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In the presentation of the latest report of the UN Verification Mission on the implementation of the Peace Agreement, the member countries highlighted the progress that has been made in four years and despite the pandemic. However, they expressed concern about the murders of ex-combatants and social leaders.
The latest report from the United Nations Mission in Colombia, which verifies the implementation of the Peace Agreement in Colombia and which on this occasion covered the period from September 26 to December 28, 2020, was presented to the UN Security Council this Thursday, February 21.
The special representative of the Secretary General and head of the Verification Mission, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, highlighted the priorities that the document highlights for the implementation of the Agreement, such as the protection of the lives of ex-combatants and leaders, the effort in reincorporation, the integral presence of the State in all regions of the country, in addition to the support of the State and society to the Integral System of Truth, Justice and Reparation.
(You may be interested in: In 2020, 73 former combatants were killed: UN Mission)
Massieu stressed that in the last four years there have been important advances, despite great challenges such as violence and the pandemic: “The opportunities for peace were unthinkable a decade ago and those who have suffered the most from the conflict have gradually seen the arrival of the State ”.
Countries such as Ireland, India, Mexico, the United Kingdom, the United States, Norway, China or France celebrated the visible achievements that have occurred in four years since the signing of the Peace Agreement. They highlighted that the vast majority of ex-combatants remain firm in their compliance and laying down their arms, reincorporation projects that provide development opportunities, the operation of Development Programs with a Territorial Approach (PDET) and the progress in clarifying the truth by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, the Truth Commission and the Unit for the Search for Persons Presumed Missing.
They also showed great expectations for what lies ahead in 2021, such as the first conclusions and sanctions that the JEP will draw, a fact that the representative of the United Kingdom highlighted as “a turning point in the peace process”. For this reason, they also drew attention to the importance of respecting the autonomy of these entities and supporting their operation with resources.
(See: European countries reject attacks against environmental leaders in Colombia)
Regarding the ex-combatants of the former Farc, although the representatives manifested great progress in their reincorporation, they did request that more rapid progress be made in the acquisition of land and in the institutional and budgetary response to finance their projects, as stated the representative of Norway.
However, for the member countries their greatest concern is the situation of insecurity in which they find themselves social, environmental, indigenous, Afro, LGBTI, women and ex-combatants, and human rights defenders. According to the same report, the Mission verified 73 murders of ex-combatants in 2020, making it one of the most violent years for that population, along with 2019, when 77 homicides occurred. And so far in 2020 there have been four murders to exFarc, for a total of 252 members of the former guerrilla murdered since 2016.
One of the most critical voices was Russia. His representative assured that the report reveals major shortcomings in the implementation of the Agreement and that there has not been sufficient progress in all points, “confirmed by the unease we saw in the streets last year.” In addition, he added that progress should be made on the drug trafficking problem and that a dialogue with the ELN it is key to lasting peace.
All member countries urged the government of President Iván Duque to reinforce the security of ex-combatants and social leaders, inject more resources into the National Protection Unit and implement the National Guarantees Commission or a public policy to dismantle the new armed groups that have arisen after the signing of peace with the FARC.
For their part, Ireland and Mexico asked to guarantee the application of the gender approach in the implementation, the political participation of women and their protection. They also urged that mental health care be provided for victims to overcome the aftermath of the war.
After listening to all the interventions, the Chancellor Claudia Blum He responded that President Iván Duque is committed to the implementation of the Agreement and that, since 2002, Colombia has shown a decrease in violence figures.
Although he accepted that the greatest challenge for the Colombian government continues to be the security of the communities, leaders, defenders and former combatants, he stated that measures have been deployed to protect them, such as 272 individual and collective protection schemes and 71 convictions against those responsible. The Prosecutor’s Office, said the Foreign Minister, has been able to find that the FARC dissidents are responsible for the murders in 77% of the cases.
(Read also: 2021, key to the implementation of PDETs)
He also affirmed that the PDETs will continue to reach the 170 prioritized municipalities in the country and that this is the greatest evidence of the government’s legal compliance with peace. On the other hand, he added that in 2020 $ 148.8 million was allocated for the Comprehensive Truth System and that in 2021 $ 4.2 trillion was secured for the acquisition of land owned by ex-combatants. Also, Blum indicated that a big step was the extension of the LHey Victims for another ten years, which will guarantee reparation for the victims.
Finally, on behalf of President Iván Duque, the Foreign Minister asked him for an addition to the Verification Mission to follow the sanctions that the JEP will impose this year.
