On Wednesday 27 May, FARC former guerrilla Manuel Olaya Arias was murdered in the region of Huila, southern Colombia. Manuel is the 198th FARC member in the reincorporation process to be killed since the peace agreement was signed in November 2016.
Manuel belonged to the COOAGROPAZ agricultural collective formed by former guerrillas as they transition to civil society. He was killed while working on collective projects.
In a statement, COOAGROPAZ said the killing ‘showed the systematicity of the physical elimination of ex-combatants of the FARC-EP.’ The collective also criticised the government over a lack of funding for implementation of the peace process, including providing necessary security measures for former guerrillas.
In its most recent report on the peace process, the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia said that ensuring security for former guerrillas and social activists was the main priority for the peace process. As Colombia nears the awful milestone of 200 FARC former guerrillas killed, the need to ensure the peace process receives the necessary resources and support remains urgent.