61 violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an 282 internationally recognized State border. Colombian law also defines the concept of displacement, 283 using a similar definition to the Guiding Principles. 269. In his introductory report to the Guiding Principles, Francis Deng stressed that [o]ften the consequence of traumatic experiences with violent conflicts, gross violations of human rights and related causes in which discrimination features significantly, displacement nearly always generates conditions of severe hardship and suffering for the affected populations. It breaks up families, cuts social and cultural ties, terminates dependable employment relationships, disrupts educational opportunities, denies access to such vital necessities as food, shelter, and medicine, and exposes innocent persons to such acts of violence as attacks on camps, disappearances and rape. Whether they cluster in camps, escape into the countryside to hide from potential sources of persecution and violence or submerge into the community of the equally poor and dispossessed, the internally displaced are among the most vulnerable populations, desperately in need of 284 protection and assistance. 270. Both the Commission and the Inter-American Court have established that Colombia is affected by a generalized situation of internal forced displacements caused by the internal armed conflict. 285 This phenomenon, which began in the decade of the eighties, has become progressively worse and is such that on September 30, 2009, the Sole Displaced Population Register of Colombia recorded a total of 286 3,226,442 internally displaced persons. 271. In its Third Report, the Commission paid special attention to the phenomenon of internal displacement, considering it one of the most serious aspects of the general human rights situation in Colombia, and a humanitarian disaster. It considered that the situation of the displaced persons was particularly tragic and cruel, and there were a disproportionate number of persons requiring attention and 287 special services, such as children, elderly people and pregnant women. 272. In the said report, the IACHR stressed that in 1996, the Ombudsman evaluated that the migration of these people arises from the fact that members of the military and police, paramilitary organizations, and armed groups force them to flee their homes and occupations to avoid death, torture, insults, and other misfortunes visited on their relatives, friends and neighbors. Displacement in Colombia is the joint responsibility of all sides in the conflict and reveals that the 288 warring factions have an utter contempt for basic principles of humanity. 282 Annex 90. UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, E/CN.4/1998/53/Add.2 of February 11, 1998. See: http://www.un-documents.net/gpid.htm. 283 Article 1 of Law 387 establishes that: an individual is displaced when he is forced to move within the national territory, abandoning his place of residence or habitual economic activities, because his life, physical integrity, security or personal liberty has been affected or is being directly threatened, in any of the following situations: internal armed conflict, disturbances and internal unrest, widespread violence, massive violations of human rights, breaches of IHL or other circumstances emanating from the foregoing situations which may drastically disturb public order. IACHR. Third Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Colombia, Ch. IV. OEA/Ser.L/V/II.102 Doc. 9 rev. 1, February 26, 1999, para. 11. 284 Annex 90. Introductory note to the Guiding Principles, para. 1. United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, E/CN.4/1998/53/Add.2 of February 11, 1998. See: http://www.un-documents.net/gpid.htm. 285 In 2005, the Inter-American Court pointed out that the phenomenon of displacement "currently affects a population which varies between 1.5 and 3 million displaced persons." I/A Court H.R. Case of the “Mapiripán Massacre” v. Colombia. Judgment of September 15, 2005. Series C No. 134, para. 173. 286 For its part, Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement (CODHES) speaks of a total of 4, 629, 190 internally displaced persons up until the end of 2008. Annex 91. IACHR Annual Report, 2009, Chap. IV Colombia. OEA/Ser.L/V/II. Doc. 51 corr. 130 December 2009, para. 82. 287 Annex 15. IACHR. Third Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Colombia, Ch. IV. OEA/Ser.L/V/II.102 Doc. 9 rev. 1, February 26, 1999, paras. 1 and 2. At: http://www.cidh.org/countryrep/Colom99en/table%20of%20contents.htm. 288 Ombudsman’s Office, Ombudsman's Third Annual Report to the Congress of Colombia, 1996, p. 82, Cited in: IACHR. Third Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Colombia, Ch.IV. OEA/Ser.L/V/II.102 Doc. 9 rev. 1, February 26, 1999, para. 63. http://www.cidh.org/countryrep/Colom99sp/capitulo-6.htm - 27#27.