Bogotá, February 03, 2017 - The National Direction of the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (MVM) presents the progress of a verification as well as the conclusions of three breaches and two violations of the Bilateral Ceasefire and Cessation of Hostilities (CFHBD, in the Spanish acronym), which occurred in different parts of the country, as follows:

1. In a first incident that took place on December 28, 2016, in the location of El Progreso, close to the municipality of Tibú, in the department of Norte de Santander, related to the sexual abuse of a girl by a member of the National Army, the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism is waiting for information requested by the National Government to determine if the involved person is linked to the process of the CFHBD, to make a statement.
2. On December 31, 2016 in rural areas of the district of Conejo, municipality of La Paz, in the department of Cesar, members of the Public Force carried out an operational activity at a distance of less than 3,000 meters from the FARC -EP location. In this case, the National Direction of the MVM concluded that there was a breach by the National Government of the CFHBD and its protocols.
3. On January 10, 2017, in an area of ​​Thailand, in the municipality of San Vicente del Caguán, department of Caquetá, there was an armed attack against alias "Mojoso", who decided to abandon the FARC-EP, which resulted in the death of a woman who accompanying him. After the MVM verification and acknowledgment of responsibility through a press release from the FARC-EP's Southern Block; the National Direction of the MVM concluded that the FARC-EP incurred in a serious violation of the CFHBD and their protocols.
4. On January 16, 2017, in the location of El Capricho, close to the Municipality of Retorno, in the Department of Guaviare, members of the Public Force detained five FARC-EP members, living in the Temporary Grouping Point of San Miguel, who were riding three motorcycles, dressed as civilian but carrying guns. After its verification, the MVM found that these FARC-EP members were located in the PPT of San Miguel and that they received a commander´s order to move to the location of Puerto Nuevo. In this case, the National Direction of the MVM concluded that the FARC-EP incurred in a slight violation of the CFHBD and their protocols.
5. On January 18, 2017, in the location of Los Pinos, near the municipality of Buenos Aires, Valle del Cauca Department, an incident occurred in the displacement of three FARC-EP members. The MVM determined that two of them were carrying weapons. Following the verification, the National Direction of the MVM concluded that the FARC-EP incurred in a ceasefire breach.
6. On January 24, 2017, in the location of San José de Oriente, La Paz Municipality, Department of Cesar, the MVM verified that three soldiers in a National Army-type truck entered the FARC-EP pre-grouping point. The National MVM Direction concluded that the National Government incurred in a CFHBD breach.

The MVM made the pertinent recommendations to each of the parties to avoid recurring incidents and prevent the lack of compliance to the CFHBD .

Contacts: Captain Gustavo Castillo, International Observer / UN Mission in Colombia, Spokesperson of the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism, castillolara@un.org

Captain Omar Cortés, Government of Colombia, Mechanism of Monitoring and Verification, Omar.cortes@armada.mil.co

Olga Marín, FARC-EP, Mechanism of Monitoring and Verification, ecmmvolga@gmail.com