Amnesty International has highlighted what it says is a dramatic rise in the number of people being displaced by Colombia's continuing armed conflict. Recent figures released by the human rights group reveal that 380,000 people were forced to flee in 2008, a rise of nearly 25 percent over 2007. Communities in areas of economic, military or strategic importance are being targeted in particular, it says. There are an estimated four million displaced people within Colombia, the great majority of whom are indigenous people, Afro-descendents or campesinos (farm workers). Amnesty International has used the latest figures to highlight the devastation the world's longest running conflict continues to inflict on Colombia's rural population and to urge the Colombian authorities to stop forced displacement and ensure the safety of civilians.