Before the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, from the Victim of the Armed Conflict and Vulnerable Population in Huila Foundation, 450 accreditation requests were delivered for Macro Case 10, alarmingly worrying that these cases only correspond to seven municipalities throughout the department.
Newspaper of Huila, Huila
By: Gloria Camargo
On July 14, victims of the armed conflict in the department of Huila, delivered to the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, 450 applications for accreditation in the Macro case 10 of forced disappearance.
For this reason, Diario del Huila spoke with Edna Rocío Pinto Serrato, human rights defender, who accompanied this process and who has been a strong defender of the rights of victims and an invaluable support for the Victim of the Armed Conflict and Vulnerable Population Foundation.
It should be remembered that macro case 10 covers not only forced displacement, but also other atrocious crimes committed in the framework of the armed conflict, such as homicides, dispossession of land and sexual violence, therefore, the delivery of these requests before the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) is a crucial step for victims to access justice and be heard.
According to Edna Rocío Pinto Serrato, who is also the Coordinator of the Neiva victims’ table, the delivery of these requests is not just a bureaucratic process, but an act of representation and accompaniment to the victims.
“It is important that these people feel supported and that they have trusted lawyers who accompany them in the judicial process,” said the social leader.
Edna Rocío Pinto Serrato, human rights defender and Coordinator of the Departmental Table for Victims.
This work also seeks to establish a precedent, where unfortunately, Huila has witnessed tragedies and pain throughout the armed conflict, however, attention has focused mainly on the municipality of Algeciras, the only PDET (Development Programs with a Territorial Focus) present in the region.
Therefore, Pinto Serrato indicated that it seeks to change this situation and make other affected communities visible. “There are other municipalities that have also been victims of guerrilla takeovers and terrorist attacks, where girls were raped and people have been reported missing,” said the social leader.
“From the grassroots”
From the bases and various organizations of all the municipalities of the department of Huila, an important process has been taking place to support the foundation of victims of the armed conflict and vulnerable population.
The collaboration and participation of different sectors, including approaches to gender and the LGBTI population, seeks to make the experiences and struggles of those who have been affected by violence more visible.
Although the Foundation is new, according to the leader, it has valuable experience, since its management team is made up of women and men victims, as well as lawyers who have overcome great challenges to get where they are. “These professionals, who were also victims of the armed conflict, represent the confidence that the victims need in their search for justice and truth,” she pointed out.
At the same time, he added that the delivery process of 450 reports in macro case 10 has not yet concluded, but the foundation is clear that this is only the beginning.
His commitment extends to work in all the municipalities of the department, thanking the support and the sum of leaders who have supported this cause. The goal is not only to obtain results at the local level but also at the national level, seeking that the voices of the victims of Huila are heard and attended to on their path towards reparation and reconciliation.
So far, seven municipalities involved in these 450 cases have been identified, including Guadalupe, Isnos, Tello, Colombia, Santa María, Neiva and Pitalito. Each of these reports represents a story of pain and hope, and the foundation is committed to continuing to work tirelessly so that each victim finds justice and dignity in their healing process.
work with nails
However, this work has not been easy. According to Pinto, “in many cases it is an exhausting effort and with their own resources, the leaders defending Human Rights have assumed the responsibility of carrying out a crucial process in the municipalities.
In Neiva, the more than 400 cases of forced disappearance were handed over to the JEP.
Lacking any budget granted by external entities, they must pay for travel and expenses associated with their work out of their own pockets.”
This investigation process implies going down to the municipalities with organized formats, directly provided by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP). Although, it is explained that adjustments have been made to reduce the size of the forms and, thus, reduce printing costs, added to this, each leader must dedicate time and effort to explain to the victims the importance of providing clear and precise details about the cases that are being collected.
At the same time, the Coordinator indicated that it is also “fundamental to clarify that the JEP does not compensate the victims, differentiating itself from the processes of the Victims Unit,” for which she reiterated that the leaders have been transparent with their communities about this reality, emphasizing that the role of the JEP is to investigate and carry out a fair process, which allows clarifying the facts and providing answers to the victims.
Interested victims
It also points out that the organization has opened its doors for those who wish to be part of Macro Case 10 and submit the accreditation request to the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP).
For this, they are required to have a copy of the necessary documents, and it is important to clarify that, in the case of having minor children in the family nucleus, they can also be accredited without requiring a specific power of attorney. In addition, there is a consent that must be signed in order to make the commitment to have trusted lawyers who adequately represent each victim.
In addition, the Foundation has given itself the task of providing an explanatory talk before starting the accreditation application process and filling out the forms. In this talk, it is clarified that the JEP does not grant economic compensation, but rather its function is to investigate and carry out a fair process to clarify the facts and provide justice to the victims.
Likewise, the Foundation encourages victims to file complaints with the Prosecutor’s Office and provide any evidence or summary evidence they may have. In addition, the guidance provided extends to those peasant victims who live in rural areas and are unaware of the route to follow to participate in these processes.
Accompaniment
The Coordinator also pointed out that in the fight for justice and healing for the victims of the armed conflict in Huila, the non-profit Foundation has been playing a valuable role and its work goes beyond compiling reports for Macro Case 10, since it also focuses on providing psychosocial support to the victims. The priority is to avoid re-victimization and provide them with the necessary support for their healing process.
However, it is important to take into account that victims who have the right to displacement or other victimizing acts can be accredited as of December 1, 2016. This allows those affected from the year 2000 to that date to be included in the request for reports for Macro Case 10. From that date, the victimizing acts would enter into negotiations with the ELN group and the national government.
The Foundation, made up of victims who have decided to empower themselves and take responsibility for these cases, requests the support of entities and the community in general. Being an organization without assigned resources, any contribution is valuable to continue providing the necessary support to the victims in different aspects, including cultural, sports, psychosocial, health and entrepreneurship.
The macro case 10, according to the Jurisdiction, contains processes of forced disappearances, forced displacement, sexual violence, and the use of illegal means and methods of war.
The call also extends to all the victims in the department of Huila and at the national level to organize and advance together in the search for justice, truth and reparation. Solidarity and joint work are essential to face the challenges involved in the process of healing and building a more just and reconciled society.
The Foundation hopes that more people and institutions will join this laudable purpose of dignifying and supporting the victims on their way to peace and rebuilding their lives.