Truth Commission established in Colombia

Juan Manuel Santos signed two decrees last Wednesday as part of the implementation of the peace agreement with the FARC guerrilla. The decrees include the establishment of a truth commission and a search office for disappeared people.

Over the decades of conflict, an estimated 220,000 people have been killed, and the government expects a total of nearly eight million victims in 52 years: those killed and victims of kidnapping, rape, displacement and other crimes.

"What the victims demand most - before reparation and justice - is the truth," Santos said in Bogotá. The peace agreement agreed with the FARC at the end of 2016 provides for special special courts to punish war and human rights crimes. These special courts are not undisputed. Especially in the Senate, representatives of right-wing parties had tried to change the original text negotiated in Havana, for example to limit the political participation of the former rebels. However, many of these initiatives have been blocked. Now the Constitutional Court must examine whether the special jurisdiction is in accordance with the current constitution.

Sources:

• Truth Commission and Search Office for Disappeared People in Colombia founded (amerika21.de, 06.04.2017)

• Colombia seeks truth (dw.com)