UN registers steep rise in murders of Colombian activists

Slayings of human rights leaders and mass killings of civilians are increasing at a worrying pace in Colombia, according to a United Nations report published on Tuesday.

annual U.N. report on human rights situation in Colombia found that violence is “intensifying” in some rural areas where state presence is weak and armed groups are fighting for territorial control following 2016 demobilization of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group.

According to U.N. report, at least 133 human rights defenders were murdered in Colombia in 2020, a 23% increase from 2019.

United Nations also registered 76 massacres across country last year, which are defined as events in which three or more civilians are executed at once. number of massacres registered was “almost double” number in 2019 and was highest number since 2016, said Juliette de Rivero, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights representative in Colombia.

report will be presented to Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet.

findings were published as Colombia’s government struggles to diminish violence in rural areas that were once controlled by FARC and where illegal activities like cocaine trafficking, timber smuggling and wildcat mining still exist.

se areas are w fought over by armed groups that include National Liberation Army, Gulf Clan and former FARC rebels who refused to join 2016 peace deal with Colombia’s government.

United Nations urged Colombia’s government to increase its presence in se areas to protect civilians and bring down violence.

One way to do that, De Rivero said in a press conference, is by “putting (2016) peace deal at center of government’s response.”

peace deal includes land titling projects and programs aimed at helping coca growers to substitute ir illegal crops for legal crops. It also created a commission aimed at finding solutions to dismantling armed groups.

President Ivan Duque has been a critic of some aspects of peace deal, including a transitional justice system that he accuses of being too lenient with former rebel commanders. Critics of his government have said that it has been slow at implementing some aspects of peace deal, including coca substitution projects.

United Nations said that Colombia’s government has made progress towards stopping violence against activists by setting up a monitoring system that provides early warnings on threats against human rights defenders. De Rivero also praised a recent initiative by attorney general’s office to decrease impunity for crimes by taking itinerant judges to remote rural areas.

Neverless, report calls on Colombia to “intensify” efforts to implement peace deal.

“ growth in assassinations is worrying,” De Rivero said. “ Colombian state has capacity to adjust its policies to prevent violence.”