Miguel Angel Villamizar Contreras, 28, is responsible for recruiting 80 percent of child soldiers into the FARC in Santander, Antioquia, and Bolivar departments.
He was captured recently.
He has been in the FARC for 17 years, which means he joined when he was 11 years old.
I spoke to Richard McColl of Anadolu agency. I said, “The Colombian government and the international community need to send a strong message that the rights of children must be respected. Cases in which adults commit human rights violations and steal the lives of children need to be prosecuted. It is very difficult for a child who lived such atrocities to rebuild a healthy and productive life. Years of therapy will not erase such horrors. Now, especially now that Colombia is thinking of a post-conflict era, victims need to know that their lives and their feelings will be validated.”
Related:
FARC continue recruiting children while talking peace.
FARC-government negotiations must include immediately returning child soldiers to families.
Court ruled reparations to be paid for the unlawful recruitment of minors.
Talking About Colombia 
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