Author of case study: Marcela Torres Molano

Geopolitical location of space:
Carrera 9 #12C-10
Bogotá, Colombia

Extant? Yes

Timeframe TJ process in this space:

Start date: January 2019
End date: Before the pandemic started, the deadline for the Truth Commission’s mandate was 2021.

Background information:

The office of the Truth Commission is a space dedicated to the collection of testimonies of victims, witnesses and perpetrators of violent acts occurred during the Colombian conflict (1964-2016). The mandate of this office is to provide a physical, safe space where individuals can share their stories, deal with traumatic consequences of the conflict and dialogue about the possibilities for individual and collective reconciliation.

As a result of the signing of the Colombian Peace Accord in 2016, the Comprehensive System of Truth, Justice, Reparation, and Non-Repetition was established. This set of extra-judicial mechanisms include The Truth, Coexistence and Non-Repetition Commission (i.e., the Truth Commission), the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, and the Unit for the Search for People Presumed Disappeared, all vital institutions for a comprehensive and effective transitional justice process. The Commission’s goal is to contribute to the fulfillment of the rights of the victims, the clarification of the truth, the accountability of what has happened, and the recognition of the responsibilities from those who participated in the internal armed conflict.

Is restorative and/or transitional justice actually taking place in this space?

Yes. Although the holding of encounters between victims and perpetrators is not the principal activity taking place in this space, many encounters between victims, their families, officials from public institutions, and perpetrators have been organised by the Truth Commission. The Commission’s work includes testimony collection, archive consultation, and public hearings, all of which are part of Colombia’s transitional justice strategy.

In 2019 for instance, 30 former combatants from different armed groups* presented the Declaration for Life, Peace and Reconciliation in the Truth Commission of Bogotá (ICTJ, 2019).

*Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN); ELN Replanteamiento; Ejército Popular de Liberación (EPL); Movimiento 19 de Abril (M19); Corriente de Renovación Socialista (CRS); Partido Revolucionario de los Trabajadores (PRT); Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP) y las Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC).

Is this space designed/arranged for safe listening?

Yes, the process of listening to a testimony opens a space for the recognition and dignity of the victims. Any testimony collected in the space is confidential and exclusively used by the Commission. The information is received and stored under strict safety protocols and it is not shared with any individual or other governmental organisations.

Who is the audience/the intended participants for this space?

Any victims or witnesses of violent acts occurred during the Colombian conflict.

How or to what extent is this site public?

The building is loaned for use to the Truth Commission, which is a governmental institution. Before being occupied by the Commission, the space was one of the offices of the Comptroller General of Colombia. As such, the Truth Commission office has certain institutional visual elements such as signs and logos, but these are not representative elements and they do not physically modify the space since they are informative in nature.

Physical/factual description of space:

The Truth Commission office is located in downtown Bogotá, reusing an old building from the Republican* era. The building initially belonged to the Ministry of Justice and was later leased by the office of the Comptroller General of Colombia. The building is a 10-floor structure with a stone façade. On the ground floor there is a double height atrium, where many of the public initiatives and hearings take place. The upper floors have a traditional spatial distribution for office spaces.

* The first buildings designed in Colombia for state use are usually identified with the so-called Republican Architecture period, which lasted from 1880 to 1930.

Analytical description of space:

The building is located in a very commercial and bustling neighbourhood of Bogotá, within walking distance of governmental institutions such as the Central Tax Office (DIAN), the Central Bank (Banco de la República), the Supreme Court, the Colombian Congress and the Presidential House. It is located in a complex urban area, that includes formal and informal commerce, institutional buildings, hotels, and some residential spaces.

This central part of the city is very often the main scenario of protest and demonstration against the national government, which usually includes protesting against the government’s lack of interest in the Peace Agreement. As such, the building has been the target of graffiti, however this is very common for public and private buildings in this part of the city.