Colombia: UN Urges unity in peace process ahead of elections & political tensions | United Nations
As the country enters an electoral period that could deepen political divisions, the UN Special Representative for Colombia called on all Colombians to continue working on the peace process in a spirit of cooperation.
Addressing the Security Council today (18 Jul) Carlos Ruiz Massieu said, “The more than 13,000 former combatants of the FARC-EP who laid down their arms in good faith began an arduous path of peaceful reintegration into society.”
He also said, “Necessary state investments and reforms under the Peace Agreement for uplifting and transforming rural Colombia have also been initiated, beginning with the establishment of the development programmes with a territorial focus (PDET), and continuing more recently with notable progress in expanding access to and resolving conflicts over land.”
He highlighted, “The Truth Commission rendered a historic report and recommendations; a long-term search for the disappeared has begun; and the SJP, a pioneering court for transitional justice was established, has issued historic indictments, and stands today on the verge of a crucial new phase of its work.”
He stressed, “While Colombia’s complex geography presents obstacles, an expanded and sustained presence of the State remains essential and can be realized through clear, coordinated, and robust strategies. It is in this vacuum of State presence that we see armed groups proliferate and illicit economies thrive, fueling violence and hampering development in conflict-affected areas.”
He said, “Since 2016, 472 signatories of the Peace Agreement have been killed. Sadly, two more have been added since the publication of the report. It is essential to step up their protection and ensure that these crimes do not go unpunished.”
Massieu also said that the attempt on the life of Miguel Uribe Turbay, the Colombian presidential precandidate, in Bogotá on 7 June, besides being a serious incident, had a strong impact on Colombian society.
He said, “The attack evoked episodes of political violence from the past. It underscored, more urgently than ever, the imperative of removing violence from the practice of politics — a core objective of the Peace Agreement.”
“As the country enters an electoral period that could deepen political divisions, I reiterate the Secretary-General’s call for all Colombians to continue working on the peace process in a spirit of cooperation.”
Mauricio Jaramillo, Colombia’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs said, “In this ninth year of implementation of the Agreement, it is more necessary than ever to reaffirm Colombian society’s firm support for the process, as reflected in the unwavering commitment of all State institutions to carrying out what was agreed.”
He concluded, “Total Peace knows no borders. Colombia, with the support of the United Nations and the international community, is taking firm steps toward a future where violence has no place and peace is the rule, not the exception.”
Mauricio Jaramillo Jassir addressed the press after the Council.
Answering a question, he said, “We believe that the best way forward is to move from a security that was for a long time anchored in the logic of the internal enemy to a security that is much more civilian and much more humane. The President spoke directly about comprehensive and humane security, and I believe that in this transition, a key issue will be precisely that of mercenarism, which, I insist, obviously concerns us as a government.”
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