The United Nations on Friday bashed Colombia’s failures to carry out a peace process and warned for intervention of the International Criminal Court.
The international organization said it was “extremely concerned” over an increase in killing of social leaders in Colombia, and blamed disinterest and corruption for impeding peace in the country.
In the blistering report, the Office of the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights accused the military of involvement in criminal activity like drug trafficking and illegal gold mining.
The state’s failure to assume its basic duties and implement a peace deal with demobilized FARC guerrillas has increased violence against social leaders, particularly human rights defenders, according to the UN.
The UN office said that high-ranking government officials “interpose their personal and career interests over the rights of the population.”
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Military involved in organized crime
The international organization accused the security forces, particularly the National Army, of executing civilians to falsely present them as killed guerrillas or criminals.
The UN also said it received “numerous allegations” of military involvement in drug trafficking, illegal mining and other organized crime activity.
“The high levels of impunity in cases of corruption in the past have encouraged the persistence of such practices within the armed forces,” the UN said.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
UN warns for ICC intervention
The UN called on the state to “correct aspects of the Integrated Transitional Justice system that are not in conformity with international standards” of face the possible intervention of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
A team of the ICC reportedly traveled to Bogota this week to inquire about progress in the prosecution of 23 generals and six corporals accused of complicity in the mass killing of civilians.
The international organization explicitly criticized Congress for blocking magistrates of war crimes tribunal JEP and the Constitutional Court for shielding “non-military State agents and private individuals from the scope of mandatory application of the system.”
Urgent measures to save peace process
The UN urged Colombian authorities to “increase their efforts to prevent, prosecute and punish cases of corruption of civil servants and political representatives.”
The international observers additionally urged the Prosecutor General’s Office to “to investigate and adopt adequate administrative and disciplinary measures regarding delays in the implementation” of the peace process with the FARC.
In order to prevent international intervention, the UN urged to “correct aspects of the Integrated Transitional Justice system that are not in conformity with international standards; to secure funding for the mechanisms created; and to allow for the effective participation of the victims.”
The international organization has been monitoring the peace process with hundreds of observers since before peace with the Marxist FARC group was signed in November 2016.
The peace process has been opposed by conservative and far-right political forces, organized crime organizations and, to a lesser extent, the ELN guerrilla group.
The conflict that preceded the process cost the lives of more than 250 thousand Colombians. More than 80,000 are missing. Millions were displaced, mainly by far-right paramilitary groups.