The United Nations’ mission in Colombia urged the government to comply with a peace deal with demobilized FARC guerrillas, claiming there have been 33 massacres so far this year.
The UN mission specifically urged the administration of President Ivan Duque to speed up its cooperation with the so-called National Commission for Security Guarantees.
This commission, which includes representatives of the FARC and the UN, is meant to develop policy proposals that would allow the dismantling of paramilitary groups suspected of carrying out many of the massacres and the killing of 97 human rights defenders so far this year.
The UN mission additionally said that 41 demobilized members of the FARC were assassinated in the first half of the year, a 10% increase compared to the same period last year.
These violent events, with serious humanitarian impacts, are occurring in territories with the presence of armed groups and other organizations that generate violence, illegal economies, poverty and a limited state presence.
United nations Mission in Colombia
The UN mission, which is monitoring the peace process, made the call after a massacre in the southwestern Nariño province that left eight people dead.
8 killed in southwest Colombia massacre
Nariño Governor Jhon Rojas also called for the government’s compliance with the peace process that is fiercely opposed by Duque’s far-right Democratic Center party.
We are convinced that only with investment, opportunities and compliance with the provisions of the Peace Accords, with the substitution of illicit crops and with social investment, will we succeed in consolidating peace.
Nariño Governor Jhon Rojas
In response to the massacre, the president ordered the commander of the National Army and the Citizen Security chief of the National Police to travel to Nariño.
According to the UN mission, the government took part in one meeting of the National Commission for Security Guarantees after warnings that its failure to do so was in violation of the 2016 peace deal.