A/HRC/10/82 Page 20 were being investigated. With regard to victims from the indigenous population, investigations are under way in different areas of the country. 65. Concerning human rights defenders, it was noted that a special memorandum of 3 June 2008 was promoted for the adoption of a strategy for the investigation of cases of threats to these peoples. Colombia provided data on the number of investigation, persons in preventive detention, cases being prosecuted and convictions for human rights violations against human rights defenders and journalists. It also provided similar type of information on forced displacements and the question of criminal gangs. 66. With regard to enforced disappearances, it was noted that the urgent search mechanism is being used and that 41 persons had been found alive. Five departments in the country had commissions to promote investigations for enforced disappearances with 499 victims. There are cases being prosecuted and convictions have also been issued in some of them. 67. The delegation emphasized that the State’s goal is to effectively prevent impunity. To this end, cooperation is required from civil society, the victims and the international community. 68. Colombia noted that, in 2008, the Justice and Peace Unit of the Attorney General’s Office was strengthened by a 350 per cent increase in staff and is now present in 53 locations in Colombia to conduct investigations and provide assistance to victims. As part of the strategy to investigate massive and systematic crimes committed by organizations that come under the Justice and Peace Law, it mentioned a series of accomplishments, including the investigation of all aspects relating to an illegal organization, its dynamic and criminal activities, collection of testimonies of victims, and full identification of all those demobilized. Colombia provided figures in this regard, notably on the groups targeted by criminal offences committed by those subject to the law and on the kind of crimes which are covered by it. The delegation also noted that 2,908 cases were sent through the ordinary justice system with the purpose of reactivating investigations that had been archived owing to lack of knowledge about the perpetrators. 69. Colombia stressed that victims are the central axis of the whole Justice and Peace Law process and that 168,000 persons had come forward to make claims as victims. The delegation reported on the establishment of a gene bank to facilitate the identification of remains of people found in mass graves, as well of a virtual identification unit to coordinate the work of all judicial police agencies involved in this task. Following a sentence of the Constitutional Court, partial prosecutions of persons subjected to the Justice and Peace Law can be conducted, only as of July 23 of 2008; to date, 20 hearings have been held. The delegation provided information on assets received for reparation to be made to victims. 70. With regard to the Justice and Peace Law Unit, Colombia reiterated its commitment to accelerating the process of establishing the truth; accelerating the identification of human remains so that they can be handed over to family members; and inquiring into and investigating crimes committed by demobilized individuals against women and children, particularly sexual violence and the recruitment of children. The State’s mission is to ensure that the rights to truth and justice for victims are respected and that the process of peace and demobilization for these groups takes place without prejudice to their guarantees for reparation. 71. With regard to specific issue of the so-called extrajudicial killings, the delegation explained that the context in which the Ministry of Defence works is the Government’s policy of democratic security. Since 2002, its objective has been to strengthen the rule of law throughout