In a stern condemnation, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Colombia has expressed grave concern over the recent surge in violence across the country. The OHCHR’s statement follows a series of violent incidents, including attacks on civilians and security forces, underscoring a deteriorating security situation.
The latest incident that prompted the OHCHR’s condemnation was an attack on Sigifredo Márquez, father of Vice President Francia Márquez, along the road connecting Timba, Cauca, with the rural area of Robles, Jamundí, Valle del Cauca. This attack, along with others in recent weeks, has highlighted the increasing vulnerability of civilians in Colombia.
Juliette De Rivero, the representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia, emphasized, “We are very worried about the level of violence experienced by the population in Colombia,” citing multiple incidents including attacks on police stations, combat in civilian areas, and the recruitment of minors into armed groups.
The OHCHR has been closely monitoring the territorial expansion and violent strategies employed by non-state armed groups and criminal organizations, targeting diverse communities such as indigenous peoples and Afro-descendant communities, peasant communities, and grassroots organizations.
“We are very worried about the level of violence experienced by the population in Colombia, including yesterday’s attack against the Vice President’s father; two attacks last week in Jamundí, Valle del Cauca, which left several people injured; attacks on police stations in Suárez and Cajibío, Cauca, which affected homes and the health of a baby in a hospital; combat in civilian areas in Madrigal – Policarpa – Nariño; the recruitment of girls, boys, and adolescents in different regions such as Cauca, Caquetá, Huila, or Nariño; and the homicide of defenders and leaders,” said De Rivero.
“The State as a whole, civilian and military authorities, must work to restore governance and protect human rights. This can be achieved by implementing the human security policy adopted by the government, which must be developed at all levels—civilian and military—and accompanied by a policy to dismantle criminality through in-depth investigations into structures that fuel violence. This joint action and a territorial strategy for human rights protection can change the situation Colombia is experiencing. Colombia has the capacity to exchange violence for guaranteeing rights,” added the UN representative.
The OHCHR believes that peace dialogues with the ELN guerrilla and FARC dissident should “aim to protect the civilian population, strengthen the comprehensive presence of the State, curb violence and the territorial expansion of non-state armed groups,” read the official statement. The OHCHR also urged non-state armed actors to “respect the human rights of the entire civilian population, including women, girls, boys, and adolescents under 18 years of age.”
The statement by De Rivero was delivered just hours before FARC dissidents dropped several explosives from drones in the rural township of Argelia, Cauca. The attack set several homes on fire and injured two persons. According to news sources, FARC dissidents were planning an attack against the Colombian military.
