Currently, the Single Victims Registry has 56,100 direct victims of this victimizing act and 136,863 indirect ones.

In the International Day of the Disappeared commemoration, the Unit’s Director in charge, John Martin, expressed that this date reminds us, as members of the UN, of the commitment we have as a State and civil society to continue making these victims visible. He also mentioned the responsibility to continue taking measures to prevent and stop the systematic violation of human rights.

In a virtual capacity, Ramos participated in the sixth meeting on forced disappearance organized by the Yovanny Quevedo Lazos de Vida foundation. “We want to praise the victims’ memory and remember all the disappeared people whose whereabouts are still unknown. We support the brave family members who have promoted the search for their loved ones and fight for their rights restoration on a day-to-day basis,” he added.

Enforced disappearance has been a scourge for family members, communities and the entire country, with incalculable consequences and losses. Currently, the Single Victims Registry has 56,100 direct victims of this victimizing act and 136,863 indirect ones.

“This commemoration is an occasion to remind society: we are committed to guaranteeing the participation and psychosocial support for relatives of forced disappearance and homicide at different times of the search, from the formal complaint to the dignified delivery of corpses,” Martin said.

Since 2012, the Unit for the Victims has helped 10,171 family members of 3,399 direct forced disappearance victims. Thanks to their persistence, commitment and struggle, the bodies of their loved ones have been handed over with dignity, which was also possible with the support of State entities and victims' organizations. Likewise, since 2017, the entity has helped 1,670 family members in the search for 472 forced disappearance victims.

The Unit has developed empowerment workshops as part of the satisfaction and symbolic reparation measures for forced disappearance and homicide victims. Since 2016, 5 workshops have been held with the participation of 150 members of organizations in the municipalities of Chameza, Yopal and Recetor in Casanare department.

The Director in charge said: "As the Unit for the Victims, we restate our commitment to continue walking by your side with these kinds of actions, recognizing your needs and questions to promote the rights to truth, justice and reparation within a framework of respect for your history, your customs and traditions”.

"We don’t lose hope of rebuilding the social fabric broken by the armed conflict, for a better quality of life for everyone and peace consolidation," he concluded.

(End/DFM/COG/RAM)