Colombia is caught in a complex web of violence resulting in the most severe humanitarian crisis in the hemisphere. As in the case of Central America's civil wars, Colombia's insurgency is rooted in decades of extreme inequality and political exclusion - however, the Colombian guerrilla movements that developed are more violent and intransigent. Over 300,000 people are forced to flee their homes from political violence each year.

Two leftist guerrilla groups, the FARC and the ELN, are responsible for kidnappings for profit, killings of civilians by assassination, and indiscriminate use of weapons such as gas cylinder bombs. Right-wing paramilitary groups are responsible for the majority of human rights violations in Colombia, including massacres and targeted assassinations, particularly those of rural community leaders, trade unionists and other civilians. The major human rights violation by the Colombian armed forces-well documented by international and local human rights groups-- is collaboration with paramilitary forces, ranging from tolerating paramilitary activity to direct involvement in abuses. The violence is greatly aggravated by, but not caused by, profits from the drug trade, especially the explosion of coca and poppy production.

US policy towards Colombia is pouring fuel on the fire. Between 1999-2002, the United States gave Colombia $2.04 billion, of which 83% has gone to Colombia's military and police. US counterdrug policy prioritized a massive aerial fumigation program with controversial environmental and human impact. During this time period, human rights improvements by the Colombian armed forces stalled, as did reforms to Colombia's judiciary. The intransigent FARC guerrillas pulled out of negotiations with the Colombian government. In 2002, Colombians elected a hard-line president, Alvaro Uribe, who has implemented controversial state of emergency measures and escalated the war.

In the face of this crisis, the Latin America Working Group has vigorously supported social aid to the Colombian government and civil society, including humanitarian aid for displaced people, alternative development aid to help small farmers switch to legal crops, assistance for judicial reforms, and expanded drug treatment programs in the United States. LAWG has opposed military aid and the aerial fumigation program as contributing to the generalized violence. LAWG also works to provide international attention to assist Colombian human rights groups, trade unionists and others who have been targets of threats, attacks and assassinations.