BOGOTÁ (AP) – United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk ended his first official visit to Colombia on Wednesday by signing an agreement extending his mandate in the country by nine years, which – he stressed – Staying that way will be crucial at a time when the government is trying to advance peace talks with various armed groups.
After meeting President Gustavo Petro, the High Commissioner told the press that given the “magnitude of the challenges”, the Colombian government could count on the experience of his office to accompany the negotiations and advise on human rights issues, particularly those of victims. that exist after decades of conflict and structural inequalities.
Türk reminded that according to the latest UN reports, around 102,000 people in Colombia have been confined to their territories and isolated without access to humanitarian aid, and another 82,000 have been forcibly displaced.
“Since the pandemic, we have observed a steady increase in violence in rural areas where the state presence is weak or non-existent,” explained Türk.
He also expressed concern over the 112 killings of human rights defenders his office confirmed last year, adding that during his visit, the defenders themselves expressed concern at the lack of protection despite the risks they face brought. However, he stressed that the government is taking emergency measures to protect them.
The day before, the High Commissioner met with representatives of indigenous peoples, Afro descendants, defenders and representatives of civil society to analyze the human rights situation in Colombia, according to his office. He also met with the head of the delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Colombia, Lorenzo Caraffi.
Despite the challenges, the high commissioner assured that he was leaving Colombia “optimistic about the country and with a lot of hope” now that he sees the government’s efforts towards the new “total peace” policy, with which Petro wants to seek peace talks with illegal gunmen groups and drug trafficking gangs and a commitment to full implementation of the peace agreement signed in 2016 with the extinct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
“We fully support the ongoing negotiations. Unfortunately, we know how difficult it is to make peace and how easy it is to wage war,” said the High Commissioner.
Referring to the situation in the region, he called for respect for human rights in Peru, especially by law enforcement agencies such as the police. He added that they will increase their presence in Peru to “make a significant contribution at this very difficult time”.
The High Commissioner assured that he would visit Venezuela on Thursday, noting that it was important for him to discuss the human rights situation in the country with Nicolás Maduro’s government, as well as with the opposition, defenders and civil society .
Before arriving in Colombia, Türk was in Ecuador, which was his first visit as High Commissioner to a Latin American country. He met President Guillermo Lasso, members of the Constitutional Court and representatives of civil society.
In September 2022, the UN General Assembly elected the Austrian Türk to succeed the Chilean Michelle Bachelet. Türk, with a long career at the United Nations, took up his official duties in October of the same year.
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