In a resolute appeal for peace, prominent human rights organizations, including the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), have called for an immediate cessation of hostilities between illegal armed factions in Colombia’s Catatumbo region. This appeal, as reported by JURIST, emerged amid escalating violence that has resulted in the displacement of over 11,000 individuals, with at least 60 fatalities, as detailed by the Colombian Ombudsman’s report.
WOLA’s statement particularly emphasizes the necessity for the Ejercito Nacional de Liberación (ELN) to cease violations of human rights and instigate a truce with the dissidents of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC). Furthermore, the human rights coalition urged both illegal armed groups to respect international humanitarian law to ensure humanitarian relief can reach the internally displaced persons.
The region has been embroiled in conflict between ELN and FARC dissidents, which persists despite the Colombian government’s 2016 peace accord with FARC, as highlighted in the agreement. Negotiations with ELN have thus far proven more challenging, leading President Gustavo Petro to suspend dialogue, denouncing the ELN’s actions in Catatumbo as war crimes. This move reflects measures President Petro previously enacted, as seen when ceasefire agreements with another armed group were halted following an attack on an indigenous community, which was reported by JURIST earlier in 2024.
Amidst this turmoil, Colombia’s defense minister, Iván Velásquez, has categorized ELN’s actions as akin to paramilitary operations. Meanwhile, WOLA and allied human rights organizations have pressed the government to ensure that responses to the crisis are both comprehensive and culturally sensitive, a necessity given the region’s complexity and ongoing humanitarian challenges. For more insights and updates, refer to the original report by JURIST.