The victims of anti-personnel mines and improvised explosive devices will be the protagonists of this first space for members of the National Army and their families.
In order to continue contributing to the construction of truth and to make visible the reality experienced by thousands of military personnel and their families who were victims of various atrocious acts while protecting the nation and its citizens, the National Army will participate in Espacios de escucha de la Comisión de la Verdad (Listening Spaces of the Truth Commission), focused on knowing members’ of the institution stories during the armed conflict.
This will be the first time that members of the military institution will tell their stories to the Sistema Integral de Verdad, Justicia, Reparación y No Repetición (Comprehensive Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Repetition System), in a public environment. In this first space, which has as its central topic the victims of anti-personnel mines and improvised explosive devices, will be heard the stories of six militaries and other family members who were wounded by these unconventional weapons. They will talk about their life projects, and how those actions transformed their daily lives; the constant struggle against consequences and discrimination, as well as the different means they have used to face and overcome what they describe as one of the most difficult moments of their lives.
In the same way, through this Espacio de escucha (Listening Space), we will learn more about the rehabilitation process from the physical and emotional points of view, as well as the impact on family and social relations, as a result of those actions.
It should be noted that according to the records of Centro Nacional contra Artefactos Explosivos y Minas (National Center against explosive devices and Mines) - CENAM, between 2003 and 2020, 7,646 members of the National Army were affected by the use of methods prohibited by international humanitarian law; 1,647 died and 5,999 were injured.
This event, broadcasted publicly through the digital platforms of the Comisión de la Verdad (Truth Commission), is a scenario of great importance for the victims and their families, since it constitutes a reparation tool and a contribution to the construction of the truth about the events that occurred in the framework of the armed conflict.
Colombian National Army will continue to participate actively in the scenarios proposed by Sistema Integral de Verdad, Justicia, Reparación y No Repetición (Comprehensive Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Repetition System).
Source: National Army News Agency
