The president of Colombia’s Truth Commission called on the global community to regulate the drug trade and “not to give us anything for war” in a speech before the United Nations.
Father Francisco de Roux was invited to the UN Security Council, which monitors a peace process in Colombia, to present the findings of the Truth Commission that investigated his country’s armed conflict.
“Armed security always asks for more weapons”
De Roux fiercely criticized the belief that “weapons provide security,” adding that “our security became a perpetual armed security, because armed security always asks for more weapons, and more justifications for deaths.”
“We created armed security to provide security to the powers that be, to systems, properties, businesses, and even security for the armed bureaucracy itself,” but failed to provide “security for people, for human beings.”
That’s why we ask today that if there must be armies, that these will be armies for peace, not for war, and we ask the international community not to give us ANYTHING for war. We want to make Colombia a global model for reconciliation after so much suffering.
Francisco de Roux
Regulation of drugs
De Roux asked an “end to the war on drug trafficking” and rejected the notion that “drug trafficking is a national security issue, and consequently an issue of war.”
According to the Truth Commission president, the so-called War on Drugs “increased the profits” of drug trafficking instead of effectively combating the illicit trade.
We joined forces to destroy farmers who sought refuge in coca because we left them impoverished and dispossessed of lands and capital.
Francisco de Roux
Instead, De Roux asked international cooperation of consumer countries to allow “the major mafiosi” to submit to “transitional justice processes” and reveal their “political, economic and military alliances, and the banks” laundering drug money.
The Truth Commission president additionally urged the UN to regulate the drug trade and global efforts to promote education and health policies about the consumption of drugs.
We ask you to understand the connection between drug trafficking and corruption because the criminal money buys governors, mayors, judges, police officers, guerrillas and soldiers, and contributes to elevate corruption to higher levels.
Francisco de Roux
De Roux said to be optimistic about Colombia’s youth, and young people’s dedication to peace, enterprise and the rights of women, the LGBT community and ethnic minorities.
The Truth Commission president stressed that “there we still have a long road ahead in Colombia,” but that society “has begun to understand its own tragedy and determined to look forward to a future in which we accept our injuries in order to enrich what we are as a culture and as a people with a passion for creativity, art, freedom and the reproduction of life.”
