At a human rights summit on Tuesday, nearly 80 United Nations member states supported Colombia’s peace talks with the country’s largest rebel group, FARC, while some showed concern about impunity resulting from the recently passed military justice reform.
Colombia presented its advances towards the promotion and protection of human rights during its Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in front of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) in Geneva, Switzerland.
Nearly 80 member nations showed their support for the current peace process between the Colombian government and the FARC in Havana, Cuba – a past initiative suggested by Colombia at a 2008 UPR according to Prensa Latina.
Nevertheless, some countries, including Spain, Australia and Poland expressed concerns over cases of extrajudicial killings known as “false positives,” and the impunity that could arise as the result of the recently passed military justice reform. The reform grants jurisdiction over crimes committed by members of the military to military tribunals.
MORE: Colombia’s congress approves controversial military justice reform
Other representatives commented on the reparations to victims of violence, such as women and minorities.
Many countries, including Holland, Mexico, New Zealand and Nigeria, praised Colombia for its Victims and Land Restitution Law and the transitional justice model as a whole.
Colombia’s delegation was led by Vice-President Angelino Garzon, Interior Minister Fernando Carrillo and the Vice-Minister of Justice, Miguel Samper.
Garzon also took the opportunity to emphasize that the country’s oldest rebel insurgency, FARC, must commit to ending the conflict, compensate victims and to not commit crimes against humanity.
The Colombian representatives said that next Thursday they will present a report based on the recommendations made regarding human rights.
“The recommendation will now be evaluated to see which ones are to be accepted and a paper will be prepared in response to all the questions raised during this session,” said Garzon.
The 16th session of the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review Working Group will last until May 3.
Sources
- Países miembros de la ONU respaldaron proceso de paz en Colombia (W Radio)
- Al menos 80 países de la ONU respaldan los diálogos de paz en La Habana (Radio Santa Fe)
- Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review Working Group to hold sixteenth session in Geneva from 22 April to 3 May 2013 (UNCHR)
- Peace Process in the Universal Periodic Review of Colombia (Prensa Latina)
