The total number of people kidnaped in Colombia between 1964 and 2012 are between 39,059 and 58,112 cases according to different sources. The total number of foreigners kidnaped are at least 1,051 cases between 1971 and 2012, so it means a 2.7% or 1.8% of total people kidnaped in Colombia. Someone who ignores the internal political war in Colombia can conclude that colombians are a xenophobic society that does not deserve the life’s gift. Fortunately, it is not the case; Colombians are splendid hosts. The number of foreigners residents in Colombia have increased in the last 50 years until reaching at least 150 thousands in 2012. This note highlights the principal figures from foreigners kidnaped in Colombia and its decline due to meetings and Peace dialogues between government and guerrilla in Cuba.
Author: Humberto Bernal,
Economist,
e-mail: zhumber@gmail.com
Twitter: Humberto_Bernal
Colombia is a country where kidnaping is an activity that news broadcast everyday. Moreover, Colombia is on the first places of countries that face this social disease. The issue is such that there are many sources where people can find information on people kidnaped in Colombia; for instance in Department of Defense in Colombia, Department of Economic Development (DNP), Police Department, Fondolibertad, Cifras y Conceptos and Centro Nacional de Memoria Histórica; these sources are the most important, but one can find information in foreign sources also. Information from these bodies is not equal; for instance, the total people kidnaped is between 39,059 and 58,112 cases through 1964 to 2012 according to source. Therefore, it shows the complexity of this issue. However and fortunately, there is information to remember us the violation of Human Rights in Colombia, country that is part of the World. Moreover, this information lets us remember why we have to protect the Human Rights. This note deals the kidnaping facing by foreigners in Colombia during 1971 to 2012. I have written about this issue in my previous notes, but the information was not properly dealt (see my note of November 3th of 2013). Therefore, I decides to go in deep on this issue to make it clear.
Colombia is a country that has faced many cases of people kidnaped, but they show a decline since meetings in Cuba took place. People that have been kidnapped in Colombia is about 58,112 between 1964 and 2012; some of these people has been released, others paid to be released, others escaped and others died in captivity!!!. Figure 1 shows the rate of kidnaping in Colombia per 100 thousand of inhabitants; as one can see, the worst period was between 1978 and 2010; the average rate was 4.6 per year; it means per 100 thousand of people, there were approximately 5 people kidnaped each year; it is fair to remember that Colombia has approximately 47 million inhabitants. However, since meetings between Government and Guerrilla started, the number of people kidnapped showed a deep decline fortunately; the rates were 0.7 in 2011 and 2012; it means 305 cases in 2011 and 305 cases in 2012. Moreover, according to Fundación País Libre, FARC did not kidnap any foreigner in 2012.
Figure 1. Kidnaping rate in Colombia 1964-2012
(rate per 100.000 inhabitants)
Source: DNP, Deprtamnet of Defence Colombia, Cifras y Conceptos, Centro Nacional de Memoria Histórica, Fondolibertad.
In my previous note (November 3th of 2013), I pointed that the number of foreigners kidnaped in Colombia were at least 5,563 cases during 1971 to 2012, but, after making the proper accounts, this number is at least 1,051 cases during this period as figure 2 shows. This information comes from public data broadcasted by Cifras y Conceptos, Centro Nacional de Memoria Histórica and Fundación País Libre. Since 1980, there has been at least 3 cases of foreigners kidnapped, and the worst case was in 1999 when there were 95 cases. By 2012, the foreigners kidnaped were 4.
Figure 2. Foreigners kidnapped in Colombia
1964-2012
(Number of people)
Source: Cifras y Conceptos, Centro Nacional de Memoria Histórica, Fondolibertad and Fundación País Libre.
Foreigners live around whole in Colombia, but they were kidnaped around whole Colombia also. Colombia has 1,123 municipalities and at least 250 have faced the kidnaping of a foreigner. 69% of total foreigners kidnaped between 1971 and 2012 were in small cities or rural areas as figure 3 shows; these cities do not face high security as Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Santa Marta, Cartagena and Cúcuta. However, the 31% of foreigners kidnaped took place in “safe” cities such as those pointed few lines above. This information highlights the big issue which Colombia has been passed through.
Figure 3. Foreigners kidnapped by municipality in Colombia 1971-2012
(Share of total foreigner kidnapped* %)
* Total Cases with information: 857 out of 1,051.
Source: Cifras y Conceptos, Centro Nacional de Memoria Histórica, Fondolibertad and Fundación País Libre.
Foreigners kidnaped in Colombia has come from many countries. Figure 4 shows where foreigners kidnaped come from; They are from Venezuela with 16.9% of total foreigners kidnaped between 1971 and 2012, the Unites States with 14.6%, Italy with 6.5%, Spain with 5.5%, and Germany with 5.5%. Others come from China, Costa Rica, Aruba, Australia, Japan and so... The World has 206 countries and foreigners kidnaped in Colombia come from 60 countries!!!. It means it is a World’s problem, it is not Colombians’ problem just.
Figure 4. Foreigners kidnapped by source country in Colombia 1971-2012
(Share of total foreigner kidnapped* %)
* Total Cases with information: 1,051.
Source: Cifras y Conceptos, Centro Nacional de Memoria Histórica, Fondolibertad and Fundación País Libre.
Someone who is not aware of Colombian conflict can point that Colombians are a xenophobic society that do not deserve enjoy the life’s gift, but it is not the case fortunately. Colombians enjoy being hosts; there are many films that highlight how Colombians make a big effort to make conformable foreigners’ stay in Colombia; for instance, Mi gente linda, mi gente bella. Moreover, foreigners residents in Colombia have increased in the last 50 years; there are approximately 150 thousand foreigners registered in Colombia in 2012, but this number increased to 650 thousand if foreigners not “registered” are taken into account. Therefore, why are foreigners kidnaped in Colombia?, the answer is because Colombia faces an internal political war, and this activity gives power of negotiation and finical sources for supporting this irrational political war. Therefore, we are looking forward to ending this internal war to enjoy Colombia as must be.
No comments:
Post a Comment