COLOMBIA WATCH- Government denies the right of victims
On Monday December 17 Departmental Committee met on Transitional Justice, in order to approve the Territorial Action Plan (TAP) that public policy should contain care, humanitarian aid, assistance and reparation for victims of armed conflict Norte de Santander. This plan is in effect for the period of the current departmental administration.The Government led by Dr. EDGAR DIAZ CONTRERAS and RONALD Victims Secretary Mauricio Contreras, decided to develop the plan and approve it without making the process of socialization with Departmental officers Victims Participation is the space through which we can participate in the formulation of public policy relevant, which has violated the right to effective participation of victims under Law 1448 of 2011 and its implementing Decree 4800 of 2011, as has been instituted in the draft protocol participation being socialized by the Victims Unit.Even more serious is the fact that to disregard the right of victims to know, study and make observations and contributions to the project, as part of the Departmental of Victims Participation, the Secretary of the Department Victims RONALD Mauricio Contreras, stated at the meeting that neither the law nor the protocol stipulated that the plan should be socialized with victims before approval and asked the institutions present their approval, regardless of the position of the representatives of the victims asked for was socialized first Departmental officers with Victims Participation and then if it came to approval. That arbitrary position of the Government was supported by the other institutions of the SNARIV, including (for our misfortunes), Mrs. Ombudsman Dr. Carmen Ligia Galvis, who exercises the technical secretariat of the Departmental of Victims Participation and bothered to call this space to have a real participation of the recipients of this policy, which curiously is for victims and approved against our will. Plan which among other things, provides for consultation or not the real needs of the victims of the department.We wish to express to the public that by consensus of the delegates to the leaders of Transitional Justice Departmental Committee, decided not to approve the plan of territorial action and leave the table at the lack of guarantees and conditions, not only for the effective participation of victims, but also for the prevention and protection of these and their leaders, who we have been suffering persecution, surveillance and threats against our lives and those of our families, but the authorities of the municipalities, the Department and the Nation have given reply this serious situation.Finally, we express our concern about the passive attitude assumed by the Public Prosecutor's head NELSON FLOREZ Regional Attorney, who has publicly declared itself incompetent to act in defense of our rights and to exercise disciplinary control, then we will have to act before other national and international to the plight of victims in the department by state institutions bound by the Constitution and the law to ensure the rights of victims.