“The complex security situation in several regions of the country continues to be one of the biggest obstacles to the construction of peace,” the head of the Mission of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia.
Carlos Ruiz Massieu surrendered to the Security Council he report quarterly Secretary General on the status of the implementation of the Peace Agreement in that country, highlighting the violence, pressures and threats to which the signatories of that Agreement are subject and social leaders by armed actors who dispute territorial control and strategic routes linked to illicit economies.
Furthermore, the lack of security continues to impact the lives of communities “that find themselves in the crossfire and subjected to reprehensible phenomena such as the recruitment of minors, displacement and confinement,” explained Ruiz Massieu.
The head of the Mission also reported on the emergence of new social control phenomena, especially for women and girls, who are even instructed how they should dress, for example.
Faced with this scenario, he continued, a comprehensive approach is needed that allows the security guarantees of the Peace Agreement to advance and, at the same time, follow up on the measures agreed upon in the various peace talks aimed at reducing violence and protecting the civilian population.
Drive dialogue
Ruiz Massieu stressed the need to stop violence between illegal armed actors for the benefit of communities, as well as promote dialogue initiatives, as part of a greater presence of the State in the most affected regions.
Regarding these dialogue initiatives, he reported that the conversations between the Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) have been months of stagnation and that, for the same reason, the bilateral ceasefire that expired in August has not been renewed, with deplorable consequences.
“Unfortunately, since the parties returned to armed confrontation, the number of deaths and injuries has doubled on both sides compared to the entire year that the ceasefire was in effect,” he explained.
The head of the Mission added that the parties have lost confidence, but showed encouragement from the statements a few days ago expressing willingness to meet to discuss how to overcome the impasse.
“We hope that the parties resume negotiations and restore and strengthen their ceasefire to save lives, rebuild trust at the peace table and allow the implementation of other areas of progress, such as the agreement on the participation of society in the peace process,” he emphasized.
Likewise, he called on all armed actors to show sincerity of commitment to peace by taking measures to protect civilians.
“The most important of these measures is to stop the recruitment of minors. It is also of utmost importance for the viability of current and future peace processes that they respect the lives and rights of ex-combatants and their families who are currently reintegrating into society,” he explained.
Rural reform
With respect to the advancement of rural reform, one of the pillars of the Peace Agreement since would attack the structural causes of the conflictthe report points out that every day more land is distributed to farmers who did not have it and to people who were dispossessed during the conflict.
“However, despite this and other advances in the transformation of the territories, the results to date, as the Government itself recognizes, are still modest in relation to the general objectives established in the Peace Agreement,” he added.
Furthermore, peasant organizations working to promote rural reform have been receiving threats from illegal armed groupshe reported with concern.
On the other hand, he recognized that much more must be done to advance the Ethnic Chapter of the Agreement, designed to bring the benefits of peace to the Afro-Colombian and indigenous communitiesin order to repair the disproportionate impact of the conflict on them and to ensure their participation.
Lessons and inspiration
Ruiz Massieu assured that, despite the great challenges that Colombia faces, the peace process in that country continues to provide the world with lessons and inspiration.
“First of all, because despite everything they have already suffered, the countless setbacks along the way, Colombians maintain an irrepressible vocation for the search for peace through dialogue,” he noted.
The head of the Mission added that this determination is observed in the authorities as well as in society as a whole.
The other relevant aspect, he stressed, is that although Colombia’s is a completely national peace process, Colombians have been very receptive to the support that the UN can give them.
“That comes with great responsibility. So let us continue, then, doing everything possible to support Colombia on this challenging but brave path towards peace,” concluded Ruiz Massieu.
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