The human rights and victims’ organizations and coalitions that sign this pronouncement, as part of their commitment to implement the Agreement on the basis of the principles of authenticity (i.e. the full Agreement is to be implemented, and all implementation must pertain to what has already been agreed upon) and bilaterality (i.e. implementation is by both parties), wish to make a constructive contribution to the discussion as to the need, timing, composition, structure, and functions of a United Nations Political Mission for the Verification of the Guarantees for Reincorporation of the FARC-EP and the Implementation of Measures of Security and Protection for social leaders, provided for at paragraph 6.3.3 of the Final Agreement between the Government of Colombia and the FARC-EP. It is with this purpose in mind that they present the following considerations on this point:
- Respect for the Final Agreement. The impetus of the Second Political Mission for Verification should be in line with the parameters established in the Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace.
- Request for the Mission. Accordingly, the Mission should be requested of the United Nations General Assembly by common agreement between the National Government and the FARC-EP and by written communication to the Secretary General requesting the creation of a Mission with the mandate to verify the reincorporation of the FARC-EP and the implementation of measures for personal and collective security in the territories.
- Concept of security to be considered in the definition of the Mandate. The concept of security that should guide this Second Mission is established in the Final Agreement and is based on respect for human dignity, promotion of and respect for human rights, and the defense of democratic values….[1]
- Timing. Taking into account the context of attacks on human rights defenders and social leaders, the lack of substantial advances in respect of investigation and punishment of the persons responsible, and the increase in the activities of the organizations said to be the successors of the paramilitary groups – according to the terms of the agreement – the steps needed to establish the Second Mission should be taken immediately, without waiting for the culmination of the first mission. The request to establish the Second Mission should not be considered a failure to abide by the agreement, as it responds to supervening events directly related to what is established in the agreement, requiring a rapid response and commitment on the part of the International Community to shore up the sustainability of the Peace Agreement. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia has verified the occurrence of 63 homicides against human rights defenders and social leaders in 2016.
- Composition of the Mission. The mandate and design of the Mission should be for the Department of Political Affairs of the United Nations, with the participation and collaboration of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the supervision of the Secretary General. The participation of the High Commissioner is essential, considering the human rights aspects of the verification effort. Therefore, coordination and complementarity should be established in defining the Mission’s design, structure, and functions, through a joint effort by the Department of Political Affairs and the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Such articulation will make it possible to form a suitable civilian team with extensive experience verifying aspects related to human rights.
- Considerations to be taken into account in defining the Mandate of the Second Mission:
- Verify the aspects related to the political, economic, cultural, and social reincorporation of the FARC-EP and the measures of protection and collective security for organizations and communities in the territories.
- Monitor, in the territories, the conditions in terms of security guarantees.
- Provide the institutions of the State the technical and specialized assistance they need to implement the guarantees of security and protection for the members of the FARC-EP who have reincorporated, and for communities and organizations, as well as the struggle against the criminal organizations that have been called successors to the paramilitary groups and their support networks.
- Harmonization and collaboration with the other agencies of the System on the ground. The Second Mission, in carrying out its mandate, should seek an environment of harmonious collaboration with all agencies of the system present in the country, without this entailing the loss or weakening of their respective mandates. To that end, the necessary protocols for collaboration should be defined.
- Coordination with the institutions of the State providing necessary and specialized technical assistance. The Second Mission should guarantee effective communication that allows it to establish collaborative relationships and provide the necessary and specialized technical assistance to the relevant institutions nationally, regionally, and locally to perform their functions and to ensure that the mechanisms of inter-institutional coordination and rapid response are effective. Such coordination and assistance should be provided to institutions such as: The Office of the Human Rights Ombudsperson (Defensoría del Pueblo), the Offices of Municipal Ombudspersons (Personerías Municipales), the Special Unit of Investigations, the National Commission on Guarantees of Security, the National Protection Unit, the National Police and Judicial Police, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Territorial Alert Committees for Immediate Response in the territories and zones defined.
- Dialogue with social and human rights organizations nationally and in the territories. The Second Mission, in furtherance of its mandate, should maintain a proactive and plural dialogue with the social and human rights organizations nationally and in the territories.
- Incorporating a gender and age approach. The Second Mission, in developing its mandate, shall take into account an ethnic and gender approach, also seeking to establish a gender balance in forming its working teams.
Bogotá, March 1, 2017
PDF: CCEEU_MisionII_def.cceeu (Recuperado)
Signed:
Coordinación Colombia Europa Estados Unidos CCEEU
Consultoría por los Derechos Humanos y el Desplazamiento Codhes
Plataforma Colombiana Derechos Humanos Democracia y Desarrollo PCDHDD
Movimiento Nacional de Víctimas de Crímenes de Estado MOVICE
[1] See: Points 2.1.2 and 3.4 paragraph 2 of the Final Agreement, which reads: Based on what is established in the Agreement on Point 2 on Political Participation, which defines security as: “a modern, qualitatively new conception of security which, in the context of the end of the conflict is based on respect for human dignity, on promoting and respect for human rights, and on the defense of democratic values, in particular in the protection of the rights and freedoms of those who engage in politics, especially those who after the end of the armed confrontation become political opposition and who therefore must be recognized and treated as such, the National Government shall establish a new Integral System of Security for the Exercise of Politics.”
