In Colombia, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace—a transitional justice mechanism established as part of the 2016 peace accords—has issued its first sentences against former members of the FARC-EP guerrilla group, in relation to crimes committed during the country’s armed conflict. Hernán Tobar reports. teleSUR
00:00In Colombia, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, a transitional justice body created in the context of the 2016 peace agreements,
00:08issued the first sentences against members of the former FARC-EP guerrilla group in the context of what was the armed conflict in the country.
00:17Hernán Tobar with the report.
00:19The Special Jurisdiction for Peace issued its first restorative sentence for the seven top leaders who made up the former secretariat of the now-defunct FARC guerrilla group,
00:32which found them responsible in the so-called Macro Case, 001, related to hostage-taking, and kidnapping, crimes against humanity committed between 1993, and 2016,
00:44and perpetrated in the context of the armed conflict, whose victims exceed the more than 4,000 accredited by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace,
00:51in which the appearing parties are held responsible and consequently, are imposed the maximum penalty applicable in this model of justice that is,
01:03eight years of penalty taking into account their acknowledgement of their responsibility and their exhaustive and detailed contribution to revealing patterns and policies,
01:12but also taking into account the seriousness of the crimes and the highest level of responsibility they held in that organization.
01:21This legal determination imposed by the highest court of transitional justice was announced after the highest commanders of the former FARC,
01:33recognized in the related events and contributions to the truth that do not involve imprisonment, but rather social actions, and work with victims.
01:41We accept the resolution of conclusions as part of the recognition of the pain of the victims of reparation and of reconciliation.
01:52We understand that this process that is beginning is complex and unprecedented for Colombia,
02:05and that we will have to develop very sustained actions to be able to guarantee the recognition of the pain of the victims.
02:14Representatives of human rights organizations and congressmen highlight the importance of this decision.
02:21It is a decision and a process that is unprecedented in the history of humanity and that will have what is going to happen in Colombia as its laboratory.
02:38So I believe that this is a substantial step forward for peace, for the victims, for restorative justice.
02:43In order to move forward on that long road to compensate for the enormous damage caused by the crimes committed in the armed conflict.
02:54The penalties stipulated revolve around social projects to compensate victims, humanitarian demining work, the search for missing persons, environmental and agricultural memory projects, exceptional restrictions on freedom, and mobility.
03:16Some of the victims are not satisfied with the contributions to the truth, and their representatives see little clarity in specific aspects of particular redress.
03:25But the ruling fails to specify the penalty that each of these seven members of the former secretariat will have to serve, for how long, in which territory, and how many victims would specifically benefit from the implementation of these penalties.
03:40This restorative justice court was created following the 2016 peace process agreements between the government and the former FARC, EPP.
03:55It investigates, tries, and punishes the most serious crimes of the armed conflict, created to satisfy the rights of victims, offer them truth,
04:03and contribute to their reparation, with the purpose of building a stable and lasting peace.
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