The UN and the Search Unit request Iván Duque to find the disappeared in the protests

This May 24 it was learned that the United States “cheer up” to the Government of President Iván Duque to locate the missing persons during protests that have occurred in more than 20 days throughout the country.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said this must be done “as soon as possible”.

“We encourage the authorities to continue their work to locate the missing persons as soon as possible,” during a press conference.

In addition, she said that the spokesperson welcomed the investigations announced by the executive regarding cases of violence and the deployment throughout the national territory of at least 35 teams that must find missing persons.

The Duque government continues to deny that there is excessive use of force by the armed forces, especially the National Police.

The UN also joined the United States’ request, as the Office in Colombia of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Unit for the Search for Disappeared Persons stated:

It is also important that the search and location of the persons whose disappearance is alleged be started expeditiously, without delay and without delay, as a way of preventing the possible consummation of disappearances.

The UN office and the UBPD said that “The Colombian State has taken important actions to respond to the allegations of disappearances that occurred in the framework of the peaceful protests, which began on April 28. However, and in consideration of the current context, we recommend that the measures adopted up to now in order to consolidate a unified record of deprivation of liberty, which contributes to the delimitation of the universe of people whose disappearance is alleged”.

In this way, they called for the implementation of “all adequate and effective measures, stipulated in international human rights standards”, to prevent the disappearance of people during protests.

Likewise, they pointed out that, “permanent monitoring of situations in which protesters may be deprived of their liberty, even temporarily, constitutes a decisive factor in the institutional response.”

On the cases of disappearance, the Prosecutor’s Office reported in a statement that in a joint action with the Ombudsman’s Office “They have found 290 people who had been reported as not being located. The Urgent Search Mechanism (MBU) is still active regarding 129 (search) requests”.

The statement sent assures that the institutions made a consolidation with the information received between April 28 and May 23. However, they are still looking for 129 people who did not return home during protests in recent weeks, which began on April 28 and left at least 43 people dead.

The information adds that the Prosecutor’s Office also has evidence of at least one complaint for forced disappearance, which allegedly occurred on May 4 in the town of Zaragoza, in the department of Antioquia (northwest).

In front of the 43 people who have died in these days, they assure that “17 of them have a direct link in the framework of the protests,” according to the entity. The highest number of deaths occurred in the department of Valle del Cauca (southwest) with 11, including eight in Cali, the epicenter of protests in the country.