One person disappears every two days in Colombia due to conflict, ICRC reports

The armed conflict in Colombia continues to leave a devastating trail of disappearances, with at least one person vanishing every two days this year, according to a stark report by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

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The disappearance remains one of the most painful humanitarian consequences of armed conflicts. Behind each of these cases is a family that does not know what happened to their loved one.

From January to July, the ICRC documented 99 cases of disappearance linked to the conflict. Tragically, this figure includes 36 children and adolescents, underscoring the profound human cost of the ongoing violence. "The disappearance remains one of the most painful humanitarian consequences of armed conflicts. Behind each of these cases is a family that does not know what happened to their loved one," stated Cleber Kemper, deputy coordinator of Protection for the ICRC's regional delegation in Bogotá.

The departments of Cauca, Norte de Santander, and Antioquia, regions heavily impacted by violence, account for 59% of these disappearances. Since the peace agreement between the government and the FARC guerrilla group in November 2016, the ICRC has documented a total of 2,659 disappearances related to Colombia's conflicts.

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Preventing disappearances is as urgent as advancing the search for people who remain missing and responding to the needs of their families.

While the situation remains dire, the ICRC acknowledged a positive step with the Colombian government's launch of a comprehensive public policy for the Attention, Prevention, Search, and Identification of Disappeared Persons. The organization views this policy as a significant advancement toward a more coordinated state response.

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Colombia has various entities and mechanisms to address disappearance. However, difficulties in articulating their work and restrictions on sharing information have limited the right of families to know what happened to their loved ones.

However, Kemper noted that despite various entities and mechanisms in place, difficulties in coordinating efforts and sharing information have hindered families' right to know. "That this policy exists marks an important difference in providing differentiated responses to the multiple needs of the families of the disappeared," he added, emphasizing the urgency of preventing further disappearances and finding those still missing.

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That this policy exists marks an important difference in providing differentiated responses to the multiple needs of the families of the disappeared.