The leaders of the last secretariat of the extinct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas recognized this Thursday (23) to the Special Justice for Peace (JEP) and relatives of the kidnapped crimes committed during their captivity, such as rape, forced labor and even murder.
“I recognize that, although it was not a policy and practice directed by the secretariat, there were acts of sexual violence in the kidnappings carried out as part of the exercises to control the territory,” said the last FARC commander, Rodrigo Londoño, known as Timochenko, in a statement read during the third day of the JEP recognition hearings.
Before this recognition before the body created by the 2016 peace agreement to judge crimes against humanity committed during the Colombian conflict, the former guerrillas heard an anonymous testimony from one of the victims who were raped while kidnapped.
“I still feel that fear because I always remember that rape. There were three men who had sex with me, while my feet and hands were tied with a padlock,” said the woman.
“We came to recognize that this policy, in addition to having taken away people’s freedom, was accompanied by mistreatment and degrading actions during the captivity process and is part of a very serious and reprehensible conduct, which is classified as war crimes and crimes against humanity”, commented Pastor Alape, another former FARC commander.
This acknowledgment takes place in the context of Case 01, “The taking of hostages, serious deprivation of liberty and other simultaneous crimes committed by the FARC-EP”, which is being investigated by JEP and in which thousands of Colombians, including civilians, police and military, were victims, for political and economic reasons.
At one of the hearings JEP held before the indictment, another hostage, Alexander García, said he had been subjected to forced labor.
He was kidnapped in the department of Vichada, on the border with Venezuela, and subjected to “punishment work”, such as clearing pastures, sowing grass or harvesting corn, and when he was released, after realizing that he was not part of any paramilitary organization , was punished.
“I was told that I had a one-year fine, that I could not leave Vichada,” said López, who emphasized that the fine was, as he was told, “for the food given during his time as a hostage and for the medicines given while he was sick.” .
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“My presence here has only one purpose: to seal this mourning”, declared Vladimiro Bayona, an elderly man whose son was kidnapped in 2000, in Palmira, in the Valle del Cauca (southwest), together with a fellow student, and never returned. .
“I don’t want to hear about the moments before this vile murder, but what I need is for you to help us find (the body),” he told the former guerrillas.
“I will only forgive you, dear Pablo Catatumbo, the day you say to me: ‘Vladimiro, we found your son’s remains,’” he added, pointing to one of the former guerrillas.
Vladimiro Bayona stressed that children should bury their parents, not the other way around, but despite all the suffering, he asked Colombia to “find this stable and lasting peace in all hearts”.
“Despite all the harm they’ve done to me, I don’t hate them, but I can’t forgive them until I see my son and know where I can go to pray for him,” the father said.
Like him, other families demanded the truth and to know where their relatives who were taken captive are.
“We know that there are those who returned to their homes in poor health, others with permanent damage and others who even lost their lives and never returned home,” said Timochenko, who added that “it is a tragedy” of which the former guerrillas feel “deeply ashamed”.
JEP was able to identify 21,396 kidnapping victims by name and identification number in the case studied, in crimes for which it has so far accused the last FARC leadership.
After these hearings, which come to an end this Thursday, the next step is the indictment and sentence of JEP, which, depending on the degree of truth and acceptance of guilt by those involved, cannot involve arrest and, in any case, will be focused on the reparation of victims.
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