Espen Rasmussen

Friends and family gather for the funeral of a five year old boy in the Soacha slum area of Bogota. He and his eight year old sister were killed by the paramilitary. The eight year old girl was strangled by three men, and her five year old brother was kidnapped and then found dead four days later, beaten to death. They fled their hometown with their mother one year ago, when their father was killed by the paramilitary. Between 500,000 and 800,000 people are registered IDPs (Internally Displace Persons), but there are many more, who are not a part of the official statistics. The Soacha district is one of the largest, with almost 400,000 inhabitants, most of the displaced people are from other parts of Colombia. Violence is a huge problem, and the people who fled due to violence and threats, are experiencing the same level of hostility in Bogota. The paramilitary and the army are a strong presence in the slums around the town.