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UN experts on Friday welcomed Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s ratification of the 1989 International Convention against Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries. The experts praised the signing of the new anti-mercenary legislation, calling it an essential step toward protecting human rights and upholding international legal obligations.
Colombia has experienced a decades-long armed conflict that began with the formation of guerrilla groups, notably the FARC and the ELN. Following a landmark peace agreement with the FARC in 2016 and ongoing negotiations with the ELN that began in 2018, the protracted conflict has left a legacy of armed actors and fueled the growth of private military and security companies (PMSCs).
In a 2025 report, the UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries raised the alarm over the role of mercenaries and PMSCs in exploiting natural resources at the expense of human rights. The Working Group detailed how these entities, often colluding with governments, corporations, and criminal syndicates, commit grave human rights abuses to secure access to valuable resources such as minerals, oil, timber, and agricultural land.
According to the report, these abuses include arbitrary detention, torture, sexual violence, forced displacement, and several environmental destruction. The experts highlighted the disproportionate impact of these activities on indigenous populations and local communities. The experts stated, “[t]hese communities often face violations of their rights to land, culture, and livelihood, further compounded by the lack of access to justice and remedies.”
While the experts acknowledged the importance of legitimate overseas employment in military and security roles for Colombians, they reiterated that the use of mercenaries is prohibited under international law. The experts concluded, “[e]ffectively tackling mercenary recruitment is not just a national issue; it requires robust regional and global cooperation given its transnational nature.”
The post UN experts welcome anti-mercenary law in Colombia appeared first on JURIST - News.
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Colombia has experienced a decades-long armed conflict that began with the formation of guerrilla groups, notably the FARC and the ELN. Following a landmark peace agreement with the FARC in 2016 and ongoing negotiations with the ELN that began in 2018, the protracted conflict has left a legacy of armed actors and fueled the growth of private military and security companies (PMSCs).
In a 2025 report, the UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries raised the alarm over the role of mercenaries and PMSCs in exploiting natural resources at the expense of human rights. The Working Group detailed how these entities, often colluding with governments, corporations, and criminal syndicates, commit grave human rights abuses to secure access to valuable resources such as minerals, oil, timber, and agricultural land.
According to the report, these abuses include arbitrary detention, torture, sexual violence, forced displacement, and several environmental destruction. The experts highlighted the disproportionate impact of these activities on indigenous populations and local communities. The experts stated, “[t]hese communities often face violations of their rights to land, culture, and livelihood, further compounded by the lack of access to justice and remedies.”
While the experts acknowledged the importance of legitimate overseas employment in military and security roles for Colombians, they reiterated that the use of mercenaries is prohibited under international law. The experts concluded, “[e]ffectively tackling mercenary recruitment is not just a national issue; it requires robust regional and global cooperation given its transnational nature.”
The post UN experts welcome anti-mercenary law in Colombia appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.