In a crucial step towards reparation and recognition of the rights of victims of the armed conflict in Colombia, 394 land restitution sentences have been issued in the department of Córdoba, according to the territorial director of the National Land Restitution Unit, Ana Cristina Muñoz.
These court rulings represent the culmination of an arduous legal and administrative process undertaken by thousands of Córdoba families who suffered the dispossession and forced displacement of their lands during decades of violence. Each sentence implies the return of properties that were violently seized or abandoned due to fear of illegal armed groups.
Muñoz highlighted that, of the 394 sentences issued, 95% have been favorable to the victims, which demonstrates the commitment of the Colombian State to the restitution of rights and comprehensive reparation.
These judicial decisions not only return the land to its legitimate owners, but also pave the way for access to productive projects, subsidies, and technical and psychosocial support.
One of the obstacles that has delayed some restitution processes has been the impossibility of entering certain areas of the territory for security reasons, as Muñoz explained. Areas disabled by public forces due to threats have made it difficult to collect evidence and carry out cadastral studies, key elements to determine the cases that merit land restitution. However, the Unit hopes to soon be able to access these regions to expedite pending procedures.
The figure of 394 land restitution sentences in Córdoba has been reached after 13 years since the enactment of the Victims and Land Restitution Law in 2011. However, Muñoz acknowledged that there are still emblematic and complex cases that require additional effort to resolve.
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