Colombia hides thousands of unidentified bodies in airport hangar

In late November 2024, the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) visited Colombia to address the ongoing issue of forced disappearances, which have persisted since the 1940s. Following this visit, the CED alleged that approximately 20,000 unidentified bodies were stored in a hangar at Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport. The delegation expressed concern over discrepancies in Colombia’s records, with reports suggesting the number of forced disappearances could range from 98,000 to 200,000. The CED emphasized that these events are still ongoing and cited a lack of sufficient resources to address the situation adequately. They presented their initial findings during a press conference where they reiterated the severity of enforced disappearances in the country. Colombian authorities reacted promptly to these claims. The Legal Medicine Institute stated they were unaware of any such hangar and had not received requests about unidentified bodies. Following this, the Colombian Attorney General's Office conducted an inspection of the airport, confirming no bodies were located at the site. Mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galán, labeled the U.N.'s claims as very serious and requested clarification and further evidence for these assertions from the international body. Colombian Interior Minister Juan Fernando Cristo acknowledged the importance of the U.N.'s efforts in promoting peace in Colombia but also urged for clarification on the claims made by the CED delegation. The issue of enforced disappearances remains a critical concern in Colombia, reflecting a broader struggle with human rights and accountability in the face of a complex history of violence. CED will release a comprehensive report in April 2025 that is expected to provide more insights into the issue and may influence both national and international dialogues on human rights in Colombia.