Talking About Colombia

It becomes clearer one reason why the popularity of President Santos has plunged: He has complete disregard for the rights and emotions of victims. Many Colombians are concerned that Santos has offered too many concessions to the FARC leadership.

And now this outrage — at the end of September, President Santos is expected to ask the United Nations General Assembly to overrule the International Criminal Court, and allow Colombia to exercise its sovereignty and decide on its own modes of transitional law.

Fatou Bensouda, a prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, stated that the grave crimes that matter to the international community — those that violate International Humanitarian Law — should not be left unpunished. She was referring to Colombia’s Legal Framework for Peace.

Worried about pressure from the ICC, President Santos is expected to argue that Colombia has jurisdiction to decide the country’s mode of transitional justice when dealing with peace accords with  the FARC. President Santos will likely say Fatou Bensouda’s letters are a threat to the peace dialogues.

FARC leaders have said they are not prepared to serve a single day in jail, and it seems the government of President Santos is doing all it can to prevent victims from having their day in court.

Sixty percent of Colombians do not think the peace talks with  the FARC will be successful.

Justice Minister Ruth Stella Correa said the justice system can allow for alternative punishments like house arrest and electronic monitoring in ordinary criminal cases.

Many of us are angry at the idea that FARC commanders, some responsible for horrendous human rights abuses, could walk away without facing jail time.

To allow gross violations to go unpunished is not a solid foundation for long-lasting peace.

Related:

218 FARC members (8 of them Secretariat leaders) convicted in absentia of crimes against humanity.

Colombia’s transitional law likely to end in impunity for many victimizers.

The Legal Framework for Peace invites the International Criminal Court to Colombia.

If Colombian authorities do not address gender violence, ICC will.