Guerrilla group EMC threatened demobilized former FARC rebels and order them to abandon their homes in southern Colombia.
In a letter, the EMC’s Ivan Diaz Front said that fighters of rival guerrilla group Segunda Marquetalia were “hiding” in Miravalle, a hamlet that was founded to reintegrate the FARC.
The EMC and Segunda Marquetalia oppose the peace deal that was signed by their former comrades and the national government in 2016.
Both FARC dissident groups are vying for control over the area around Miravalle that lies in what used to be FARC heartland.
In a response, Camilo Gonzalez, who has been leading peace talks with the EMC, said that an international commission had been sent to the Caqueta province to find out what is going on.
The UN’s mission chief in Colombia, Carlos Ruiz, expressed “great concern” about the safety of the former FARC combatants.
I urge the government to provide protection measures and actions to ensure the sustainability of the reincorporation of peace signatories.
UN mission chief Carlos Ruiz
In their report to the security council, UN peace observers also highlighted ongoing concerns about the safety of former FARC members in multiple parts of the country.
According to the UN, at least 416 demobilized guerrillas have been killed during the peace process.
The majority of these killings took place in regions that used to be controlled by the FARC, according to data compiled by think tank Indepaz, which monitors armed conflict in Colombia.
Assassinations of former FARC members (2020 – present)
The EMC was created in 2016 in opposition to attempts by the FARC leadership to make peace with former President Juan Manuel Santos.
The Segunda Marquetalia was founded by rearming former FARC commanders in 2019 in response to major failures in the implementation of the 2016 peace agreement.
The government of President Gustavo Petro has been engaged in peace talks with both groups in an attempt to end their escalating violence.