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August 2018

August 31, 2018
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1-Overview: Every four days a homicide is committed against a social leader in Colombia and every two days, there is one threatened.

2-Current situation

3- The near future: total uncertainty around prosecutions of many members of the Colombian Army who committed Killings and abuses against civil rights

 

1- Overview

According to a report published in 2017 by the ‘Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation’ (PARES) a social leader is killed every four days in Colombia. The organization that monitors armed conflict in the South American countries, recorded 55 assassinations of community leaders and Human Rights activists this year alone.

“Every four days a homicide is committed against a social leader in Colombia and every two days, there is one threatened,” said the report.

“The vulnerability of leaders and Human Rights defenders in Colombia remains critical. The acts of violence against this population show high degrees of systematic behavior.”

Source: ‘Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation’ (PARES)

               Colombia Reports (Stephen Gill, - 07/2017)

 

2- Current situation

 On July 2018, Colombian lawmakers passed a bill detailing the functioning of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, a judicial system negotiated with the FARC as part of the ‘Acuerdos de Paz – ‘Peace Talks’. The bill includes a provision – proposed by supporters of President-elect Iván Duque – that is likely to halt prosecutions of killings by the Army and other abuses.

Source: Human Rights Watch

 

3-total uncertainty around prosecutions on responsible of Killings and Human Rights abuses

 

The new legislation will put on hold all proceedings against perpetrators who committed Human Rights abuses. According to José Miguel Vivanco – Director, División de las Américas , Human Rights Watch, , - many Army Generals will now benefit from the new rules. Critics – continue José Miguel Vivanco- have characterized ‘the provision’ as a distortion of the ‘Acuerdos de Paz’ signed by the previous Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos.

 Victims have waited not only for justice related with the recent Civil Rights abuses, but those that have been not being resolved since more than a decade.

Source: Human Rights Watch




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