PRESIDENT SIGNS JUSTICE AND PEACE LAW

UNCLAS BOGOTA 006926 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KJUS PTER PGOV CO SUBJECT: PRESIDENT SIGNS JUSTICE AND PEACE LAW ¶1. (U) On July 22, President Uribe signed the Justice and Peace Law, just meeting the 20 working day deadline he had to sign after Congress approved the text. Once the law is published in the congressional daily bulletin, probably on Monday, July 25, it will be active and implementation can begin. ¶2. (U) The Government already has held a number of inter-agency meetings on implementation, including at the Council of Ministers level. According to the Peace Commissioner's Office, the next step in implementation is for the Prosecutor General's Office, Social Solidarity Network, Vice Presidency, and other participating agencies to issue decrees to create special institutions called for by the law. The Prosecutor General's Office will form a special unit of 20 prosecutors to head up investigations (The prosecutors will be backed up by a large group of investigators.),the Vice Presidency will manage a National Reconciliation and Reparations Committee, and the Social Solidarity Network will oversee a reparations fund. Also, the Superior Judicial Council and Supreme Court must now name the Superior District Court magistrates who will judge the ex-terrorists. WOOD