national level, these are large criminal gangs, which are very powerful. (25 Nov. 2013)

The US Department of State's Country Reports for 2012 similarly notes that "international organizations and civil society expressed concern over urban displacement [in Colombia] caused by violence stemming from territorial disputes between criminal gangs, some of which had links to large criminal and narcotics trafficking groups" (US 19 Apr. 2013, 31). According to the Director, in Medellín [translation] "criminal gangs dominate all the metropolitan area, except the El Poblado neighbourhood where rich people live" (Corporación Región 25 Nov. 2013). El Mundo, a Colombian newspaper, also states that there are dozens of [translation] "invisible boundaries" created by criminal gangs in Medellín (El Mundo 27 Nov. 2013). The article further states that because of these invisible boundaries hundreds of people in Medellín are being displaced, children are dropping out of school and people are killed (ibid.). El Mundo explains that boundaries are created by gangs in order to [translation] "show their power and dominance over a territory" (ibid.). According to the Corporation for Peace and Development (Corporación para la Paz y el Desarollo), the following sectors of the city are affected by forced displacement caused by invisible boundaries: communes 5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 16, San Cristóbal, Altavista and San Antonio de Prado (ibid.). Further information on criminal activities in Medellín could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

2. Government Services

The Professor indicated that there are government programs available for people relocating to Cartagena, Cali or Medellín (Professor 28 Nov. 2013). These programs are designed for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and "poor (low income)" individuals (ibid.). The US Department of State's Colombia 2012 Crime and Safety Report: Cartagena notes that, according to the UN High Commission, more than 2 million people "have been internally displaced over the past 15 years, forcing them into urban areas in an attempt to escape violence" (4 Mar. 2012, 3). According to the Professor,

[i]n order to receive help with housing, school or health services, Internally Displaced Persons must be registered and recognized as "displaced." IDPs must be registered with the Unidad de Víctimas (Unidad para la Atención y Reparación Integral a las Víctimas) in Cali, Cartagena or Medellín. Individuals may also approach an office of the Defensoría del Pueblo in one of these cities which will direct them to a place where they can register as "displaced". (Professor 28 Nov. 2013)

The Director of the Corporación Región similarly indicated that in Medellín, displaced persons must register with the Office of the Prosecutor General (Procuraduría General de la Nación), the National Office of the Ombudsperson (Defensoría del Pueblo) or an office of the ombudsperson (Personería) to receive assistance with housing, health services and education (Corporación Región 25 Nov. 2013). The Director explained that in Medellín [translation] "registration applications are studied and, in most cases, applications from displaced persons coming from other parts of the country, are approved" (ibid.). The Director further stated that applications of displaced individuals within Medellín are rejected (ibid.). However, the US Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012 notes that in Colombia,

displaced persons experienced significant delays in receiving responses to their displacement claims, initially as a result of delays in the establishment of validation criteria for claims and then as a result of a large backlog of claims built up over several months at the beginning of the year. International organizations and NGOs remained concerned about underregistration of IDPs and the slow institutional response to displacement. CODHES [Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement] cited the government's denial of many registrations, lack of access to the registration system in some areas, and fear of retaliation from illegal armed groups as obstacles to full registration. Government policy provides for an appeals process in the case of refusals. (US 19 Apr. 2013, 30)

According to the Director, there are approximately 10,000 victims of inter-city displacement in Medellín (Corporación Región 25 Nov. 2013). The Director noted that individuals registered as [translation] "displaced" receive approximately US$150 per month for six months, which is "not enough" to sustain themselves (ibid.). The Director indicated that, for example in Medellín, the employment situation is very bad and displaced individuals arriving in Medellín find jobs selling [translation] "things on the street" (ibid.). El Universal notes that there is a lack of job opportunities in Cartagena (10 Nov. 2012)

The Professor stated that in order to receive help with housing, schools or health service, "low income individuals should approach an office of SISBEN (Social Program Beneficiaries' Identification System, Sistema de Identificación de Potenciales Beneficiarios de Programas Sociales)" (Professor 28 Nov. 2013). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

2.1 Housing

According to the Professor,

[i]n most of the cases, displaced persons or individuals relocating to Cali, Cartagena or Medellín or another city move-in with friends or families. If they don't have any relatives or friends in Cali, Cartagena or Medellín, they usually move to poor areas of a city where they have to deal with "informal housing market," meaning that there are no formal rental agreements that prevent tenants from being thrown out of the house at any time. Moreover, hygiene and safety are usually bad in the poor areas. (Professor 28 Nov. 2013).

Similarly, the Director stated that in Medellín, displaced persons move to the outskirts of a city (Corporación Región 25 Nov. 2013). According to the Director, municipal housing programs in Medellín do not have a specific number of houses allotted for displaced persons (ibid.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

2.2 Health

The Director explained that in Colombia there are contributory and subsidized health systems (Corporacióm Región 25 Nov. 2013). The contributory system is for people working and contributing to private health insurance (ibid.). According to the Professor, "IDPs and low income people can apply for state subsidy to access health services at lower cost" (Professor 28 Nov. 2013). Without providing details, the Director noted that displaced persons are [translation] "registered under the subsidized system, SISBEN" (Corporación Región 25 Nov. 2013). The Director also stated that the quality of the healthcare under this system is "very bad" and "limited" (ibid.) Individuals must wait for a long time to get an appointment (ibid.). According to the Director, [translation] "some people with serious illnesses do not receive the care they need" (ibid.). The Professor also indicated that the wait period is very long and the health services at lower cost are "not very good" (Professor 28 Nov. 2013).

2.3 Education

The Professor and the Director both stated that children of displaced persons can be registered at any school (Professor 28 Nov. 2013; Corporación Región 25 Nov. 2013), but they have to be registered as "displaced" first (ibid.). The Professor noted that "public schools are free, but school uniforms must be purchased" (Professor 28 Nov. 2013). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

For more information regarding government services available for IDPs, please see Response to Information Request COL104433.E.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Canada. 27 September 2013. Travel Advice and Advisories for Colombia. [Accessed 12 Nov. 2013]

Centro Seguridad y Democracia. [2013]. Universidad Sergio Arboleda, Bogotá. "Sube el homicidio por primera vez en 7 años." [Accessed 25 Nov. 2013]

_____. N.d. Universidad Sergio Arboleda, Bogotá. "Centros." [Accessed 28 Nov. 2013]

Corporación Región para el Desarollo y la Democracia (Corporación Región). 25 November 2013. Telephone interview with the Director.

_____. N.d. "Ficha de presentación institucional." [Accessed 27 Nov. 2013]

Colprensa [Bogotá]. 11 August 2013. "Tasa de homicidios creció en Colombia, revela estudio." [Accessed 13 Nov. 2013]

_____. N.d. "Colprensa." [Accessed 2 Dec. 2013]

El Heraldo [Baranquilla]. 27 May 2013. Rubén Rodríguez. "Ochenta pandillas siembran el terror en Cartagena." [Accessed 27 Nov. 2013]

El Mundo [Colombia]. 27 November 2013. Delsy Johana Pareja. "Fronteras invisibles aumentan desplazamientos." [Accessed 27 Nov. 2013]

El Universal [Cartagena]. 10 November 2012. "La violencia en Cartagena." [Accessed 27 Nov. 2013]

InSight Crime. 15 November 2013. James Bargent. "Cali Violence 'Criminal Chaos' as Territorial Battles Escalate." [Accessed 20 Nov. 2013]

_____. [2013]. "Homicides in Medellin Have Fallen Dramatically." [Accessed 20 Nov. 2013]

_____. N.d. "About InSight Crime." [Accessed 29 Nov. 2013]

Noticias RCN. 6 October 2013. "Al menos 1.600 jóvenes pertenecen a pandillas de Cartagena." [Accessed 27 Nov. 2013]

Professor, Universidad de los Andes. 28 November 2013. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate.

RCN La Radio. 7 November 2013. "Las pandillas, dolor de cabeza en Cartagena." [Accessed 27 Nov. 2013]

Semana. 11 March 2013. "La violencia que no se va de Medellín." [Accessed 27 Nov. 2013]

United States (US). 19 April 2013. Department of State. "Colombia." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012. [Accessed 22 Nov. 2013]

_____. 4 March 2012. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security. Colombia 2012 Crime and Safety Report: Cartagena. [Accessed 21 Nov. 2012]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Attempts to contact the following were unsuccessful within the time constraints of this Response: academics at the Florida International University, University of British Columbia and University of Miami; Cali - Alcaldía de Cali, Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar; Cartagena - Alcaldía mayor de Cartagena de Indias, Departamento Administrativo Distrital de Salud, Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar; International Organization for Migration; Colombia - Defensor Delegado para los derechos de la población desplazada, Defensoría del Pueblo, Embassy of Colombia in Ottawa, Migración Colombia; Fundación Ideas para la Paz; Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Salud Pública; Medellín - Alcaldía de Medellín, Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar, Personería de Medellín; Programa No Gubernamental de Protección a Defensores de Derechos Humanos; Red de Solidaridad Social.

Internet sites, including: Amnesty International; British Broadcasting Corporation; Cali - Alcaldía de Cali, Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar; Caracol; Cartagena - Alcaldía mayor de Cartagena de Indias, Departamento Administrativo Distrital de Salud, Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar; Colombia - Colombia Humanitaria, Corte Constitucional, Fiscalía General de la Nación, Defensoría del Pueblo, Embassy of Colombia in Ottawa, Ministerio de Defensa Nacional, Ministerio de Educación Nacional, Ministerio de Seguridad Pública, Ministerio del Interior, Ministerio de Vivienda, Migración Colombia, Policía Nacional de Colombia, Secretaría de Salud, Sistema de Identificación de Potenciales Beneficiarios de Programas Sociales, Sistema regional de indicadores estandarizados de convivencia y seguridad ciudadana, Superintendencia del Subsidio Familiar, Unidad para la Atención y Reparación Integral a las Víctimas; Comfenalco; ecoi.net; El Colombiano; El Espectador; El País; El Tiempo; Factiva; Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Salud Pública; International Organization for Migration; La Tarde; Medellín - Alcaldía de Medellín, Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar, Personería de Medellín; Profamilia Social; Programa Somos Defensores; United Nations - Refworld.