The Attorney General’s Office has intensified its surveillance of the military operation that began in the early hours of Saturday, October 11, in the town of <a href="https://time.news/neiva-soldier-was-killed-in-the-midst-of-clashes-in-cauca-2024-04-19-034446/" title="Neiva soldier was killed in the midst of clashes in Cauca
– 2024-04-19 03:44:46″>El Plateado, municipality of Argelia, Cauca.
This intervention, aimed at regaining territorial control and stopping the action of illegal armed groups, has generated a series of events that worry both the authorities and the civilian population.
Cauca, one of the regions most affected by violence in Colombia, registered a total of 123 events related to the alteration of public order in the first half of the year, according to a preventive report from the Attorney General’s Office. This figure illustrates the deterioration of security in the department, where the actions of armed groups have left the civilian population in the middle of a humanitarian crisis.
Rejection of the use of property protected by IHL
The Control Entity has expressed its strong rejection of the use of assets protected by International Humanitarian Law (IHL), such as the homes of local residents, which were used by members of illegal armed groups to resist the entry of troops. These acts include the indiscriminate use of drones with explosives, an alarming practice that has left, so far, a partial balance of 17 civilians injured.
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The use of methods that put the civilian population at risk goes against the rules of IHL, which protect property for civilian use, especially in contexts of armed conflict. The Attorney General’s Office emphasizes that these types of actions must be investigated to establish responsibilities, both of the illegal actors and of any possible excess in the use of force by the military forces.
The Control Entity has been warning about the impact of armed groups in Cauca. For him first half of 2024, 42% of the attacks and damages were directed against the civilian population. This pattern of violence is a cause for concern, since it exposes the inhabitants of the department to constant vulnerability, generating displacement and serious impacts on their fundamental rights.
The Attorney General’s Office also expressed its concern about the possible constraint that some groups of people would be exerting on the troops.demanding their withdrawal from the territory. This situation generates additional tensions in a context where security and the recovery of public order are priorities, but must be managed with full respect for civil rights and international standards.
Call to the authorities and the community
Given this scenario, the Attorney General’s Office makes an urgent call to the different State authorities to coordinate efforts, not only in the recovery of public order, but also in the implementation of a comprehensive offer of services that responds to the needs of the affected communities. . Military intervention must be accompanied by actions that promote social and economic development in the areas most affected by violence.
Likewise, the Control Entity urged the communities to use the legally established mechanisms to report any possible abuse or excess in the use of force by the uniformed personnel. It is essential that the population resort to institutional channels and not de facto channels to present their claims or disagreements, thus guaranteeing a legal and transparent process.
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