PRESS RELEASE DIRECTED TO DISCUSSION TABLE FOR THE END OF THE CONFLICT AND A STEADY AND LASTING PEACE

IN COLOMBIA THE ANTIOQUIA TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE COMMITTEES SUBCOMMITTEE ON PREVENTION, PROTECTION AND GUARANTEES OF NON-REPETITION CALLS FOR

The National Government and the FARC to include in the discussion table integral anti landmines action and the need to reach an agreement in order to move forward with demining operations and to put an end to the use of landmines. Antioquia is the most affected department. Out of the 125 municipalities, 98 were affected by incidents related to those explosive devices and between 1990 and April 2013 2 303 victims were reported, which represent 22% of the total amount of victims in Colombia. Figures from the first four months of 2013 disclosed by the Presidential Mine Action Program (PAICMA) and processed by the Government Victims and Armed Conflict Departmental Observatory show that 39 victims were reported in Antioquia: 34 were wounded and 5 were killed; 18 were civilians and 21 were military officers. This represents a 10% increase of accident rate. The most affected municipalities are: Briceo (14 accidents), Ituango and Amalfi (6), Dabeiba (4); Apartad, Cceres and Taraz (2); y Anor, Segovia and Yarumal, with 1 reported case each. The use of landmines infringes IHL, is expressly prohibited under the Ottawa Convention and is contrary to the customary principle of prohibition of means and methods causing unnecessary suffering and superfluous injury during hostilities, and to the principle of discrimination of non-combatants from combatants and of civilian objects from military objects as enshrined amongst other norms in the Article 51 of the Geneva Convention Additional Protocol II.

In this regard, the Subcommittee reckons that the serious humanitarian consequences deriving from the use of landmines and the persistent threat it poses including in the context of an armed conflict, make it imperative to address the issue at the discussion table. This instance believes that the FARC must show their commitment to the peace process by disclosing information on the location of landmines in order to facilitate demining operations as well by committing themselves to stop laying landmines and explosive devices. This would reduce considerably the armed conflicts humanitarian impact and would enable post-conflict actions such as the return of the displaced as well as land restitution. One example of the Antioquian communitys major cause of suffering is the humanitarian crisis and the emergencies in the northern part of the department, especially in the town of Pueblo Nuevo (population center) and in the communities of El Orejn, La Mina, La Calera and Briceo, where - since January 2013 122 families are imposed mobility restrictions, which affect their basic livelihoods. The Subcommittee also calls for the National Government to intensify its efforts and increase the financial, human and logistical resources allocated to humanitarian demining operations. Signatories are the following entities and organizations members of the Subcommittee: Antioquia Government Antioquia Regional Prosecutor Office Colombian Campaign to Ban Landmines Victims Participation Board - Valle de Aburra Region National Protection Unit Antioquia and Choco Regions ICBF (Colombian Family Welfare Institute) Paz y Democracia Corportation Antioquia Police Department