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The Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) ruling relates to Macro Case 08, which recognizes the responsibility of several State agents and a director of a State-owned company for their involvement in acts related to serious human rights violations, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the armed conflict in Barrancabermeja, the oil capital of Colombia.
“The JEP decision represents a significant step forward for truth, justice and accountability regarding the impact of corporate activities in conflict-affected contexts,” the experts said. “It also opens up an unprecedented opportunity to put victims at the center of reparations and restoration efforts.”
The experts welcomed the cooperation provided by Ecopetrol throughout the process and encouraged the company to deepen that commitment through ongoing dialogue and concrete actions for repair and restoration aimed at affected individuals and communities.
Companies must respect human rights
“Companies have a responsibility to respect human rights and participate in correcting the negative impacts they cause or contribute to, in accordance with the United Nations. Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rightsthey noted.
The experts urge Ecopetrol to continue to engage in good faith in constructive dialogue with victims and their representative organizations, adopting a restorative approach that allows identification of the harm suffered, expectations of reparations and the necessary steps to help restore violated rights.
“Victims must not simply be observers of the reparations process, they must be active participants in its design and implementation,” they said. “Effective reparations require meaningful participation, recognition of harm and ongoing commitment to restoring rights and rebuilding trust.”
The state’s obligation to protect
As the majority shareholder of Ecopetrol, experts highlight the role of the Colombian State in this process.
“When it comes to state-owned companies, the responsibility of the business world to respect human rights is in line with the state’s duty to protect those rights,” they said.
“Colombian authorities must ensure that companies participate fully in efforts towards truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence and that this process effectively contributes to strengthening public trust in institutions,” the experts said.
Independent experts appointed by Human Rights Councilis not a UN staff member and does not receive a salary, echoing the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ call for sufficient funding for Colombia’s comprehensive peace system, which includes the JEP and the Missing Persons Search Unit.
“We are ready and willing to support the Government of Colombia and Ecopetrol in this process, to strengthen corporate accountability in the context of transitional justice and to build sustainable peace,” they concluded.
