Trickle of displaced persons  from Colombia jumps from 190 to 500

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Monday, March 31, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

What started as a trickle of 190 persons feeing fighting between the Colombian paramilitaries and guerrilla groups and has now blossomed into 500 displaced persons reported crossing the Oro River for safety in Zulia State. 

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Office (UNHCR) and the International Red Cross have announced that they are offering humanitarian aid to the refugees and will inspect Bari indian settlements in La Vaquera, La Cooperative and La Escuelita on the Venezuelan banks of the Oro River. 

• The Venezuelan Ombudsman Office is also undertaking on-site visits with National Guard (GN) soldiers to draw up a complete list of displaced persons. 

Zulia State Ombudsman, Antonio Urribarri says the number of displaced persons could be as high as 1,000, given increased fighting over the last four days.  Army Operations Theater No. 2 (TO-2) has denied news reports that two Venezuelan soldiers were injured during a skirmish with Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) 33rd column.