The International Fellowship of Reconciliation participated in the UN Human Rights Council General Debate on item 3: Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
IFOR took the floor to address the members of the plenary concerning the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó and the several human rights violations the community members are facing.
Human Rights Council, 49th Session
16th March 2022
Item 3: Promotion and protection of all human rights,
civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights
Oral statement delivered by the International Fellowship of Reconciliation.
Mr. President,
Despite some progress, implementation of the Peace Agreement in Colombia is slower than expected.1 This has made the human rights situation increasingly dramatic.
IFOR is especially concerned about the safety of the members of the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó.
The establishment of the Peace Community, 25 years ago this month, is based on principles of International Humanitarian Law that protect civilians from being involved in armed conflicts.
The recent murder of Huber Velásquez, a social leader of San José de Apartadó reveals the freedom of operation of paramilitary groups in the region [that manifests itself in extortions, forced meetings, sanctions, threats and recruitments].
The Peace Community also reported violations of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. In 2018, the Peace Community publicly denounced several human rights violations committed against its members by paramilitaries and the tacit and passive attitude of the army concerning these violations. The 17th Brigade of the Colombian Army denounced the Peace Community for slander and defamation and the Constitutional Court eventually urged the Peace Community to refrain from denouncing such issues. This decision raises strong concerns regarding the respect of international obligations, increases the vulnerability of human rights defenders and promotes a climate favorable to the persistence of human rights violations and their impunity.
IFOR calls upon the Member States and the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to monitor the violations of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and to support an urgent action by the Colombian government to ensure the safety of the Peace Community and the dismantlement of paramilitary successor groups, [as agreed in point 3 of the Final Peace Agreement].
Thank you.
Click here to watch the delivery of the statement in the plenary.
Click here to download the complete statement.
IFOR has submitted a written thematic statement to the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council. This document, titled "Colombia: New Threats Against The Peace Community Of San Jose De Apartado On Its 25th Anniversary", has been received by the Secretary-General and has been circulated in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31. It is registered officially on the UN website as A/HRC/49/NGO/239 and is available here.
25th anniversary of the Peace Community
The Peace Community represents a longstanding effort of nonviolent resistance in a highly violent context in Colombia.
The Community was created in 1997 and March 23rd marks its 25th anniversary.
IFOR, together with FOR Peace Presence and FOR Austria is organizing a webinar series on the occasion of this anniversary. Learn more about the series here. And about the webinar on the Peace Community here.