INDA SABALETA, Colombia, October 1 (UNHCR) – Luz Esperanza has
got off to a tough start in life. She was born barely a week ago in the Indian community of Inda Sabaleta; the delivery room a flimsy, mud-washed shelter located on the grounds of a school normally
used for the secondary education of Awa indigenous children from all over the territory.The baby girl's parents were part of a group of 1,047 Awa people who sought refuge here after fleeing
fighting on September 18 between government troops and an irregular armed group in their ancestral lands on south-west Colombia's Pacific coast.They are packed into buildings – a large
cement hangar and five sheds – never meant for human habitation. The heavy rain of the past few days, together with the constant high humidity, has made a difficult humanitarian situation
worse."The first five days were terrible, the children especially were very scared and didn't understand," said Daniela, Luz Esperanza's grandmother, adding that her biggest worry now was the
scarcity of clean water – and not knowing if and when she will be able to return home.The government and humanitarian organizations began distributing food, mattresses and some medical
assistance to the hundreds of displaced Awa – about half of them children – a day after their arrival in Inda Sabaleta. UNHCR contributed five water tanks with a capacity of 2,000 litres
each.But the logistics of catering for so many people in such a small site are challenging. The water tanks need to be filled by the local fire brigade, a two-hour drive away on rough roads.
The sanitary conditions are especially worrying."It is surprising that as of today we have not had any large-scale health problems," said an aid-worker for the Colombian human rights
organization, Defensoria del Pueblo. "There are 500 children here and any epidemics could be catastrophic."But for all the hardship, the Awa do not want to move; Inda Sabaleta is still in
their territory, which covers some 6,000 hectares of protected lands. Like all indigenous groups, they are bound by very strong cultural, historical and social links to the land."The best way
is not for us to move again, this will only cause us more suffering and fear," said one of the Awa traditional leaders. "We need help here, and more than anything we need assurances that we can go
back to our homes safely and live in peace. That is all we ask and it is our right."But while the Awa want to go back home, they are scared of more fighting and of new landmines. They are
calling for a civilian commission to check on safety conditions; UNHCR has agreed to take part as an observer."If your choice is to return to your homes, we will do everything we can to help
as long as you can do so in conditions of dignity and sustainable safety," UNHCR Deputy Representative in Colombia Roberto Mignone told the group in Inda Sabaleta last week.He added it was
important that there should be a real choice between going back and staying. "We must work to improve conditions here very quickly, so that you can really choose between two safe and dignified
options," he said.There are more than 80 indigenous groups in Colombia, who together make up some 2.5 percent of the total population of the country. They are especially vulnerable to the
consequences of forced displacement and UNHCR is working to support the government's efforts to protect them.By Marie-Helene Verney In Inda Sabaleta, Colombia
