Former Colombian FARC leaders admit to kidnapping and other crimes FARC news

Bogota Colombia – Eight former commanders of the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) rebel group have admitted to making kidnapping allegations in the transitional justice court on Friday over their humanitarian policy and other crimes against humanity.

Former leaders issued a joint statement stating that they fully accept the allegations against them to try the Special Peace Jurisdiction (JEP) courts created under the transitional justice system war crimes within the ongoing peace process.

“As we have repeatedly stated, our kidnapping policies are justifiable,” the former insurgents told reporters on Friday.

Former insurgents who provide detailed information to the JEP about the crimes committed may receive lower penalties.

“In more than 300 pages, we provide a clear, concise and accurate response to the victims, who have boldly and generously approached the JEP to achieve a common goal of confidence in the implementation of the latest peace agreement: the end of the conflict and the construction of a stable and lasting peace. In this way, we want to answer their questions and the many disagreements expressed in this process, in which the centrality of their voices is crucial, ”the former fighters said.

It was the first time Carlos Antonio Lozada, a former commander, had publicly confessed to the kidnappings. Some of his classmates had already done so. According to JEP data, the FARC kidnapped or abducted about 21,396 people between 1990 and 2015.

Lozada said the “actions were ordered to capture and release members of civilian forces and military forces captured in military operations because the Colombian state refused to agree to a humanitarian exchange of guerrillas captured by the people. Deprived of forces and freedom.”

It was the first case of the JEP, which filed allegations four months ago. Former commanders were accused of being responsible for serious crimes such as cruel treatment, sexual abuse, disappearances and murder: all linked to the practice of kidnapping.

“The FARC was one of the wildest guerrillas in the recent history of Latin America. The recognition of the role of its former commanders in the mass kidnappings makes this clear, “American Human Rights Watch director José Miguel Vivanco told Al Jazeera.

“The FARC has often committed systematic atrocities against human beings, including child recruitment, kidnapping, land use, forced displacement and sexual violence. Thousands of victims have long waited a day in court and know the whole truth and deserve significant justice for guerrilla crimes. “said Vivanco.

The FARC formed a political party after disarmament as part of a historic 2016 peace deal with the government. Originally, they decided to keep their famous acronym as the name of the party change in January, the FARC acronym was too closely linked to the memories of the 50,000-year-old armed conflict, which left 260,000 dead and millions displaced. They are now known as “Comunes”.

Some believe that today’s approval could damage the FARC’s political career.

“The JEP ruling came at a difficult time as the FARC is fighting as a political party. The fact that the kidnappings have to be publicly accepted – and because of the cruelty involved in many of them – on the one hand, the FARC stresses that it is responsible for taking responsibility and giving the JEP the truth, but also puts the FARC in a difficult situation. try to attract a skeptical electorate, ”says Angelika Rettberg, a political science professor at the University of Los Andes in Bogota.

For Crisis Group senior Colombian analyst Elizabeth Dickinson, the FARC’s unconditional acceptance of these allegations is significant to know how they will deal with the transitional justice process.

The issue of sanctions has been controversial since the peace agreement in Colombia. Many right-wingers do not support the idea of ​​mitigating sanctions for former FARC fighters, including President Ivan Duque’s ruling party, which unsuccessfully called for a change in some aspects of the peace deal in the first months of sanctions.

“One of the challenges ahead in the entire transitional justice process will be the issue of sentencing. No sentence has yet been handed down, so I think all political views are what they look like and what alternative punishments will look like ¨ Dickinson said, adding that the court can offer alternative punishments that don’t have the usual jail time.

Dickinson said the court’s criticism will ensure that the sentences are fairly harsh and that supporters of the transitional justice process will want a different outcome.

“So it’s going to be a very politically charged issue and I think it’s going to be the main challenge before the court,” he said.