00:00On Monday, Colombia Army reported the release of 45 soldiers who were kidnapped by armed groups on Sunday, September 7th,
00:06while conducting surveillance operations in the municipality of El Tambo, in the Department of Cauca.
00:11More details were a correspondent in Nartobar.
00:15These images show an attack on military personnel by the population in the municipality of Tambo, Department of Cauca,
00:22who, according to the army, were engaged in an operation against dissidents from the former FARC, Blanco Carlos Patino.
00:30The incident hindered the deployment of troops with the aim of preventing them from carrying out their duties,
00:36a situation that led to the detention of 45 uniformed personnel who were released 24 hours later.
00:42According to the authorities, the population is being intimidated by this armed group.
00:52This constitutes a serious violation of international human rights law,
00:56as it involves communities in carrying out these actions, exposes civilians and military personnel alike,
01:02and increases the risk of confrontations.
01:12According to unofficial figures, there have been more than 25 such incidents this year.
01:17According to President Gustavo Petro, these armed groups are part of drug trafficking structures
01:23that use the population to kidnap soldiers.
01:26He also reiterated that his anti-drug policy is aimed at liberating territories from the mafias
01:32that are part of the dissident groups of the former FARC, which are no longer involved in the insurgent struggle.
01:41Armed groups are no longer groups that seek legitimacy with communities,
01:45but rather exploit and subjugate them.
01:48In other words, there has been a drastic change from the era of armed insurgent struggle to the present day.
01:55Now it has more to do with control of territories and profiting from the exploitation of different illegal economies,
02:01including drug trafficking and illegal mining.
02:04In this context, for experts on the subject, the transformation of the territories is imperative,
02:14and although the strategy for combating drugs is currently focused on the persecution of armed groups
02:19and major drug traffickers, support for farmers must be strengthened,
02:24where not only the presence of the army is required,
02:26but also that of all institutions in territories that have historically been abandoned.
02:31The peace strategy needs to be redesigned,
02:39comprehensive institutional structural intervention is needed,
02:42and I believe that for the next government.
02:45The discussion will be whether to return,
02:47as some believe to fumigation and aspiration eradication,
02:51because it is the easy option.
02:53It is easy to go there and spray,
02:55but it is difficult to try to solve structural problems
02:58that have been long-standing in the country and in these remote areas of Colombo.
03:05In this new episode,
03:07the mediation of the Ombudsman's Office and humanitarian organizations
03:11was fundamental in achieving the release of the soldiers
03:14who were removed from the area where they were being held
03:18and then taken to the city of Popayan, capital of the Department of Cauca.
03:22Hernán Dario Tobarga y Tantele Sur, Bogotá, Colón.
Comments