News

After more than fifty years of armed conflict, the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the FARC-EP reaffirmed their will to honor the commitments made to date and brought the Agreement on Transitional Justice into existence.

At the meeting held in Havana, Cuba, the parties took stock of the agreements reached over these three years of peace negotiations: the Comprehensive Rural Reform, the participation of the FARC-EP in politics, and the solution to the illicit drug problem. Similarly, they agreed to create a Special Jurisdiction for Peace, which provides for a justice mechanism to deal with the crimes committed in the context of the internal conflict.

In the quest for justice to satisfy the victims’ rights and the search for true peace, a Comprehensive System of Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Recurrence is being outlined. To this end, it was agreed that a Commission for the Elucidation of Truth, Coexistence and Non-Recurrence would be created with the aim of ending impunity, seeking truth, contributing to the victims’ reparation, prosecuting and imposing penalties on perpetrators of grave crimes during the armed conflict, and ensuring that such crimes will not happen again.

While the Colombian Government will grant amnesty for political and related crimes in the broadest possible way, no amnesty or pardon will be granted for actions considered to be crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes. Other major crimes such as hostage-taking or any other form of deprivation of freedom, torture, forced displacement, forced disappearance, extrajudicial executions and sexual violence will be subject to investigation and prosecution by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace.

The Special Jurisdiction for Peace will have power to deal with all individuals who have been involved, either directly or indirectly, in the domestic armed conflict, including FARC-EP members and State agents.

As to their participation in the political system, the FARC are required to lay down arms within a period of 60 days after the conclusion of the Final Agreement. The Colombian Government has stated that FARC’s transitioning to a legally established political party is a shared goal that will be fully supported by the Government as per the agreed-on terms.

All these agreements embody the dream of several generations now come true. The process to conclude the Final Agreement may take up to six months, but that day will live forever in the memory of our Colombian brothers and sisters.

UNI Americas celebrates this breakthrough in the peace negotiations and extends its solidarity to all the Colombian brothers and sisters who have fought and are still fighting for reconciliation and social transformation to bring peace to Colombia.

UNI Americas welcomes the signing of the Agreement for Justice and Victims, urges the parties in the conflict to definitely cease armed action, and is confident that the remaining agreements under negotiation will soon be finalized so that Colombia can live in an environment of true peace with justice, democracy and rights for all.