Calay News
The Colombian Ombudsman’s Office has alerted the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, about the worrying increase in the risk of forced recruitment of Colombian minors by illegal armed groups operating in rural areas. During the first quarter of 2023, 23 cases of recruitment of adolescents between 13 and 17 years of age were registered, an increase of 53.3% compared to the same period last year.
This situation reflects the increased presence of illegal armed groups and the territorial and social control they exercise, according to Ombudsman Carlos Camargo. In addition, Camargo urged the Colombian government to focus on the rights of victims in any attempt at dialogue in the search for peace and the cessation of violent actions and to address the violation of the rights of minors in the armed conflict.
As for the illegal armed groups, Camargo demanded that they leave minors out of the conflict and asked for true gestures of peace. Semana magazine published an article that presents strong evidence that the National Liberation Army (ELN) does recruit minors. The report denounces the story of a teenager who died in March during a confrontation between security forces and a group of armed men escorting a guerrilla leader. Military intelligence sources indicated that the teenager was lured by the guerrillas with deception, offering him a better future for himself and his family. Semana reports that minors in ELN ranks are sexually abused, end up becoming alcoholics at an early age, are physically and verbally abused by their superiors, and are alienated from their families.
