FARC "excuses" for thousands of kidnappings in Colombia [Internacional] – 07/14/2018



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Colombia.- Colombia on Friday opened a historic chapter of justice in its conflict. For the first time, former FARC rebel leaders sat on the bench to respond to thousands of kidnapping victims under the peace pact. "We all apologize, we will do the impossible because they can know the truth of what happened, we will assume the responsibilities that correspond to us," said Rodrigo Londoño (Tymoshenko), the most powerful guerilla leader in America.

Londoño conducted the first trial procedure in the special system agreed with the government to recognize the hundreds of thousands of victims in more than half a century of confrontation.

At the end of the appearance, the former guerrilla leader reaffirmed the press, pledging to contribute "as much as possible" to the reparation of the affected people and never to do again use of violence.

During its prolonged and failed struggle for power, the FARC resorted to kidnapping people for economic and political purposes. Thousands of hostages, including the army, the police and leaders like the French-Colombian Ingrid Betancourt, were chained up to ten years in the jungle before being rescued or released. and many perished in captivity.

6 162 cases of kidnappings, with 8 163 victims, involving the rebels.

In this process, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) will experience the crimes related to this practice between 1993 and 2012.

Magistrates They cited this first procedure of recognition for 31 persons responsible for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia already dissolved in case 001 for "illegal detention of persons".

However, only Tymoshenko and other leaders Pablo Catatumbo and Carlos Lozada attended the hearing held in the north of Bogotá

The others sent their lawyers or in the case of Jesús Santrich – detained in Bogotá , at the request of the United States, for extradition purposes for drug trafficking, he participated in a prison teleconference. Except him, all the defendants will answer at liberty

"We ask the truth"

As part of the agreement that disarmed 7 thousand fighters and led the FARC to be part of it. Last year, the rebels pledged to confess their crimes and repair the victims, in exchange for an alternative punishment to prison and the exercise of politics.

If they abide by the agreement and never again do violence, they will serve sentences of five to eight years at the same different place of the prison that has not yet been defined. Otherwise, they are liable to 15 to 20 years' imprisonment.

On the outside of the building, about twenty people prevented from going on stage, gathered in silence and exhibited pictures of "kidnapped". or disappeared "in the hands of the rebels."

"The truth is what the victims claim the most, that they only reduce their sentences if they tell us what happened to the public forces that they abducted and where they are, "Olga Rojas, widow of Sergeant José Vicente Rojas, who has been missing since 1992, told AFP.

Soldiers who also took part in the conflict may voluntarily take refuge in the CEP, as well as the civilians who financed right-wing groups.

Outgoing President Juan Manuel Santos celebrated the beginning of the judgments "This is a very important signal because what it means is that all that had been told that it would be a peace with impunity was a mistake, "said the president to the press.

Although he avoided about 3,000 deaths a year, the peace agreement was fractured Colombian society.One defends with vehemence l & # 3 9, agreement, and the other rejects what he considers as generous concessions to the former guerrilla

President-elect Iván Duque, who will take office on 7 August, won precisely at the polls with the promise to amend part of the agreement to prevent bosses who are guilty of atrocious crimes from being able to exercise as members of Congress.

The pact guarantees a small representation of ten seats in Congress starting July 20.

Among the victims there were also critics in the opening of the trials.

"It began to violate the criterion that the center is the victims, they invited the FARC leaders, their lawyers and special guests but did not take into account that the victims deserved to be there, face to face, and see Their reaction to us, "said Diego Tobón to reporters

. This 69-year-old businessman and lawyer, who lost his uncle in captivity, could barely contain tears outside the JEP building. ] window.fbAsyncInit = function () {
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