Families still searching for disappeared victims in Colombia's decades-long conflict
- More than 450,000 people have been killed in Colombia's long-standing conflict with 124,000 reported as disappeared.
- The formation of key institutions following the peace treaty aims to resolve cases of disappearance and help affected families.
- Despite advancements, many families continue to search for their loved ones, indicating the need for ongoing support and resolution in the country.
Colombia has faced a deeply entrenched conflict involving leftist guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries, drug lords, and government forces, culminating in more than 450,000 deaths and 124,000 disappearances. While significant efforts towards peace were initiated with the 2016 peace accord, issues such as violence, displacement, and inequality continue to plague the nation. The establishment of the Truth Commission, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, and the Search Unit for Disappeared Persons aimed to address these humanitarian crises by investigating disappearances, allowing for exhumations, and reconnecting families with the remains of loved ones. Nonetheless, the pursuit of justice has proven complicated, as many families still await closure. A painful legacy of unaccounted disappearances persists, leading relatives like Doris Tejada and María Fénix Torres to continue searching for their loved ones from years ago, driven by a desire for closure and acknowledgment.