Two-Day Seminar on Corporate Impunity and Transitional Justice in Colombia

On 17 and 18 June 2024, we co-organized a seminal event at Los Andes University in Colombia, in collaboration with Kent University, focusing on corporate accountability and transitional justice. The seminar was entitled "Corporate Impunity and Transitional Justice in Colombia: Critical Analysis from the JEP [The Special Jurisdiction for Peace] and Ordinary Justice to Generate Spaces for Advocacy". It brought together a diverse group of participants to explore these critical issues.

Line Jakobsen, a member of our project team, delivered an insightful introductory lecture on the emerging corporate turn in transitional justice scholarship and its potential impact on practical applications. The event attracted over 40 participants, including academics, representatives from civil society organizations, and members of Colombia’s various justice institutions. Notably, both transitional justice jurisdictions—the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) and the 'Peace and Justice' jurisdiction—were represented, alongside the National Prosecutor’s Office, the Truth Commission, and its follow-up committee. The hybrid format of the event also allowed for valuable contributions from international academics and experts.

Throughout the two-day seminar, participants exchanged experiences and discussed the role of transitional justice in addressing the actions of economic actors (private, public, national, and transnational) during Colombia’s internal armed conflict. They examined the challenges and future perspectives of holding these actors accountable in the short, medium, and long term.

The program was structured around three main themes, each featuring presentations from a wide range of experts:

1. The context of the conflict and economic interests.
2. State and governmental mechanisms of corporate accountability.
3. Concrete examples and pathways for further penal investigation of company complicity in the armed conflict.

A highlight of the second day was a roundtable discussion on transitional justice and corporate accountability, which facilitated a productive dialogue between academics, practitioners, governmental institutions, and civil society organizations.

While judicial mechanisms to hold corporations accountable remain limited both in Colombia and internationally, the recent ruling in a US federal court against Chiquita Brands International for financing a paramilitary group in Colombia served as a key reference point during the discussions.

We will compile the insights gained from the seminar into a comprehensive report, available in both Spanish and English, to further inform and advocate for effective corporate accountability in transitional justice processes.