SPOTLIGHT
Organizaciones y víctimas piden llamar a la JEP a altos mandos militares por paramilitarismo, dentro de macrocaso o8
Coordinación Colombia Europa Estados Unidos, 11 de marzo de 2023
“El Espacio de Litigio Estratégico lanzó este jueves 9 de marzo en Bogotá la tercera edición del boletín La Lupa, una publicación periódica donde analizan los avances de la Jurisdicción en relación con los derechos de las víctimas de crímenes de Estado. En esta entrega que titulan Y los más altos responsables ¿Para cuándo? abordan los retos y cuestionamientos frente a la apertura del nuevo Macrocaso 08 de nominado ‘Crímenes cometidos por miembros de la fuerza pública, otros agentes del Estado, o en asociación con grupos paramilitares, o terceros civiles, por causa, con ocasión, o en relación directa con el conflicto armado colombiano’”.
Situation of human rights in Colombia
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, March, 2023
“In this report, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights analyses the human rights situation in Colombia in 2022. It highlights the impact of territorial violence on human rights, the state of implementation of human rights provisions of the Peace Agreement, including rural reform and transitional justice, as well as civic space. It also addresses the new “total peace” policy and the transition to a human security model.”
U.S.-COLOMBIA RELATIONS
Cuánto dinero pidió Biden para Colombia y para qué será usado
Cambio Colombia, 10 de marzo de 2023
“Este jueves se conoció que Joe Biden, presidente de Estados Unidos, presentó el proyecto de presupuesto para el año fiscal 2024. Dentro del documento, el mandatario solicitó 444 millones de dólares para Colombia, 18 millones menos que el año pasado”.
FY 2024 International Affairs Budget
Department of State, March 2023
“The FY 2024 Congressional Budget Justification describes the funding required for State and USAID to carry out our missions worldwide.”
PEACE PROCESS
What Exactly is Colombia’s Total Peace Effort and How is it Advancing?
WOLA, March 15, 2023
“On August 7, 2022, newly inaugurated President Gustavo Petro announced that he would be implementing a total peace effort to end violence in Colombia. The Total Peace policy is a multifaceted effort that seeks to minimize violence, protect civilians and dismantle the many armed groups operating in Colombia. It considers the lessons learned from the country’s peace and ‘submission processes’.”
Colombia anuncia el arranque de negociaciones de paz con disidentes de las FARC
France24, 13 de marzo de 2023
“El Gobierno de Colombia anunció este lunes que negociará con los rebeldes que se apartaron del pacto de paz que firmaron las extintas Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) en 2016, unos 2.000 combatientes que atizan la violencia que persiste tras el histórico pacto. El presidente Gustavo Petro informó sobre el inicio de los diálogos de paz con la facción más grande de disidentes de la otrora guerrilla más poderosa de América.”
Colombia prosecutor suspends warrant for FARC dissidents in step toward talks
Julia Symmes Cobb, Reuters, March 13, 2023
“Colombia’s attorney general on Monday suspended arrest warrants against 19 members of a group of former rebels who reject a 2016 peace deal, a step toward new negotiations promised by President Gustavo Petro. The Estado Mayor Central armed group was founded by former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels who did not join that group’s demobilization and conversion to a legal political party.”
Colombia, ELN rebels have made first steps toward ceasefire
Julia Symmes Cobb, Reuters, March 10, 2023
“Colombia’s government and the left-wing ELN guerrilla group have taken the first steps toward a bilateral, temporary ceasefire, the heads of their delegations at peace talks said on Friday, as they closed their second cycle of negotiations in Mexico City.”
The Latest @ USIP: Colombian Women’s Contribution to Peacebuilding
United States Institute of Peace, March 9, 2023
“Women have been both victims and combatants throughout Colombia’s history of civil conflicts. But it wasn’t until recently that they were included as active negotiators in the peacebuilding process. Viviana Sarmiento, a Colombian political scientist and researcher, discusses how Colombian women contributed to the design and implementation of 2016 FARC peace accords, the opportunity to bring gender-inclusive perspectives into negotiations with other armed groups, and what Colombian women can teach others around the world about women’s inclusion in peacebuilding.”
Cuba acogerá los próximos diálogos de paz con el ELN
Juan Diego Quesada, El Pais, 8 de marzo de 2023
“Después de haber pasado por Venezuela y México, Cuba acogerá los próximos diálogos de paz del Gobierno de Colombia con el ELN, según informó este miércoles la mesa de negociación a través de un comunicado. Las partes no concretaron una fecha, solo dijeron que comenzarán después de una pausa tras las sesiones que se están celebrando estos días en la Ciudad de México y que han producido ‘avances sustanciales en la agenda de las conversaciones’”.
La JEP imputa 14 crímenes de guerra y de lesa humanidad a 10 integrantes de dos columnas móviles de las Farc–EP
Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz, 8 de marzo de 2023
“Entre otros delitos se imputan ataques contra la población civil, empleo de minas antipersonal, asesinatos y desapariciones de líderes de comunidades étnicas y campesinas, y persecución, reclutamiento y utilización de niñas y niños”.
CONTINUING ARMED CONFLICT
Ataque con explosivos al cantón militar de Saravena dejó a un militar herido
El Espectador, 14 de marzo de 2023
“El Ejército Nacional informó que en la noche del lunes fue atacado con explosivos el cantón militar San Jorge de Saravena, en el departamento de Arauca. En el ataque resultó herido con esquirlas un mayor del Ejército. ‘De forma inmediata fue auxiliado por socorristas militares y evacuado a un centro médico del municipio de Saravena, donde se encuentra estable’, informó la Octava División del Ejército”.
Colombia’s Petro accuses armed group of violating ceasefire
Al Jazeera, March 13, 2023
“Colombian President Gustavo Petro has accused the Gulf Clan criminal group of violating a ceasefire agreement by attacking an aqueduct during protests by illegal gold miners in the country’s northwest.”
HUMAN RIGHTS
Protection for Social Leaders and Ethnic Communities Remains Dire
Gimena Sánchez-Garzoli, Washington Office on Latin America, March 15, 2023
“Below you will find the security incidents and human rights abuses WOLA received since December 2022. We are deeply concerned about the on-going violence, insecurity and attacks faced by human rights defenders and entire Indigenous and Afrodescendant communities. Despite the change in rhetoric and announced efforts to improve security for social leaders and conflict affected communities, we do not see increased of protection for these on the ground.”
PAVING THE ROAD TO RECONCILIATION
UN Verification Mission in Colombia, March 14, 2023
“Four years ago, Cooperativa Multiactiva de los Comunes (Coomulnes) was founded in vereda Venus of the municipality of Tuluá, department of Valle del Cauca, in southwestern Colombia. Nowadays, this cooperative has 36 former combatants and 34 victims of the conflict who found a new livelihood for themselves and their families by producing and selling coffee.”
Denunciamos amenazas en contra de Jeefferson David Murcia Rodríguez, concejal del municipio de San Martín de los Llanos, Meta
Colectivo FB, 13 de marzo de 2023
“Las organizaciones abajo firmantes denunciamos las constantes amenazas recibida por el Concejal del Municipio de San Martín de los Llanos, JEFFERSON DAVID MURCIA RODRIGUEZ, quien ha fungido como denunciante de múltiples hechos de corrupción en el municipio de San Martín de los Llanos y como demandante dentro de la acción de nulidad simple con radicado 11001 03 24 000 2019 00384 00, adelantada ante la SECCIÓN PRIMERO del H. CONSEJO DE ESTADO en contra de la resolución PS-GJ.1.2.6.16.0966 del 28 DE JULIO DE 2016, por medio de la cual CORMACARENA concedió licencia ambiental para la construcción de una planta para el tratamiento y recuperación de desechos tóxicos en la Vereda Alto Iracá, correspondiente a la zona rural del municipio de San Martín de los Llanos (Meta)”.
PBI-Colombia accompanies CREDHOS and FEDEPESAN on verification visit to the caño San Silvestre
Brent Patterson, Peace Brigades International- Canada, March 10, 2023
“On March 9, CREDHOS tweeted:
‘#CREDHOS accompanied #FEDEPESAN [the Federation of Artisanal Fishermen of Santander] on a visit to verify the events that occurred in the San Silvestre caño [channel/spout], in which the death of fauna species and the burning of the water round were identified. Added to this is the death of fish that had occurred on March 3 in the La Represa sector.’”
PBI-Colombia accompanies Nydia Erika Bautista Foundation on advocacy visit to Washington, DC
Brent Patterson, Peace Brigades International- Canada, March 9, 2023
“On March 8, PBI-Colombia tweeted:
‘We accompany @nydia_erika [the Nydia Erika Bautista Foundation] to Washington due to the serious situation of impunity for forced disappearance in Colombia and to request the declassification of intelligence files to access information on the whereabouts of the victims and support for the law on women seekers and their protection.’”
PBI-Colombia accompanies Nydia Erika Bautista Foundation at IACHR hearing in Los Angeles on forced disappearances
Brent Patterson, Peace Brigades International- Canada, March 8, 2023
“On March 7, PBI-Colombia tweeted:
‘We accompany @nydia_erika [the Nydia Erika Bautista Foundation] to the IACHR [Inter-American Commission on Human Rights] #Hearing on right to information for family members of victims of #ForcedDisappearance. Yanette Bautista: States must comply with #Truth and information to search for loved ones, including girls and women victims of #SexualViolence’.”
PBI-Colombia accompanies Justice and Peace as the remains of social leader Isaac Tuberquia are returned to his family
Brent Patterson, Peace Brigades International- Canada, March 7, 2023
“On March 6, PBI-Colombia tweeted:
‘We accompany @Justiciaypazcol in the dignified delivery of the remains of Isaac Tuberquia, assassinated in 1997 by paramilitaries and the Public Force #Curvaradó. In 2020, the Tuberquia family, who had been displaced, returned to the region and began searching for their loved one.’”
ENVIRONMENT
Exclusive: Colombia’s Amazon reserves suffer staffing delays, risking environmental damage
Oliver Griffin, Reuters, March 10, 2023
“Protected areas in Colombia’s Amazon region are at risk of increased damage because of lengthy staffing delays as the government has yet to renew contracts with national parks staff this year, according to government data and interviews with officials, would-be employees and environmental advocates.”
Inside the emerald mines that make Colombia a global giant of the green gem
John Otis, National Public Radio, March 11, 2023
“Although he has helped transform Colombia’s emerald industry, long a source of violence and environmental damage, former U.S. diplomat Charles Burgess admits that he got into the business on a whim.”
DRUG POLICY
Cocaine smuggling and production at record high since pandemic retreat
Luke Taylor, The Guardian, March 16, 2023
“The growing global demand for production has been met by a surge in coca cultivation in Bolivia, Peru and, particularly, Colombia. The amount of land used for Colombian coca cultivation increased by more than 40% in 2021, reaching 204,000 hectares. Cartels have also become more efficient at extracting cocaine from the little green shrubs.”
Mystery as submarine with $87m worth of cocaine and two dead bodies found off coast of Colombia
Josh Marcus, Independent, March 15, 2023
“A semi-submersible craft carrying $87m worth of cocaine, along with two dead bodies and two surviving crew members, was intercepted off the coast of Columbia on Sunday.”
VENEZUELAN CRISIS
Sobre la apatridia: que las conveniencias políticas no dejen de último a la niñez
Ana María Moreno Sáchica, El Espectador, 7 de marzo de 2023
“Los niños de padres venezolanos nacidos en Colombia fueron declarados en riesgo de apatridia y se les reconoció la nacionalidad colombiana por nacimiento, a través de la medida conocida como Primero la Niñez, la cual permitió garantizar su nacionalidad y demás derechos fundamentales. Para enero de 2023, en aplicación de la medida, más de 90.000 niños y niñas han sido reconocidos como colombianos. Falta ver qué pasa con esa política, que vence en agosto de este año”.
Discussion about this post