 |
|
For some 40 years, Colombia has suffered an intractable armed conflict marked by serious violations of human rights intertwined with organized crime. In mid-2003, questions of truth, reparations, and accountability took on new importance in public and private debate when the government pledged to demobilize and disarm the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia by proposing to minimize the threat of long prison sentences for even the most serious human rights–related crimes.
Senior Associate Lisa Magarrell, Research Director Pablo de Greiff, and a consultant worked with the Human Rights Office of the Social Foundation to provide feedback on the government's proposed "alternative sentencing law" and suggest how it might be improved to address transitional justice issues. In 2004, Pablo de Greiff and Senior Associate Paul Seils spoke on reparations and criminal justice strategies in cases of crimes against humanity at a seminar for congressional and government representatives. Lisa Magarrell addressed reparations and truth-seeking issues at seminars in Barcelona, Bogotá, and Medellín, and Alliances and Capacity Development Director Louis Bickford spoke on transitional justice at a conference in Cali. During all in-country missions, ICTJ staff worked with local organizations to enhance their ability to advocate for transitional justice policies that respect victims' rights.
|
|
