By Alperen Aktas
BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) – A special tribunal in Colombia has accused six former leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), including Rodrigo Londono, also known as "Timochenko," of forcibly recruiting 18,677 children into armed conflict during a span of over 35 years.
During a press conference in Bogota, Judge Alejandro Ramelli, head of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, said the six individuals are considered "the primary individuals responsible" for the forced recruitment of the children.
Ramelli added that, in addition to the forced conscription of children between 1971 and 2016, other serious violations occurred, including "abuse, torture, murder, sexual slavery, and discriminatory violence."
The tribunal’s statement stressed that the conflict led to children losing their sense of self, robbing them of the chance to form their own identities.
The children also endured sexual and physical violence and continue to face long-lasting trauma and challenges, it said.
The tribunal was established as part of a peace agreement between the government of former President Juan Manuel Santos and FARC, with the main goal of safeguarding victims' rights and ensuring accountability by thoroughly investigating all incidents of the armed conflict.
The tribunal is recognized as a transitional justice mechanism that investigates and holds accountable third parties involved within its jurisdiction.