A Colombian activist predicted her own murder – respect her memory by launching an inquiry into abuse by security services
Euclides Montes
guardian.co.uk,
Colombian activist Ana Fabricia Córdoba is mourned by her daughter. Photograph: Raul Arboleda/AFP/Getty Images
"They're going to kill me and no one's done anything." When Colombian activist Ana Fabricia Córdoba spoke those words last April during one of the last public meetings she attended, a sense of defiant outrage was evident in her demeanour – an unsurprising reaction for a woman who experienced first-hand years of armed conflict, and yet remained an outspoken advocate for the human rights of internally displaced people in the country.
Accusations against left-leaning guerrillas and rightwing paramilitary groups have been part of the national discourse for decades. However, a third actor in the conflict has recently come to the forefront. Mention of the role that the security forces have played in the systematic abuse of the population has always been viewed as taboo in a society that has lived in fear for so long.
It would be absurd to dismiss the steps being taken by this government; they mark a significant break with previous administrations' policies. But it's also important we use this opportunity as a springboard for further investigation. Robledo and Cepeda are calling for an inquiry into the role of the armed forces in the conflict, and based on the statistics above, it's perhaps the least the security forces must do. As opposed to the war-myopic policies of his predecessor, President Santos's government seems to have a real desire to look toward a Colombian society beyond the end of the conflict. This can only be achieved if the armed forces are able to regain their high standing in society by conscientiously investigating those who abused their position of power during the conflict, punishing them accordingly.
These developments have come far too late for Ana Fabricia Córdoba.Her voice was silenced one last time, and it is the duty of all Colombians to show their respect and gratitude. It is the efforts of women such as Cordoba that have brought us to this pivotal point in Colombian history. We must ensure that her death wasn't in vain.
She was shot dead on a bus by a lone gunman last week. Córdoba moved to Medellín, Colombia's second city, after her husband and oldest son were killed by paramilitary groups. Once in Medellín, she became an outspoken opposition voice, losing yet another son last year. She always maintained that her son was killed by the police, an accusation made publicly on national television. Foolhardy? Perhaps, but symptomatic of her belief in using her voice in favour of those victims of the conflict who, unlike her, don't have a public platform to speak from.
She must have welcomed the decision by President Juan Manuel Santos to recognise the existence of an "armed conflict" and the development of a "victim's law". Both steps have been rightly lauded as an important first stage towards a better rehabilitation of Colombian society. But it's also important that the years of abuse to which millions of Colombians have been subject are not swept under the carpet.
Accusations against left-leaning guerrillas and rightwing paramilitary groups have been part of the national discourse for decades. However, a third actor in the conflict has recently come to the forefront. Mention of the role that the security forces have played in the systematic abuse of the population has always been viewed as taboo in a society that has lived in fear for so long.
Rumours of sexual abuse and unlawful killings by Colombian security forces have always been present during the conflict. But it's not until now that the state has shown a willingness to put the country's "protectors" under closer scrutiny, perhaps the most welcome development in President Santos's victim's law. A case involving officers who have been suspended and tried for the rape and murder of young girls in Arauca serves to substantiate the state's position that it is genuine in its claim to take a stand and clean out the house from within. However, cases such as this one are few and far between, and it's important for Colombian society to continue to apply pressure on the government.
Last week, during a debate in the Colombian Congress, Angela María Robledo andIván Cepeda denounced the large-scale abuse perpetuated by the security forces in Colombia, in particular towards women. They claimed that every hour six Colombian women are physically abused as part of the conflict – an alarming statistic in itself, which is compounded by the further claim that among those reported, the security forces are responsible for a staggering 83% of the crimes.
It would be absurd to dismiss the steps being taken by this government; they mark a significant break with previous administrations' policies. But it's also important we use this opportunity as a springboard for further investigation. Robledo and Cepeda are calling for an inquiry into the role of the armed forces in the conflict, and based on the statistics above, it's perhaps the least the security forces must do. As opposed to the war-myopic policies of his predecessor, President Santos's government seems to have a real desire to look toward a Colombian society beyond the end of the conflict. This can only be achieved if the armed forces are able to regain their high standing in society by conscientiously investigating those who abused their position of power during the conflict, punishing them accordingly.
These developments have come far too late for Ana Fabricia Córdoba.Her voice was silenced one last time, and it is the duty of all Colombians to show their respect and gratitude. It is the efforts of women such as Cordoba that have brought us to this pivotal point in Colombian history. We must ensure that her death wasn't in vain.
