Peace talks
COLOMBIA: Government and FARC announces agreement on land reform.
The government of Colombia and left-wing FARC rebels have agreed on land reform, after more than six months of peace talks. "This agreement will be the start of a radical transformation of rural Colombia", read a joint statement. The deal calls for the economic and social development of rural areas and providing land to poor farmers. Land reform is one of the most contentious issues in the talks on ending five decades of conflict. On the other hand, the eighth round of talks between the government of Colombia and the FARC has ended in Havana with Humberto de la Calle, head of the government delegation complaining about the slow pace of the negotiations. La Calle has said it is necessary and possible to speed up (the dialogue). However, this evaluation is not shared by the guerrilla chief delegate, Iván Márquez. (El País, 26/05/13; BBC, 03, 27/05/13)
The president of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, said that "the enemies of peace are recoiling" in view of the increasing popular support given to the peace talks the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are having in Havana (Cuba). Santos has denied that the government may be considering granting "autonomy" to the FARC to administer rural reservation areas, one of FARC's requirements which those critics with the process have denounced. Attorney Alejandro Ordóñez and prosecutor Eduardo Montealegre disagree once again over the Marco Jurídico para la Paz, the transitional justice method the government would apply with the FARC if peace prevails. Ordóñez insisted in the risk of impunity and of granting amnesty for international crimes whilst Montealegre has said that peace cannot be sacrificed. (Europa Press, 05/05/13; El Colombiano, 10/05/13; El Tiempo, 14/05/13)
Deputy Justice Minister, Miguel Samper, has said that it is time to take a step forward in the debate on the implementation of transitional justice in the context of the peace process between the government and the FARC. Samper thinks that these discussions cannot be reduced to whether specific or reduced sentences or other legal benefits will be introduced as this would mean undermining the transitional justice system. On the other hand, and beyond the contradictory statements made by members of the negotiating teams at the end of the eighth round of negotiations, there is an issue that is gaining special importance for both peace talks detractors and promoters which is to ensure that there is no impunity. (El Espectador, 06, 12/05/13)
At The Regional Working Groups for Contributing to the End of the Conflict, victims ask for peace to be reached without impunity, and for the government to also repair those persecuted by criminal gangs. Congressman Iván Cepeda, who chairs the tables, assures that all of these proposals will be taken to Havana. Likewise, legislator Angela Robledo has said that meetings with victims lay the foundation for reconciliation. (Especial El Colombiano, 11/05/13)