A/66/44 of refugee status for tens of thousands of Colombians in the most remote border areas. The Committee notes with concern, however, the content of Executive Decree No. 1471 of 3 December 2008, establishing as a requirement for the entry of Colombian citizens to Ecuadorian territory the presentation of a certificate of good conduct or “criminal record”, issued by the Department of National Security (DAS), the intelligence agency which comes under the authority of the executive branch of the Colombian Government. The discriminatory nature of this requirement has been pointed out by the Office of the Ombudsman, as well as by several international organizations, and was partially amended by Executive Decree No. 1522 of 7 January 2009, which excluded from the requirement minors, refugees legally recognized by Ecuador, air crews, governmental or local authorities, diplomats and members of international organizations. The Committee considers that obliging asylum-seekers to meet this requirement would force many persons in need of international protection to place their security at risk (art. 3). Considering the considerable increase in the number of asylum-seekers in Ecuador in recent years, the Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Pursue its efforts in conjunction with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to identify and protect refugees and asylum-seekers; (b) Examine the conformity of the current legislation on asylum and immigration with the norms and principles of international human rights law, in particular the principle of non-discrimination. The State party should consider withdrawing the requirement for the submission of “criminal records” with asylum applications, which in the opinion of the Committee violates the principles of nonrefoulement and confidentiality with respect to the rights of refugees. Abuse and refoulement of asylum-seekers and refugees (14) The Committee notes with great concern the deterioration in the situation on the northern border with Colombia stemming from the domestic conflict in that neighbouring country and the presence of groups involved in organized crime, as a result of which the State party has stepped up its military presence in the area. While it appreciates the serious difficulties the State party has to deal with in order to preserve public order in provinces on the border, the Committee is deeply concerned about the reports received of continual abuses and acts of violence against the civilian population, and in particular asylum-seekers and refugees of Colombian nationality, committed by illegal armed groups and members of the Ecuadorian and Colombian security forces (arts. 1–3, 10 and 16). The Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Adopt the necessary measures to guarantee the physical integrity of the civilian population in the provinces on the border with Colombia, including the refugees and asylum-seekers under its jurisdiction; (b) Ensure that investigations are carried out into the murders and abuses committed in this region and that the perpetrators of such acts are brought before the courts; (c) Continue mandatory in-service training programmes on human rights, asylum and migration for members of the State party’s armed and security forces, and give priority to those police and military personnel serving or due to serve in border areas; (d) Conduct a periodic review of the contents of the Guide to Human Rights and Human Mobility for members of the State party’s armed and security forces. GE.11-45568 35