E.2. The displacement sites and conditions
E.2.1. Municipality of Turbo
117. The persons displaced to Turbo were initially located in the town’s sports arena215 and,
subsequently, in two shelters built with assistance from international agencies. 216 Those
displaced from the Cacarica River basin were placed in Shelter No. 1, located in the Turbo
sports arena.217
118. There is evidence indicating that some persons, ranging from 150218 to 320 families,
were accommodated in the Turbo sports arena as of the end of February 1997 and that, at the
end of March 1997, there were 291 families (1,090 persons of whom 549 were children).219 In
Turbo the living conditions of those displaced were characterized by: (a) the absence of
Government attention;220 (b) overcrowding;221 (c) poor sleeping conditions;222 (d) lack of
privacy (those displaced did not have privacy in the circumstances that required this; for
215
Cf. Ombudsman’s Office. Decision No. 025 of the Ombudsman on the massive human rights violations and
forced displacement in the Bajo Atrato region of Chocó, October 2002 (evidence file, folio 231). See also: Constitutional
Court Judgment T-955 of October 17, 2003 (evidence file, folio 135). Testimony of M.A.C.M. before the Prosecutor
General’s Office, Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Unit, of December 11, 2002 (evidence file, folio
634). See also: Testimony of M.B.S. Serrano before the Prosecutor General’s Office, National Human Rights and
International Humanitarian Law Unit, of December 11, 2002 (evidence file, folio 645); Affidavits of January 21, 2013,
prepared by Alicia Mosquera Hurtado (evidence file, folio 14973), Etilbia Del Carmen Paez Cierra (evidence file, folio
15042), and Ángel Nelis Palacios Quinto (evidence file, folios 14994 and 14995), and Testimony of Evangelina Mosquera
Hinestroza of February 27, 1997, in volume 8 of case file 2332 (evidence file, folio 17725).
216
Cf. Decision No. 025 of the Ombudsman on the massive human rights violations and forced displacement in the
Bajo Atrato region of Chocó, October 2002, para. 19 (evidence file, folio 231): “In November 1999, around 52 families
lived in the sports arena, 56 in Shelter No. 1 or 'Santo Ecce Homo', 22 in Shelter No. 2 or 'Madre Laura', and around
200 in the marginalized areas of Turbo […].” Ombudsman’s Office. See also: Affidavit prepared by Alicia Mosquera
Hurtado on January 21, 2013 (evidence file, folio 14973).
217
Cf. Letter of September 27, 2000, from the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Directorate for
Special Affairs, to the Inter-American Commission (evidence file, folio 3760), which mentions that “following efforts
made in the municipality of Turbo and based on information obtained by the commander of the Turbo Police Station, it
has been established that the displaced who are settled in Turbo are divided into two groups entitled Shelter No. 1
situated in the Turbo sports arena, and Shelter No. 2 located on 114th Avenue and 115th Street, near the beach of the
said municipality. In the first shelter are the displaced from the Cacarica River basin and, in the second, those displaced
from Bajo Cauca.” As noted by the Commission, and not disputed by the State, every day from 3 to 5 families arrived,
each with an average of 12 members. See also, Visit of the Inter-American Commission to the shelter in the Turbo
sports arena in the municipality of Apartadó, Third report on the situation of human rights in Colombia
OEA/Ser.L/V/II.102. Doc. 9 rev. 1, February 26, 1999. Chapter VI, para. 46 (evidence file, folios 768 and ff.).
218
According to a document of the Ombudsman’s Office, the head of the Apartadó Regional Office reported that a
special visit had been made to the facilities of the covered sports arena during which the presence of more than 150
people had been observed. Cf. Ombudsman’s Office, Apartadó Regional Office, Complaint 9745030-Cacarica-Operation
Genesis-03-03-1997 (evidence file, folio 50731).
219
Cf. Letter addressed by the peasant communities displaced from Rio Sucio, Chocó, to the Administrative
Directorate for Human Rights dated March 20, 1997 (evidence file, folio 1537).
220
Cf. Regarding the lack of attention by the Government during the first days in the Turbo sports arena, see the
affidavits of January 21, 2013, prepared by Alicia Mosquera (evidence file, folio 14973), Elvia Hinestroza (evidence file,
folio 15032), Mirina Luz Luz Cuadrado (evidence file, folio 15050), Leopoldina Ulloa Montaño (evidence file, folio
15065) and Henry Angulo Martínez (evidence file, folio 15074).
221
Cf. Regarding the overcrowded conditions, see the affidavits of January 21, 2013, prepared by Alicia Mosquera
(evidence file, folio 14973), John Jairo Mena Palacio (evidence file, folio 14984), Henry Angulo Martínez (evidence file,
folio 15074) and Ángel Nelis Palacios Quinto (evidence file, folio 14996).
222
Cf. No one could sleep in the sports arena; some lights remained turned on all night and people woke up with
their faces burned; they were overcrowded and had to lie down on the cement without any covers; slowly they obtained
mattresses and conditions improved. In this regard, see the affidavits of January 21, 2013 prepared by Marcos Fidel
Velásquez (evidence file, folio 14953), Elvia Hinestroza (evidence file, folio 15032) and Leopoldina Ulloa Montañode
(evidence file, folio 15065).
47
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