1327 social leaders and peace signatories have been assassinated after the signing of the Agreement in Colombia

The Institute for Studies for the Development of Peace (Indepaz), published an updated report on the figures that have left both massacres and murders of social leaders in the country, this, after the signing of the Peace Agreement, highlighting the criminal acts that have occurred so far in 2022, since day by day, the record of threats and harassment against society and these social managers within communities has become naturalized, moreover, corrective measures are scarce in the face of a phenomenon that deteriorates social exercise in the country.

The report indicates that, at the court of March 17, there have been 41 murders of social leaders in the country, taking into account the latest crime of Fabian Pérez Hooker artist and cultural leader on the island of San Andrés. The areas where these types of criminal acts stand out are: Nariño, Cauca, Chocó, Arauca and Antioquia, these being the departments where cases are most recorded.

In the same way, the murders against former FARC combatants are highlighted so far this year, since 9 ex-guerrillas have perished due to the increase in violence, it is important to bear in mind that these criminal acts predominate in areas surrounding points of social reintegration and departments of the Orinoquia.

Since the signing of the Peace Agreement between the National Government and the extinct FARC, 1327 social leaders and signatories of the Agreement have been killed. The study was conducted between November 2016 and March 2022, leaving a chilling figure, following an event that marked a historic milestone for the reduction of violence in the country and the social reintegration of many citizens, who at the time were only familiar with weapons.

Regarding the massacres, 61 people have been victims in 23 acts perpetrated so far in 2022, Indepaz stresses that they are not collective killings, since they should be called massacres, bearing in mind that, in this case, they are intentional homicides simultaneously against several people, stressing that these crimes commit three or more victims who “are in a state of defenseless, and in the same circumstances of time, mode and place”.

The last event took place in Santa Marta, capital of Magdalena, on March 11. The number of victims in each of the cases ranges from three to four, however, one of the data that is not yet defined in the perpetuation of the crime stands out in different municipalities of Arauca such as Saravena, Arauquita Fortul and Tame. These places trace a phenomenon of conflict between criminal groups in the Venezuelan border area since the beginning of the year, initially 70 deaths had been reported and are still in the process of being identified.

Since 2020 to date, the country has recorded 210 massacres claiming the lives of 778 people, becoming a systematic event that prevails in different areas of the country, the most prevalent sites are the departments of Cauca, Norte de Santander, Antioquia, Nariño and Valle del Cauca, bearing in mind that these regions have been configured as areas of high presence of illegal groups seeking territorial control.

Despite warnings from various watchdogs, violence continues to condemn the country, as many considered that the signing of the Peace Agreement would become a door to social stability throughout the national territory, however, the increase in crime today not only scourges rural areas, but Also, it has touched the urban perimeters.

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