The armed conflict between rebels and the military in Colombia also affects many young people, who are often conscripted into military service against their will. The organization ACOOC, a partner organization of terre des hommes schweiz, which campaigns against conscription and for the right to conscientious objection, is now receiving important political support from the mayor of the Colombian capital Bogota, Gustavo Petro.
Alain Zoller, Team Inland
Although the Colombian constitution stipulates that no one can be forced to act against their conscience, military service is compulsory for all men. As a result, young people are recruited against their will. The army has only been legally prohibited from recruiting minors since 1999. Nevertheless, exceptions make it possible to recruit children and young people for espionage purposes.
Against the recruitment of children and young people
ACOOC, Acciòn Colectiva de Objetoras y Objetores de Conciencia (Collective Action for Conscientious Objection in Colombia), has been campaigning against war and violence in Colombia since 2000 and aims to strengthen the rights of conscientious objectors and improve state social and work programs.
This is because it is almost impossible for those recruited young people who have successfully survived the difficult and psychologically stressful conscientious objection procedure to get a place at university or a job.
Important political support
Our partner organization ACOOC has now received important political support on its way to abolishing compulsory military service and introducing the right to conscientious objection to military service in Colombia. Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillo, Secretary of the Bogotá Mayor’s Office, has emphasized the need to abolish compulsory military service for young Colombians. He made this statement on the occasion of the forum on conscientious objection to military service and against illegal recruitment.
Jaramillo went on to explain that the city government of Bogotá is doing everything it can to ensure that young men who do not wish to carry a gun can exercise their conscientious objection to military service.
The city government of Mayor Gustavo Petro does not want war, does not accept it and will no longer hand over any of the city’s sons to the armed conflict,” Jaramillo quotes the mayor as saying.
Gustavo Petro is thus sending a clear signal against the Colombian government’s policy of “democratic security”, which relies on military presence and police offensives.
