By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America 

BOGOTA, Colombia — According to Colombia Reports, the Colombian government and representatives from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, are close to reaching an agreement. FARC is a paramilitary organization that has been active in Colombia since 1964. The differences between the group and successive Colombian regimes has led to decades of violence that has claimed over 260,000 lives.

Luciano Marin Arango, head of FARC delegation to Havana peace talks. (Photo courtesy of TeleSur)

A communique from FARC’s website said that “Peace is knocking at the door of Colombia, and it requires that the armed conflict should be left behind, as something that should not be repeated anymore, to ensure the peaceful future and decent life of the new generations of Colombians.”

One of the issues on the table is the finalization of negotiations regarding victims’ reparations.

FARC also called for the “urgent” dismantle of the “phenomenon of paramilitarism.” The government also supported this. Interior Minister, Juan Fernando Cristo, speaking at a university forum in Tunja, said that FARC could support and defend their ideas, without violence, within the context of Colombian democracy as an official political party.

The final agreement would include a process for the integration of the paramilitaries into political society.

Last week the government presented a “constitutional reform for peace”, which would allow the implementation of a number of agreements reached between the two parties throughout the course of the negotiations.

FARC opposed the reform, instead calling for a Constituent Assembly. The government’s plan already has wide support from Congress, but does not have support from the rebels (who are not represented in Congress).

In his prayers during a historical visit to Cuba this past Sunday, Pope Francis said that “we do not have the right to allow ourselves yet another failure on this path of peace and reconciliation.”

In order to facilitate the peace talks, FARC declared a cease-fire on July 20, and then reaffirmed the cease-fire on August 20. The cease-fire was one sided, and Colombian forces continued to execute operations against the paramilitary’s positions in the country.

Peace talks between the two groups have been ongoing in Havana, Cuba since November of 2012. The two sides are working towards a bilateral peace agreement.

 

For more information, please see:

Prensa Latina – FARC-EP for Progress in Peace Conversations – 17 September 2015 

TeleSur – FARC Closer to Becoming a Legal Political Movement – 17 September 2015

Colombia Reports – Rebels on verge of reaching transitional justice agreement with Colombia govt: FARC – 18 September 2015

InNews – Colombia: Government Welcomes FARC Stance on Dropping Weapons – 18 September 2015

Sputnik News – UN Continues Contribution to Colombia-FARC Peace Talks – 18 September 2015

The Guardian – Pope Francis prays for peace in Colombia – 20 September 2015

Author: Impunity Watch Archive