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The JEP Protects the Remains of the Victims of the Armed Conflict

On 11 August 2020, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) prohibited any kind of tampering in two places –  La Escombrera (The Dump) and La Arenera (Sandpit), both located in the Comuna 13 area of Medellín – where victims of forced disappearances are thought to be buried. The JEP can order precautionary measures where there are good reasons for doing so in the framework of its cases. This snapshot presents the progress that the JEP has made in protecting the remains of those who disappeared during the armed conflict in Colombia.

International Support for the Special Jurisdiction for Peace

The international community has been a fundamental support to the Peace Agreement with the FARC-EP. From the start of the negotiations, the accompanying guarantor countries —Cuba, Norway, Chile and Venezuela— were vital to building confidence between the parties and ensuring that dialogues continued in the most difficult moments. An additional impulse to discussions came from the concrete support provided by other actors that appointed special envoys to the peace process, such as Jean Arnault for the United Nations, Bernie Aronson for the United States, and Eamon Gilmore for the European Union.

The Impact of COVID-19 in Reincorporation

This snapshot explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the process of reincorporation. On 6 March 2020, Colombia reported its first case of COVID-19 coronavirus within what has since been declared a global pandemic. The crisis has exacerbated existing inequalities and needs, and the preventative measures applied, including curfews, lockdowns and self-isolation, have been felt across all corners of the country. The second reincorporation snapshot discussed the economic and security challenges that need to be tackled in 2020. The current crisis emphasises the need for urgent attention towards these same issues but also shows new opportunities and examples of co-responsibility and solidarity by FARC ex-combatants.

Guarantees for Transition Towards Peace

With the signing of the Final Peace agreement with the FARC-EP in 2016, victims became the central focus of it.