CALI, Colombia — Gustavo Arbeláez occasionally encounters relatives of individuals who lost their lives during the conflict perpetrated by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a guerrilla faction he was associated with throughout Colombia’s five-decade-long civil war. Those affected often approach him with tears in their eyes, recounting their loved ones’ aspirations that were abruptly extinguished.
“I have no regrets about my role as a guerrilla,” expressed Arbeláez, who was part of a controversial peace agreement reached with the government in 2016, alongside 13,600 other fighters. “However, I’ve come to the realization that those of us who engaged in this war lost touch with the essence of life.” The conflict’s toll on Colombia is grave, with over 450,000 individuals killed and another 124,000 missing—a tragedy that echoes the disappearances seen in many other Latin American nations embroiled in similar conflicts.
In Colombia, however, a unique effort is underway. Former rebels are now collaborating with government officials, forensic anthropologists, and faith leaders in a concerted attempt to locate the country’s missing persons. They seek to heal the deeply rooted wounds left behind by years of violence and work towards reconciliation.
The peace agreement reached in 2016, which awarded then-President Juan Manuel Santos the Nobel Peace Prize, failed to fully combat ongoing violence, displacements, and socioeconomic disparities that were instrumental in fuelling the conflict since the 1960s. Since taking office in 2022, Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president, has advocated for “total peace,” aiming to demobilize all guerrilla factions and drug trafficking organizations. Nevertheless, challenges persist as negotiations with the National Liberation Army (ELN), the country’s remaining guerrilla faction, have stagnated, and violence continues to rise. At the same time, splinter groups of FARC and criminal syndicates compound the nation’s problems.
“A peace accord goes beyond the mere disarmament,” stated Rev. Arturo Arrieta, who leads human rights initiatives in Palmira, a region much affected by the conflict. He noted, “Progress in implementing the accord has been slow due to a lack of funding, and while some mechanisms are functioning, additional measures are essential.”
The peace pact instituted three vital entities to facilitate the search for missing people: the Truth Commission, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace—which encourages offenders to confess in exchange for reduced sentences—and the Search Unit for Disappeared Persons, dedicated to identifying and recovering the remains of those lost during the conflict, including individuals like Doris Tejada, whose son, Óscar Morales, went missing in 2007.
“It’s been 17 years, and the pain is still fresh,” remarked Tejada, who discovered her son’s remains in 2024. “Seeing his bones was heart-wrenching. We continue to grieve.” Morales had disappeared near the Venezuelan border while trying to make a living selling clothes. Later, it was revealed that he was among the ‘false positives’—civilians murdered by the military and misrepresented as combatants.
While some military personnel involved in these unjust killings have faced consequences, many still hesitate to acknowledge the military’s involvement in such atrocities, equating their crimes to those of the rebels. “I’ve been outspoken on this issue,” Tejada shared, her arm adorned with a tattoo of her son’s face. “If justice is not served, I want it known that my priority was always to recover my son’s remains and give him a proper burial.”
Arbeláez joined FARC in the 1980s in Valle del Cauca, a region heavily impacted by violence. As a university student, he claimed he had little choice but to embrace armed resistance due to threats against his life. “No one chooses to become a paramilitary leader, rebel, or drug dealer as a child,” he reflected. “Our circumstances dictated our actions, and the quest to comprehend our roles in this conflict continues.”
The Truth Commission reports that various factions contributed significantly to the turmoil. Paramilitary groups were involved in approximately 45% of the murders, while guerrilla groups, predominantly FARC, accounted for 27%, and government forces for 12%. In fulfillment of the peace accord, Arbeláez and his fellow former rebels actively provide information to assist in locating missing individuals. Additionally, they collaborate with Corporación Reencuentros, which consists of 140 former FARC members committed to finding Colombia’s disappeared citizens.
Among the missing individuals are fellow rebels who perished during combat and were buried in secrecy by their comrades to avoid military recognition. “When the military took our loved ones, a piece of us vanished,” Arbeláez expressed. “So we made our own disappearances in a way.”
Despite the contentious nature of the ongoing peace process, some former rebels have faced rejection regarding their roles in locating the missing. The Truth Commission revealed that FARC members were responsible for about 24% of the disappearances during the conflict, and many victims hold rebels accountable for the extensive suffering caused by attacks and kidnappings. A recent ceremony in Cali, wherein Corporación Reencuentros returned a fallen fighter’s remains, highlighted the stigma surrounding the families of guerrilla members. Cristián Pérez’s partner, present at the event, noted that her search faced scorn, as if families connected to guerrillas were undeserving of efforts to locate their loved ones.
“Regardless of political, religious, or ethnic affiliations, we are all human beings with families that care for us,” asserted Marcela Rodríguez, a member of the search unit in Valle del Cauca. “This fundamental perspective is at the heart of our mission.”
As of late 2024, the search unit has located 31 living missing individuals and recovered 354 sets of remains. Experts emphasize that bodies may be interred in challenging-to-access areas, such as landfills, cemeteries, and rivers with strong currents. Given the terrain and isolation where the conflict unfolded, teams often traverse for up to eight hours on mules to reach their destinations.
However, forensic anthropologist Juan Carlos Benavides, featured in a recently released documentary about the search unit’s operations, stressed the importance of their work. “Uncovering a body means less suffering for one more family,” he reflected, highlighting the broader peace that comes from such discoveries.
For relatives who have sought their loved ones for many years—regardless of any signed accords—the concept of peace remains elusive. María Fénix Torres, based in Bogotá, has been searching for her twin brothers since 2007 and expressed the anguish of not knowing their fate.
Alexander and Henry disappeared while en route to a business meeting, having worked in emerald mining—a field historically marred by violence. Monthly, Torres holds a Mass to pray for her brothers, hoping to rejuvenate her spirit. “People advise me to cease my search, warning that if I speak out against the mines, I could be killed,” she stated. “But I refuse to hide. I will seek them until God permits it.”
In Cali, Melba Bernal continues the quest for her sister, who vanished in 1988 at 34 years old. “Searching for my sister for 36 years feels incomprehensible and unjust,” she lamented. “I pray for her return and for justice.”
Bernal recounted witness accounts suggesting her sister Olga was captured and tortured by intelligence officers, later taken to a hospital, and eventually delivered to a police commander who denies any wrongdoing. The years of searching took a toll on Bernal’s family. Her mother, until her death two years ago, scoured the streets, hoping to find any trace of her daughter.
“It’s heartbreaking that my sister’s son, now 41, has no memories of her,” she saddened. Yet, she believes if Olga’s remains are ever located, her son would scatter her ashes in water. “In the ocean or river, one can find peace and solace.”
