Colombia’s war crimes tribunal JEP indicted six former FARC commanders for crimes committed against almost 19,000 children.
The victims were either recruited or otherwise abused by the FARC between 1971 and 2016 as part of the guerrillas’ attempt to overthrow the state.
The indicted former commanders are held responsible for the crimes committed against children because they allegedly failed to respond to widespread child abuse and other war crimes while leading the FARC.
Indicted commanders
- Rodrigo Londoño, a.k.a. “Timochenko”
- Jaime Alberto Parra, a.k.a. “El Medico”
- Milton de Jesus Toncel, a.k.a. “Joaquin Gomez”
- Jorge Torres, a.k.a. “Pablo Catatumbo”
- Pastor Alape
- Julian Gallo, a.k.a. “Carlos Antonio Lozada”
The investigation into war crimes committed against children revealed how widespread they were, particularly in the countryside where the FARC exercised significant control for decades.
The investigation also revealed that at least 8.903 of the minors who were victimized belonged to indigenous peoples.
Some 28% of the victims of the crimes investigated by the FARC disappeared during the armed conflict and are presumed dead.
How the FARC victimized children
- 64% of the minors were 14 years or younger when they were recruited by the FARC
- 29% of the recruited girls were forced to use birth control methods
- 23% of the female victims suffered forced abortions
- 24% of the minors suffered some form of gender violence
As part of the investigation, the JEP received 77 reports by victim organizations, eight reports issued by State institutions and listened to the testimonies of 951 surviving victims.
Last but not least, the JEP had access to all prosecution investigations and previous court rulings related to war crimes committed against children.
In a response, the demobilized former FARC commanders said that they accepted their responsibility for the mass violation of children’s rights under their watch.
As we have stated since the talks in Havana, we recognize the facts and actions that prove the recruitment and entry into the ranks of minors during the conflict, as well as possible derivative facts that may have occurred within the extinct FARC-EP. These facts should not have occurred.
Former FARC commanders
As part of the ongoing transitional justice process, the JEP is expected to convict the former guerrilla leaders to sentences that seek to directly repair the victims.
