Colombia Armed Forces Shot, Killed FARC Rebels Without Provocation: UN

Officials with the bilateral cease-fire monitoring mechanism in Colombia concluded that the two FARC rebels killed on Nov. 13 were shot by state security forces without any provocation, confirming earlier witness testimony that claimed the rebels had been ambushed.

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The Tripartite Monitoring and Verification Mechanism — comprised of the United Nations in Colombia, the FARC and the government — issued a statement Wednesday based on witness testimony collected at the site of the incident in the northern department of Bolivar, as well as reports from civil society organizations.

According to the officials, both the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – known as the FARC – and the government violated protocols of the bilateral cease-fire between the rebels and the state, which entered into force on Aug. 29 after the signing of the initial peace accords between the two sides of the conflict.

The rebels were reportedly moving through the area without having first notified state security forces or the Tripartite Monitoring and Verification Mechanism, a violation of one of the norms of the bilateral cease-fire.

However, the officials said the Military Forces of Colombia attacked the rebels “without considering other options,” believing that the FARC rebels were instead members of the National Liberation Army – known as the ELN – which is Colombia's second-largest guerrilla group. The government and the ELN do not have a bilateral cease-fire in place and are expected to launch formal peace talks in January.

The attack on the FARC rebels also constituted a violation of the protocol on the part of the government, as the cease-fire stipulates that the armed forces are not to engage in combat.

FARC leaders maintained all along that the two fallen rebels, known as Joaco and Monica, were merely making their way to “pre-concentration” areas where members of the rebel army are gathering ahead of the final process of demobilization as part of the ongoing peace process.

The Ministry of Defense first tried to suggest the armed guerrilla rebels were killed in combat after carrying out criminal activities.

However, witnesses said it was not a gun fight but rather an ambush.

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According to witness testimony collected by the Association of Agroecological and Mining Brotherhoods of Guamoco, a local organization, the two FARC rebels were unexpectedly hit with fatal bullets. A third rebel was shot and injured.

State security forces also allegedly harassed the locals by storming into their homes and reportedly insulting those present and demanding they produce identification. Military personnel further accused the civilians of being FARC collaborators.

The killing of the two FARC rebels marked the first documented break in some 80 days of the official bilateral cease-fire, according to the Center for Resources for Analysis of the Conflict.

Officials from the Tripartite Mechanism announced that they would submit a series of recommendations to the government and the FARC to avoid any future incidents.

Both houses of the Colombian Congress have now approved the revised peace deal between the FARC and the government, meaning the deal has been ratified and rebels will soon begin the disarmament process in order to become a legal political force.