The court determined that “the principle of equality” of Afro-Americans had been violated by not including them in the groups exonerated from military service.
In a statement released this Friday, December 10, the Constitutional Court announced its decision to exclude “Afro-descendant, Raizal and Palenquera” communities from the obligation to enlist in the army or the police for a period of 12 to 18 months.
The court determined that “the principle of equality” of Afro-Americans had been violated by not including them in the groups exonerated from military service. The indigenous people already enjoyed this benefit that seeks to protect their identity as an ethnic minority and the cultural diversity of the country.
Conscientious objection or ethnicity
Colombia, which still faces violence from various groups despite the 2016 peace agreement with the defunct FARC guerrilla, imposed military service on young high school graduates and those over 18, and left it voluntary for women.
The 1991 Constitution kept it mandatory for men, but included several exceptions, including conscientious objection. In addition to indigenous people and now Afro-Colombians, orphans, parents and victims of the armed conflict, among others, are also exonerated.
Indigenous people represent 4.4% of the 50 million Colombians and Afro-Colombians 9.3%, according to official statistics.
Both minorities suffer violence, poverty and inequality more severely, according to various social studies. (I)
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