Towards Greater "Human Security" and Peace in Colombia/ The Risk of a Regional Human Rights and Humanitarian Crisis
By Michael Shifter and César Montúfar
July 1, 2005
This paper is divided into two sections. The first, written by Michael Shifter, places the policy challenge facing Colombia within a human security framework. The roles played by key actors in the international community in advancing human security goals are discussed. These include the United Nations, Organization of American States, European and US governments,
and various non-governmental groups. The second section is written by prominent Ecuadorian social scientist César Montúfar, from the Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar in Quito. In accordance with key aspects of the human security framework, Montúfar analyzes the effects of the Colombian conflict on neighboring countries, particularly Ecuador. Montufar
reviews the efforts of individual country governments and international organizations and suggests how they could be more effective in addressing the humanitarian and environmental problems arising from the conflict.