The debate over the President Duque’s objections to the Statutory Law of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) continues in the Congress.  The House of Representatives has already rejected the presidential objections-110 to 44 votes- and the Senate is expected to vote soon.¹  Meanwhile, two Senators unsuccessfully filed a petition against the objections, calling for their proposal to be added to the agenda of the Senate plenary sessions.  As a result of the decision to adjourn the session when the petition was made, those in support have called for a legislative strike until negative presentation is considered in the plenary session.²

Representatives from 15 ETCRs met in Dabeiba, Antioquia for a presentation given by the GOC and various UN Agencies on the US$3 million designated from the UN Post-Conflict Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) to support their productive projects. The initiative will fund projects that are already underway in these Territorial Training and Reincorporation Spaces (ETCR), benefitting 2,500 former combatants and their families.  In five ETCRs, UN Women and UNICEF will respond to the need for childcare spaces, as well support organizational processes for women.  Women in the process of reincorporation have indicated that their participation in productive projects has been hindered, as they have assumed the responsibilities of caring for their children. The meeting comes as former combatants have been expressing their concern for the uncertain future of the ETCRs and their productive projects.³

In similar news, the Agency for Reincorporation and Normalization (ARN) presented a report on the needs and expectations of the former combatants, revealing that 96% of people in the process of reincorporation are interested in developing an individual, collective or family productive project, while the remaining 4% prefer employment.   The ARN found that 65% of men generate income from agricultural activities, compared to 52% of women. The findings are based on a survey implemented with 90% of the 13,194 former combatants, of whom 2,935 reside in ETCRs. Director Andrés Stapper confirmed that 23 productive projects benefitting 1,600 persons have been approved to receive total funds of 18 billion pesos.⁴

ELN recruitment of children and adolescents surfaced in the news this week, as a 16-year-old girl from the Wounaan indigenous community on the San Juan River in Chocó was taken at the end of March.  A guerilla reportedly seduced her as his lover, a tactic that has been putting young women in the region at risk of joining of the group.  About one year ago, 254 Wounaan children and adolescents at risk of recruitment fled their communities, seeking refuge in Buenaventura. Indigenous leaders denounced the latest case and pointed to the lack of action by the GOC to prevent recruitment.⁵