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The Transitional Justice Court ruled that the now demobilized rebel group abused recruited children over a period of 20 years.
Colombia’s now demobilized FARC insurgents recruited more than 18,000 children to join their ranks over a 20-year period, and the Transitional Justice Court (JEP) stated that it accused the organization of subjecting children to abuse and treatment equivalent to war crimes.
The JEP investigation involved Case 07, which involved the recruitment and use of minors by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) between 1996 and 2016.
The court will see 26 former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia testify as Colombia seeks to deal with lasting impact Decades of civil war between the country’s rebel and paramilitary organizations and government forces.
JEP Chairman Eduardo Cifuentes said at a press conference in the capital Bogotá on Tuesday: “The instrumentalization of boys and girls in conflict has brought suffering to Colombian society.”
He said: “The provisional estimate of the 18,667 boys and girls used by the FARC in the conflict may be even greater. This is undoubtedly one of the most terrifying behaviors that can occur during the conflict.”
JEP Magistrate Lily Rueda, who was in charge of the case, said the statistics came from an analysis of 31 databases compiled by victim groups and the state, as well as the testimony of 274 people who were forcibly recruited.
The court also stated that at least 5,691 minors were under the age of 14, which violated international humanitarian law.
As the investigation progresses, JEP will also investigate related sexual and gender-based violence, enforced disappearances, as well as murder, torture, and cruel and degrading treatment.
The figures published by JEP are much higher than those previously announced by the government. The government estimates that between 1985 and 2020, Colombia recruited more than 7,400 minors, and 16,000 died during the conflict.
JEP is at 2016 peace agreement Cooperation between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and the Colombian government to investigate crimes and atrocities committed during the conflict. It has the power to impose penalties that are lighter than the ordinary judicial system.
The former leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia who has since formed a party called Comunes has previously stated that recruiting minors is not a universal policy and that many people join the ranks of insurgents to protect or escape poverty.
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