IACHR

Press Release

IACHR Condemns Attack on a Committee of Colombia’s Land Restitution Unit

April 23, 2018

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Washington, D.C. – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemns the attack on a committee of Colombia’s Land Restitution Unit (URT, by its Spanish acronym) that was active in Antioquia’s Urabá area to fulfil its mandate based on the Victims Law framework.

According to publicly available reports, the URT committee was attacked with explosives on April 11, 2018 by an illegal armed group, in an event that caused the deaths of eight National Police officers. The Commission expresses its concern that such acts of violence may seek to hinder the enforcement of the Victims Law and the Peace Agreement with FARC.

The IACHR stresses its support for the Peace Agreement’s implementation process and values the work of the URT as one of the reparation mechanisms available to victims of the conflict and a component of the transitional justice system that is extremely important to achieve piece in Colombia.

The Commission condemns acts of violence that hinder the implementation of every point in the Peace Agreement – particularly those linked to the rights of victims of the armed conflict, such as people who have been dispossessed of their land and those subjected to forced displacements—or prevent progress in such implementation.

The IACHR urges the Colombian State to keep up the restitution of land, while granting the protection that officials need to be able to carry out their duties with guarantees in accordance with the demands of the Peace Agreement’s implementation process. The IACHR stresses its commitment and willingness to cooperate with this process.

A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote respect for and to defend human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this area. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who are elected in an individual capacity by the OAS General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 086/18