Displaced Colombians have requested the return of 4.8 million acres of land stolen by illegal armed groups, corrupt government officials and businesses, the national government said Monday.
According to the Agriculture Ministry’s Land Restitution Unit, some 26,000 people have so far filed petitions to have their land returned.
1.9 million acres of land was stolen by Colombia’s largest rebel group FARC, the majority of the remainder by paramilitary groups.
The administration of Juan Manuel Santos has promised victims of land theft that their lands will be returned as part of a law that grants compensatio nand land restitution to victims of Colombia’s armed conflict.