MADRID, July 27 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has warned of the “devastating” impact of violence on women, children and indigenous peoples, especially in rural areas of Colombia, where numerous armed groups and criminal organizations operate.
In a report, he has urged the incoming government, which will take office next August, to “give priority to the fight against this type of violence” and has established a series of recommendations for its “urgent application” in order to “protect the life and human rights of the affected populations”, which also include community leaders and human rights defenders.
However, he has indicated that the signing of the peace agreements with the now extinct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has caused a “drastic” decrease in violence in the country.
According to the Institute of Studies for Development and Peace (Indepaz), murders went from 12,665 in 2012 to 1,238 in 2016. However, in the last two years, non-state armed groups and criminal organizations, often involved in illicit activities such as drug trafficking and illegal mining, have expanded their presence in various regions of Colombia.
The response of the State, mainly military, has not been able to stop the expansion of the groups, and the scarce presence of civil institutions has aggravated the situation, as stated in the report. The lack of education and job opportunities has also increased the vulnerability of children and adolescents to being recruited by these armed groups.
In 2021, the UN Human Rights Office in Colombia reported the murder of 100 human rights defenders. Between January 1 and June 30 of this year, the Office received information on 114 homicides, of which 22 cases have been verified so far.
Armed groups and criminal organizations have adopted various tactics to control communities, such as imposing regulations and restrictions on the movement of people. “We have to obey what they say (…) there are checkpoints on the road with men with long weapons, where they stop us, they tell us that we have to ask permission to leave and they check our cell phones,” said an activist from the department. from Arauca.
In some cases, indigenous people and Afro-descendants have been forced to participate in illicit activities and abandon their traditional ways of life, such as fishing and hunting, the UN has warned, noting that this violence “destroys the social fabric of communities, putting cultural identity and autonomy are at risk”.
This is the case of the Nasa indigenous people in the department of Cauca, which is the object of threats and attacks. In the first months of 2022, four Nasa leaders were assassinated. Violence, drug trafficking and extractive industries are threatening their way of life and even their survival, the report warns. Likewise, the current situation could accelerate the disappearance of the Jiw indigenous people, located on the banks of the Guaviare River and which currently has some 2,261 inhabitants.
The report indicates that the dismantling of the broad spectrum of non-state armed groups and criminal organizations that operate in the country must be a priority for the Government, together with the consolidation of the rule of law and the strengthening of public institutions in the most affected areas. for the violence.
Therefore, the United Nations calls for acts of violence committed by non-state armed groups and criminal organizations to be effectively investigated and their perpetrators punished, regardless of their affiliation.
The report also urges the new Colombian Administration to ensure full implementation of the peace agreement, including seeking voluntary substitution, rather than forced eradication, of coca crops. “Rural reform and development programs must be applied and consolidated, with the participation of the affected communities, and the capacity of local governments, including those of Afro-descendant and indigenous communities, must be strengthened,” the text states.
The report also details concern about human rights violations, including arbitrary deprivation of life, by state security forces, and calls for reform of the security sector. In addition, it asks that the alleged links between some officials and State security forces and these violent groups be investigated.
“It is the duty of the State to protect the population from violence, and to do so while respecting International Law. That is why we urge the Government to adopt public policies to respond effectively to violence and prevent it, in compliance with Colombia’s obligations under international law. international human rights,” said the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet.
In this regard, he has asserted that “the approach of the incoming government on total peace and the regional implementation of the peace agreement is a solid approach that the UN office supports.”
“Dialogue is essential to rebuild trust in the state and its institutions. I urge the authorities to listen to the voices of all sectors of society. People living in rural and remote areas are the ones who have suffered the most from the scourge of violence, but they are also the ones that can best help chart a path towards a more peaceful future,” he concluded.
