A regional dialog on the Land Restitution Law under consideration by the Colombian Congress will be held in Valledupar, Cesar, on Friday with the purpose of creating a forum between the national government, local authorities, congressional representatives, and the leaders of victims’ organizations.
The Government of Cesar has invited all victims to attend, hoping the consensus reached will focus on victims’ needs.
The forum forms part of a series of regional dialogs to be held in 11 cities around the country, chosen to facilitate as much participation as possible from prospective participants around the country. The focus of the government is on various departments, including Cesar, Antioquia, Bolívar, Magdalena, and Chocó, where land dispossession has occurred due to decisions made by the Colombian Institute for Agricultural Reform (INCORA) and the Colombian Institute for Rural Development (INCODER), where legal titles were granted to owners of illegally acquired land.
The government hopes to detect and correct other cases of dispossession due to decisions made by INCORA and INCODER where they may exist.