Colombia’s State Council have brought a second conviction against the state for their failure to protect the citizens of San Vicente del Caguan against attacks carried out by rebel group FARC, Colombian media reported on Friday.
The latest conviction is part of a series of cases against the state for leaving del Caguan inhabitants unprotected and vulnerable to FARC crimes, when the zone was demilitarized for peace talks between 1998 and 2002.
MORE: Demilitarized zone victims must register within 2 years to receive reparations
The council ordered the Ministry of Defense to pay more than $260,000 in compensation to the family of a taxi driver, who was killed by the FARC during an illegal roadblock in 2001. A soldier dressed in civilian clothes, who was a passenger in the taxi, was also murdered
A lack of authority presence in the municipality in the south of Colombia was deemed responsible for the double murder, even though the attack was not carried out within the boundary of the demilitarized zone.
“The absence of state presence facilitated criminal activity on the road leading from Florence to San Vicente del Caguán and gave way to arbitrary acts, such as the execution of defenseless individuals,” the council declared.
During the demilitarization of San Vicente, the municipality fell victim to murders, kidnappings and other crimes committed by the FARC. Victims are now suing the state for neglecting the town’s citizens during the peace talks, which ended in failure.
Sources
- Condenan al Estado por omisiones en municipios cercanos a la antigua zona de distensión (CMI)
- Consejo de Estado profiere segunda condena a la Nación por desmanes de las Farc en zona de distensión del Caguan (Radio Santa Fe)