The Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) of Colombia has charged six former members of the last Secretariat of the defunct guerrilla group FARC for the forced recruitment of 18,677 children for the armed conflict. These ex-members, including Rodrigo Londoño, alias 'Timochenko,' have been identified as "main responsible parties" for these acts, according to the determination of the Truth Recognition Chamber of the JEP.
In the investigations conducted, the JEP found that each of the six defendants, through their "actions and omissions" during their time in the guerrilla, is responsible for five determined macrocriminal patterns. Although Rodrigo Granda, who was part of the last Secretariat of FARC as a substitute, was not charged, the Chamber determined that he did not participate in the definition or implementation of national policies regarding the incorporation of personnel.
The JEP explained that a "main responsible party" is considered to be someone who, due to their leadership, has the capacity to influence the organization and the definition of policies that lead to the perpetration of macrocriminality crimes. The ex-members of the Secretariat participated in the National Guerrilla Conferences that defined strategic policies and were responsible for guiding their implementation throughout the organization, without taking measures to prevent, contain, and punish war crimes.
The Truth Recognition Chamber found that the recruited children suffered the loss of the essence of childhood and the annulment of the possibility of forging their own identity. These minors were deprived of the emotional, social, and educational tools necessary for their development. Additionally, they have been marked by deep physical and emotional scars as a result of experiences lived within the ranks of FARC.
According to the JEP, victims of child recruitment reported having suffered mistreatment, torture, homicide, sexual, reproductive, and prejudicial violence. The charges also encompass rape, sexual slavery, forced unions, and other violent acts, which occurred systematically and frequently in different regions of the country between 1996 and 2016. In Case 07, which investigates the recruitment and use of children in the armed conflict, 9,854 victims participated, some of whom reported having suffered different types of violence.
In summary, the JEP has charged former leaders of FARC for the recruitment of nearly 19,000 children, as well as for other crimes committed during their participation in the guerrilla, marking an important step in the pursuit of justice and truth in Colombia.
