| ROLE OF THE SUPPORT MISSION OF THE OAS
IN THE PEACE PROCESS THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS SUSTAINING WITH THE UNITED
SELF-DEFENSE FORCES OF COLOMBIA
In January, 2004, Colombia subscribed an agreement with the OAS
with the purpose of realizing a wide and flexible accompaniment
to the Peace policy with the illegal armed groups. Its support
is concentrated in:
- Verification of the cease of fire and hostilities.
- Verification of the disarmament, demobilization, and reinsertion
of members of illegal armed groups.
- Support to the local initiatives in zones of conflict that promote
and develop a culture of democracy, peace, and pacific resolution
of violence, and projects of social content.
For such purpose, mechanisms of coordination and cooperation between
the OAS and some governmental institutions have been established
like: Ombudsman Office, Social Solidarity Net, Human Rights Observatory
of the Vice-Presidency, and the Office of the High Commissioner
for Peace, among others.
Another mechanism that the OAS uses to accomplish its mandate
is the labor of camp. The international verifiers shall be in permanent
contact with the community, will collect versions, concerns, and
complaints that are presented regarding the process, and shall
also backup its position on institutional reports.
Before the necessity of making effective
presence in zones in a reiterated manner, complaints have been
presented regarding alleged
violations to the cease of hostilities from the United Self-Defense
Forces of Colombia; the OAS is studying the possibility of installing
regional offices that shall permit a greater coverage and immediate
attention in this matter. Currently, the Mission counts with an
office in Bogotá and another one in Medellín. Soon
it will open one in Montería. Likewise, the Mission shall
have a permanent seat in the interior of the Location Zone.
In the Location Zone in Tierralta, Córdoba,
the Government pretends:
- To facilitate the consolidation of the peace process, the agreements
between the National Government and the United Self-Defense Forces
of Colombia.
- To improve the cease of hostilities.
- To define a chronogram of concentration and demobilization of
the members of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia.
The Support Mission of the OAS shall accomplish the following
functions in the Location Zone:
A. Verify the accomplishment and the acquired commitments in the
agreement signed between the National Government and the United
Self-Defense Forces of Colombia for the installation of the zone.
B. Be part of a Committee that shall be in charge of the verification
of the cease of hostilities in a national level.
C. Elaborate - in a joint manner with the Committee - a procedure
for the reception and attention of complaints, information or reports
regarding the accomplishment of the cease of hostilities.
The Support Mission of the OAS has been accompanying and verifying
the demobilization procedures and the reinsertion of self-defense
groups that until today sum up 1.042 ex combatants integrated to
civil life. |
