ICIP, together with the Catalonia node in support of the Colombian Truth Commission, has initiated actions to recognize the victims of the Colombian conflict exiled in Catalonia on the part of various Catalan institutions and social actors. The process of recognition of the victims is one of the tasks carried out by ICIP as Technical Secretariat of the Colombian Truth Commission in Europe.
The first act of recognition took place on 16 April in Barcelona, in an event featuring the participation of the Commissioner of the Truth Commission, Carlos Martin Beristain. The event began with a dialogue between the Commissioner and victims of the conflict based on the book Una maleta colombiana (A Colombian Suitcase), a compilation of articles by Beristain that describe the experience of Colombian exile from different perspectives: refugees, asylum seekers, victims abroad and of cross-border displacement.
The Commissioner recognized the importance of all the victims who have contributed with their testimony to the task of clarifying the events that took place during the Colombian armed conflict. And he also recognized those who voluntarily support the work being carried out by the Commission in Catalonia.
Afterwards, during the event, several victims of the Colombian conflict living in Catalonia who have contributed their testimony to the Truth Commission shared with the Commissioner written, audiovisual and musical productions that reflect their experiences as victims in exile. This exercise of listening and recognition concluded with the performance of the Colombian singer-songwriter living in Catalonia, Marta Gómez, who sang two songs composed collectively by victims in exile.
The process of recognition
The process of recognition of the victims of the Colombian conflict in exile will include actions throughout Catalonia via institutional statements and resolutions by municipalities and social organizations involving a participatory process. The objectives are as follows:
- To raise awareness throughout Catalonia of the impact of the Colombian armed conflict and the migratory process of exiles
- To contribute to the respect and dignity of the victims who had to flee Colombia due to the armed conflict
- To strengthen the emotional, social and institutional links between exiles and host societies
- To promote the participation of victims in the task of clarification of the truth and non-repetition of the Colombian Truth Commission
More than 500,000 people have been forced to flee Colombia because of the armed conflict and they have settled in different countries. The Truth Commission aims to understand and explain the violence, recognize the victims and promote coexistence. The Commission carries out this task in Europe with ICIP assistance, based on the collaboration agreement between the two institutions, and with additional support from the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation and the Catalonia node in support of the Truth Commission.
