Former members of the Central Joint Command of the extinct FARC-EP acknowledged their responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity before 29 of their victims during the first regional acknowledgement hearing held by the Chamber for Acknowledgement of Truth of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace as part of Case 01 on kidnapping.
 

"They destroyed my life as a person and a businessman," said Omar Benítez Zamora, a victim recognized by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), who narrated his kidnapping in Chaparral, Tolima, and the economic negotiation to secure his release. "Tell us the truth; that is all we want," said the father and son of the Charry Durán family, victims of extortion and kidnapping for several years in Huila. "How did you decide to kidnap me?" asked Mario Montoya Gómez, another victim of kidnapping.

These testimonies, some of which were delivered with faltering voices, were heard during the first regional hearing of the JEP on Case 01, which took place on 26 April in Ibagué, Tolima, where 29 victims of the armed conflict demanded that 10 former members of the FARC-EP tell the truth and acknowledge their responsibility.
 

Former combatants acknowledged responsibility and asked for forgiveness

The former combatants listened to the victims’ stories and acknowledged their responsibility. John Jairo Oliveros, also known as 'Armando Pipas,' told his victims: "We hurt not only individuals but the community and the region."

"We ask for forgiveness from the families of the people we kidnapped and killed," said Wilson Ramírez Guzmán, also known as 'Teófilo,' another former combatant who, like the others, admitted the damage he caused.

"I plead guilty for what you had to suffer," added Víctor Hugo Silva Soto, also known as 'Erick' or 'El Chivo,' in the ranks of FARC-EP.

Ten former combatants of the extinct FARC-EP acknowledged their responsibility to the victims. They asked for forgiveness for the kidnappings they carried out in the departments of Tolima, Huila and Quindío as part of the actions of the defunct Joint Central Command that operated in this region.

The resilience and courage of victims

Magistrate Julieta Lemaitre, the rapporteur for Case 01, praised "the resilience, strength and courage of the victims who joined us today, and the public acknowledgement of the former combatants. This gives us hope for a different society where human beings are never again used as a bargaining chip to fund any project. Hopefully, this will never happen again."

Victims' organizations, delegates of the Office of the Inspector General of Colombia and the Office of the Ombudsman, local and regional authorities, and Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, attended the public acknowledgement hearing.

"I commend the victims’ courage and the former combatants' commitment to confronting the truth about the terrible crimes of the past. The humanity and honesty of these meetings are critical on the road to national reconciliation," noted Ruiz Massieu.
 

Regional acknowledgments

In its statement, the JEP noted that this hearing was particularly meaningful because it enhanced "the acknowledgement by mid-level commanders and regional determinant participants, accused of implementing the kidnapping operations instructed by the former Secretariat of FARC-EP in the centre of the country. It also recalled that, although this is the first regional hearing, it was the second acknowledgement hearing of Case 01, after the one held in 2022 with the seven members of the Secretariat of the former FARC-EP.

With these regional hearings, the JEP hopes to investigate these cases, clarify them and strengthen the process of truth, justice, reparation and non-repetition.

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By: Héctor Andrés Latorre Santaella
Public Information Officer 
UN Verification Mission in Colombia