Senator Juan Fernando Cristo says that Colombians who have suffered in the conflict should be entitled to state compensation even if they have relatives who are guerrillas.
Cristo, who is the project coordinator of the Victims Law, recently criticized the fact that it currently only provides compensation for victims of violence since 1991.
In December of last year the House passed an amended law that included the victims of state violence but not those affected before 1991.
With the law still under discussion in the Senate, Cristo stated that while “no guerrilla” may access benefits under the law, the relatives of guerrillas could be considered victims.
“A family member of a subversive, if also a victim of a violation of International Humanitarian Law, is entitled to be considered a victim regardless of who is their relative,” he said.
“We know well,” he continued, “that many Colombians who have family groups outside the law may be subjected to human rights violations and cannot be excluded from the law.”
“We must create new institutions that guarantee the reparations for victims,” he added, although said that this would not mean the creation of a new ministry specifically for victims.
Senator Cristo further noted that there is a consensus among senators to extend the scope of the law to cover the victims since 1985.