A/HRC/31/3/Add.2 24. On the basis of international experiences, it is foreseeable that the cessation of hostilities and guerrilla demobilization could lead to power vacuums and disputes over the control of illicit incomes generated by drug trafficking, extortion, human trafficking, prostitution, mining and co-optation of State resources. Diverse local interests and groups opposed to change resulting from the peace process are already employing violence and intimidation to protect their interests, and the State has not had a sufficiently effective response. 25. As OHCHR-Colombia has observed, this violence is directed against the population, public officials and social leaders defending rights or opposed to illegal activities. Persons who participate in the implementation of the peace agreements, including demobilizing guerrillas contributing to truth, justice and non-recurrence, could also be vulnerable. The risks for demobilizing persons are known from previous demobilization processes in Colombia, including of the M-19 group and paramilitary groups. 26. Local elections were held on 25 October. The civil society-run Electoral Observation Mission reported 179 politically related violent incidents during 2015 in 112 municipalities in 28 departments, including 124 threats, 29 attempted killings, 20 killings, four kidnappings and two disappearances. Victims included candidates, elected public officials and political leaders, undermining the right to participate in public affairs, to vote and to be elected. 27. The High Commissioner welcomes ongoing State action against organized crime and the numerous arrests made, including of high-level criminals. Greater dismantling of criminal structures through the investigation of criminal money flows and laundering remains necessary, as does strengthening internal coordination in the Attorney General’s Office. 28. FARC-EP affirms that reintegration of its members will be an essentially rural process. This represents a new challenge for Colombian institutions more experienced in urban reintegration. Colombian experiences demonstrate the need to address illicit economies and provide attractive alternative economic incentives, such as specialized employment programmes running from 5 to 10 years. 29. Guerrillas must abandon the exercise of control through violence practised in the decades of operating outside of the law. The individual and collective changes necessary for reintegration and civilian political participation require that guerrilla leaders publicly ensure respect for the population’s rights and reject violence. 30. The hundreds of assassinations of leaders and members of the Patriotic Union political party in the 1980s and 1990s illustrate the elevated risk for new political movements. Security guarantees and transformation of the political reality are essential to avoid repetition of that situation. B. Illegal economies 31. OHCHR-Colombia continued to support the negotiating platforms on crops for illicit use. While the campesino association of Catatumbo in Norte de Santander fulfilled its commitment to ensure that campesino families cease cultivating coca, a number of government commitments remain unfulfilled, despite efforts. The success of voluntary substitution programmes depends on technical support and the creation of viable markets for products. This in turn requires, among other things, rural infrastructure. For example, in its dialogue on substitution, the Regional Platform of Social Organizations in Putumayo requested the Government to implement the integrated development plan for the AmazonAndes region. 7