Colombia’s peace tribunal says former rebel leaders committed war crimes against Indigenous groups

On Tuesday, Colombia's transitional justice system announced charges against 10 former members of the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity against five Indigenous groups. The Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) stated that these individuals oversaw torture, murder, and forced displacement of Indigenous leaders between 1996 and 2016.

They also ordered subordinates to place landmines in Indigenous territory and destroy ecosystems vital for tribal survival. JEP magistrate Catalina Diaz emphasized that these actions compromised the basic right to exist for these communities. Among those charged are three former FARC secretariat members who had served as a senator after the group's peace deal with the Colombian government.

Yhon Jairo Figueroa, a Koreguaje tribe leader, expressed gratitude to the JEP for recognizing that the armed groups sought not just individual lives, but also the knowledge, language, and territory of Indigenous peoples. The transitional justice system was established under the 2016 peace agreement between the Colombian government and FARC rebels, aiming to investigate crimes committed during the conflict and assist victims in seeking reparations and truth.

The former FARC leaders have 30 days to respond to the charges, and if they accept and cooperate, they will face reparations instead of prison time.