• Text size  | | |
• Email this document
• Printable version

United States: Whether Colombians in the United States (US) are targeted by members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, FARC) (2006 - April 2008)

In a telephone interview with the Research Directorate on 7 April 2008, the assistant director of the Picker Center For Executive Education at Colombia University in New York City, who is also a researcher at the Latin American and Caribbean Center (LACC) at Florida International University, stated that to her knowledge, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, FARC) have no presence in the United States (US).

However, the Assistant Director stated that it is possible that the FARC is operating secretly in the US (Assistant Director 7 Apr. 2008). A financial and international relations expert who is also a researcher at the LACC also mentioned in correspondence sent to the Research Directorate that the FARC may be operating secretly in the US (4 Apr. 2008). In correspondence sent to the Research Directorate on 13 May 2008, the editor-in-chief of the Latin American magazine Hoy from New York City stated that he does not know of any Colombians being targeted by the FARC in the US. In correspondence sent to the Research Directorate on 14 April 2008, a professor of sociology and demography and researcher at the Colombian Studies Institute (CSI) of Florida International University stated that through his research, he has never found any information leading him to believe that the FARC has acted against or threatened Colombians living in the US.

According to information from the Colombian intelligence service, printed in the Mexican daily El Universal, there are two organizations in the US that are known to share ideologies with the FARC: a non-governmental organization (NGO) working towards environmental protection, and a research centre in North Carolina (11 May 2008). Information on the activities of these organizations could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

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

Assistant Director of the Picker Center for Executive Education of Colombia University and Researcher at the Latin American and Caribbean Center (LACC) of Florida International University. 7 April 2008. Telephone interview with the Research Directorate.

Editor-in-chief of Hoy [New York]. 13 May 2008. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate.

Financial and International Relations Expert and Researcher at the Latin American and Caribbean Center (LACC) of Florida International University. 4 April 2008. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate.

Professor of Sociology and Demography at the Colombian Studies Institute (CSI) of Florida International University. 14 April 2008. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate.

El Universal [Mexico]. 11 May 2008. "Una expansión silenciosa." <http://www.el-universal.com.mx/internacional/57706.html> [Accessed 3 June 2008]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Attempts to reach the following people and organizations were unsuccessful: the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC); Fundación Dos Mundos; RedEsColombia; a researcher at the research centre for Colombian international migrations of the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; a researcher of cultural migration and religion at the National University of Colombia; a researcher of migratory politics at the National University of Colombia; a professor at the National University of Colombia; an anthropologist at the University of the Andes; a political scientist at the National University of Colombia.

Internet sites, including: Colombia Nos Une, Factiva, U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI).

Topics: Militias,