RPR Peace Mail 15-21 October
Weekly Update on the implementation of the Peace Accord. The draft decree prepared by the government to request FARC to hand over possessions for the reparation of victims; modification of dates by the JEP for FARC´s collective depositions; the highlights in advancement of the PDET in South Cordoba presented by the High Councilor for Stabilization; number of social leaders killed decrease but others forms of violence are on the rise; the JEP´s challenges to repair victims exposed by the Soacha Mothers.
Download Peace Mail / 15-21 October 2019
The Government prepared a draft decree to request FARC to hand over possessions for the reparation of victims: The draft decree warns that “the former members of the FARC-EP who, at the time, signed the inventory of the assets covered by the Decree-Law 903 of 2017, must guarantee the material handover of each possession included in it and have an obligation of care and preservation of these possession until the full handover is completed”. The National Government insisted that one of the commitments that the extinct guerrilla of the FARC has with the country is to repair the people who were affected by violent acts, which were registered in at least 170 municipalities of the national territory.[1]
The JEP modifies the dates of the collective depositions of the FARC: The Chamber of Recognition of Truth of Responsibility and Determination of Facts and Conduct of the JEP modified the calendar and the locations planned, and extended the period for the introduction of former FARC members’ collective deposition. The new calendar schedules the depositions between 24 October and 6 December. In addition to postponing the deadline, these territorial sessions seek “to satisfy the demands for truth made by the victims accredited in Case 01, to receive contributions to the truth from those appearing before this Court, who are under investigation or sentenced for crimes related to illegal detentions of persons,” the JEP explained in a communiqué.[2]
Emilio Jose Archila, the High Councilor for Stabilization, highlights progress in PDET in the South of Córdoba: At the end of the inter-institutional meeting held in Montería, Archila declared there was evidence of significant progress being made in management initiatives and projects that seek to transform the areas most affected by violence and poverty in the south of Córdoba. He specifically referred to the progress of the PDETs, which are part of the commitments to implement the Final Agreement, prioritizing projects on tertiary roads, land titling and credits, among others, commenting that “the government of President Duque is committed and fulfills its promises. The resources of OCAD PAZ and of the works are being mobilized through taxes. The country must appropriate the PDETs and defend them as an instrument for transformation in rural areas.”[3]
Assassinations of social leaders decrease, but other forms of violence are rocketing: When comparing the first semester of this year with that of the past year, there is a seemingly positive evolution. The murders of social leaders decreased, as data reveals that only 59 leaders were killed in the first semester of 2019, as opposed to 77 being killed over that same period in 2018. However, the panorama is alarming, as a total of 591 aggressions of all kinds were registered, the highest figure recorded in the first six months of the last ten years. There was an increase in threats, attacks and arbitrary detentions; the figures of information theft cases remain stable; and there were no arbitrary prosecutions or forced disappearances.[4]
The Soacha Mothers expose the magnitude of the JEP's challenge to repair victims: The presentation of the military´s testimonies on "false positives" by the Soacha Mothers last Thursday before the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), make evident that the Court will face demands for truth that are very difficult to realize, as well as demands for reparations that may be more attainable. In the premises of the JEP, they watched videos of the military's statements, before formulating their observations before the judges of the Reconnaissance Chamber. They formulated three big demands, which were demonstrative of the hopes generated by the JEP, but also of the challenges faced by the Court in turning them into reality: they asked for more testimonies, not just from the military; they demanded that the JEP clarify responsibilities and that former President Uribe respond for his acts; and, finally, they asked that beyond telling the truth, the military repair them.[5]