Ecuador is a small Andean country of approximately 13.3 million people. Over the last five years thousands of Colombian refugees have crossed the border to escape an escalation of armed conflict amongst the military, paramilitary and rebel groups, and the hardships created by drug eradication programs (spraying coca crops with herbacide) in southern Colombia. The reception to refugees by newly elected president, Rafael Correa, has been positive and he has promised to incorporate them into the economic and political life of Ecuador. The feeling amongst the Ecuadorian community is on the whole positive, although it´s not uncommon to hear the odd muttering of a racist comment. The violence and eradication programs have displaced as many as 250,000 Colombians since 2002. Only one-third of applicants have been granted asylum and thus many thousands of Colombians continue
... read more