Eleven new municipalities in four departments are free of anti-personnel mines, the Government announced

This Monday, April 4, marks the International Day of Awareness against Anti-Personnel Mines, which has been declared by the UN since 2005. This date will be used by the High Commissioner for Peace to inform the new municipalities that have been declared mine-free: Sonsón and Montebello, in Antioquia; Güican in Boyacá; Tamara in Casanare; Girón, Hato, Chima and Simacota, in Santander; Rovira and Cajamarca, in Tolima; and Mitú, in Vaupés, as territories free of suspected mines anti-personnel.

“Today, April 4, we commemorate the international day against the fight against anti-personnel mines. Today, Colombia, under the leadership of President Iván Duque, holds the presidency of the Convention Against Anti-Personnel Mines, which regulates this action,” said Juan Camilo Restrepo Gómez, the High Commissioner of Peace.

The official added that “Colombia is a benchmark when it comes to humanitarian demining, more than 78% of Colombian territory is declared free of suspicion of anti-personnel mines. This government is the one that has done the most for this humanitarian demining. We are also a benchmark in risk education, we train farmers, agricultural producers, children, adolescents, to prevent them from becoming victims.”

He also stressed that there are more than 170 routes of care for victims and stressed that “we have a very regrettable number since 1990 to this day we exceed 12,100 people who are victims of this scourge”.

It is noteworthy that it will also give mine-free zones to 83 sectors in Putumayo and one area in Planadas, Tolima. For his part, Restrepo Gómez, said that “within the framework of Colombia's presidency of the Ottawa Convention, which is the convention against anti-personnel mines, it is time to say that this is the Government that has done the most against this crime”.

Currently, there are 107 municipalities in the process of demining and historically more than 31,000 prevention activities have been carried out. So far this year there are already 22 civilians attacked with these devices and 2 members of the security forces.

“From the National Government we educate on the risk of #Minas Antipersonnel! This is how we foster a culture of safe behaviors to reduce the risk of accidents. We tell you how to recognize the presence of explosive devices. #Menos Mines More Life #Día Against Antipersonnel Mines,” wrote the High Commissioner of Country on Twitter.

Restrepo called on organized armed groups, this gang of criminals to cease the installation of anti-personnel mines and to continue to combat them. Likewise, that as a society rejecting this scourge.

This call was joined by the Ministry of National Security, which stated: “Thanks to Humanitarian Demining coordinated by the National Government, communities can return to their homes, use their roads, cultivate and play on their soil, enjoy nature and live peacefully.”

The High Commissioner for Peace also stressed that victims' participation tables are democratic spaces in which victims participate in the policies that affect and affect them. These tables are structured and operated at all levels of the State: municipalities, departments and the national level.

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