Colombia
Adherence to Peace Agreement Demanded
- Raúl Antonio Capote -
Thousands of people demonstrated in Bogotá and other
cities around Colombia on March 18, 2019 to demand the government of
Iván Duque stop obstructing implementation of the Special
Jurisdiction for Peace.
On March 8, Cuba and Norway, guarantors of the peace
process which culminated in a Final Peace Agreement between the
Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP), issued a series of
considerations on the adoption of the Statutory Law of the
Special Peace Jurisdiction (JEP).
The guarantors urged Colombian state institutions to
"guarantee the protection of the Final Agreement and ensure strict
compliance with the agreement," including "the provisions regarding the
JEP," which was projected and agreed upon with the purpose of
guaranteeing truth, justice, reparation, and non-repetition. "If this
path is obstructed, the backbone on which the Final Peace Agreement was
built will be damaged, and implementation will remain pending in its
most fundamental aspects," warned Cuba and Norway, expressing concern
for the impact on victims and former combatants who have already laid
down their arms as established.
The President of the Republic of Colombia, Iván
Duque
Márquez, announced on March 10, "Following an analysis, I would
like to announce to Colombians a decision I have made and explain
my arguments face to face with the country. I have decided to
file objections to six of the 159 articles of the Statutory Law
for the Special Peace Jurisdiction (JEP), for reasons of
inconvenience and invite the Congress of the Republic to a
constructive debate," which has been interpreted by those who
support the peace process as a serious obstacle to its
progress.
In Colombia, hundreds of demonstrators protested
President
Duque's objections to the Special Peace Jurisdiction, one of the
pillars of the agreement with the FARC-EP. The law in question needs
only the President's
approval to enter into effect.
Demonstrations for peace across Colombia, March 18, 2019.
In a letter sent to António Guterres, United
Nations
secretary general, members of the delegation which in the name of
the Colombian government and the FARC-EP negotiated the Peace
Agreement; legislators on the Peace Commission of the Senate and
House of Representatives; former ministers and government
officials; victims of the armed conflict; leaders of
organizations and institutions in Colombian civil society;
academics; commentators; intellectuals; along with citizens
working for peace and national reconciliation, stated, "We
express to you our deep concern regarding attempts to seriously
damage implementation of the Agreement, the structure and
functioning of the JEP, as well as the system designed to honor
the rights of victims."
The signatories added, "In order for the JEP to achieve
its
objective of holding accountable before the law all those
responsible for crimes against humanity, war crimes, in general,
serious violations of human rights, it must have all the
institutional, financial, and legal tools it needs, given the
scope of the task.
"If this is not so, the full exercise of its
responsibilities
could be at risk and situations could arise in which the lack of
legal tools allows for impunity and limits guaranteeing the
rights of victims."
They recall that the law "guarantees the financial
autonomy
of the JEP, and its budget has already been questioned by the
government party, which described it as extremely high."
The United Nations has requested that the integrity of
the
Peace Agreement be respected, considering it key to the peace
process in Colombia, where the transitional nature of the process
is emphasized, and the President's insistence on creating new
obstacles, and reviving past debates, raises concerns.
This article was published in
Volume 49 Number 11 - March 30, 2019
Article Link:
Colombia: Adherence to Peace Agreement Demanded - Raúl Antonio Capote
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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