“My expressions are due to the reality of the war”: the explanations of Diego Molano after the controversy of the bombing of Guaviare

After an operation against FARC dissidents in the department of Guaviare, several social and political officials claimed that in the said operation, in which the rural area of ​​Calamar was bombed, there were miners who ended up dead.

According to the forensic report, the death of a minor, Danna Lizet Montilla, was 16 years old. And on this subject, the Minister of Defense, Diego Molano, affirmed in various interviews that the children who are in these camps “are machines of war”, and that the work of the national army was completely legitimate.

In view of this, several politicians, journalists and social officials have spoken out and even said that they would denounce him if he knew that there were minors on this front and instead of saving them he brought them down. bombed.

“Minister @Diego_Molano, I tell you clearly: if it is confirmed that boys and girls died in the bombing of Guaviare and that you are aware of it, I will denounce you for serious violations of IHL. Their duty is to help minors who are victims of forced recruitment and not to bomb them. “commented Senator Iván Cepeda, from the democratic pole.

In an interview for the newspaper El Espectador, Diego Molano explained why, according to him, the military operation was legitimate, the reasons for his accusations against minors and the arguments for deciding to bomb.

According to what the minister said, the bombing occurred for two reasons: the first, because there is a law on public order in Colombia which allows it; and the second, with the application of international humanitarian law, it is established that when there is a terrorist camp with these characteristics, the bombing of these organizations is authorized. “This ranking is also held by the Clan del Golfo and the Caparros, so that the Military Forces and the Police can intervene in the development of these operations.”

According to information, in the said camp there was alias “Gentil Duarte” one of the leaders of the FARC dissidents. This is, according to the law, one of the characteristics that gives the green light for a bombing to be legitimate.

“He is a narco-terrorist who has been part of these illegal organizations for over thirty years. Consequently, he and his dissident structure became a military target in order to be able to dismantle them ”, Molano said for the interview with The Spectator.

Molano says it was based on the regulations that are stipulated whether or not to attack a camp and that for this reason the various armed groups in the country were called Organized armed group, which have a series of characteristics that let you know who to attack and not.

“These events are analyzed by the Security Council, where it is specified whether they meet these characteristics and on this basis, the operations of the military forces are defined. In this case, the dissidents of the FARC are classified as such, as an organized armed group, and that is why they act in this way in the development of these operations ”, specified the Minister.

In addition, Diego Molano explained to this media why the pseudonym “ Gentil Duarte ” was a reason to bomb the rural area of ​​Calamar, Guaviare:

“The first thing to consider is the context of “Gentil Duarte” within the FARC, which makes him a very important target to dismantle his organization as a dissident. Up to $ 2 billion is being offered for him, he has 19 arrest warrants, he has an Interpol arrest warrant. Its crimes include terrorism, kidnappings, drug trafficking, rebellion, illicit enrichment, attempted murder, environmental destruction, injuries and attacks against the civilian population ”.

Some time ago Diego Molano spoke with Family Welfare in which he openly expressed that he was against the forced recruitment of minors and that children and adolescents were also victims of war. But in the face of this latest event, the minister’s statements have changed.

“My expressions are due to the reality of war. I understand that when there is forced recruitment, minors are victims. The problem is that after being victims, they, the illegal organizations, seek to turn them into minor combatants in order to limit the police force and also become a risk for society when they become adults ”.

For Diego Molano, One of the solutions to the forced recruitment of minors is to put an end to the various armed groups, that is, there are no leaders or commanders, whether guerrillas or paramilitaries, who give the order to recruit minors.

“What bandits like Gentil Duarte need to take into account is that they cannot continue to bind young people and hope this will limit the use of legitimate state force. Children must be protected where necessary, but force must also be used ”.

Finally, the Minister of Defense explained to him in the interview with El Espectador why he said that minors “are a war machine”. “My expression obeys a reality of war. What I saw at the ICBF is that they take young people, they train them. It’s a strong expression, I know, but Colombian society must understand that it has prepared individuals who can cause serious damage to society ”.

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