Bogota, 24 February 2021

International civil society organisations signatories to this communiqué, welcome the advances of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, which through Order 033 of 2021 on 18 February 2021, made public the strategy of prioritisation in Case 03, known as “false positive” extrajudicial executions. In which, according to the information collated by the Chamber for the Acknowledgment of Truth and Responsibility, “at least 6,402 people were killed illegitimately and presented as combat casualties across the nations territory between 2002 and 2008.”

The courageous and rigorous work of Colombian human rights organisations and victims has been key in clarifying the truth about these painful facts that are mourned by the Colombian people; and that must be prosecuted. Seeking to reduce their work to an attempt to “discredit” the leader of the Centro Democrático political party, not only constitutes an affront, it is untrue and puts at serious risk, once again, the lives and work of human rights defenders, whose truth is key to finally overcoming the conflict in Colombia.

We reject this new stigmatisation and call to the attention of the Colombian State and the Government, the serious consequences this could have in terms of security for the victims and the human rights defenders who have for years been denouncing these cases.

It is important that the Special Jurisdiction for Peace does not falter in its work, which, as stated by the spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Liz Throssel, “is taking important steps in the fight against impunity, which will help Colombia to address past serious violations of international law and prevent the recurrence of such violations”. 

As International Civil Society Organisations we have for many years accompanied the Colombian human rights organisations, and we reiterate our support for their legitimate work and we consider it essential for the consolidation of peace, and the strengthening of the rule of law in Colombia.

All sectors and actors should refrain from issuing stigmatising statements that put lives at risk and further polarise Colombia. We encourage you with determination to contribute, from your different roles and mandates, to definitively overcoming the conflict in Colombia.

International Community on Alert for a Colombia in Peace