FARC Accuses Colombia's Military of Undermining the Peace Talks
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) accused President Juan Manuel Santos of endangering the guerrilla group’s indefinite and unilateral cease-fire and therefore the ongoing peace negotiations, due to continued military hostilities.
“President Santos: in the middle of a process that looks for reconciliation, it is incoherent to provoke in this way the restarting of fire,” the FARC said in a statement. “Such irresponsibility has strained the atmosphere, making the unilateral cease-fire ever more unsustainable.”
The Marxist militants laid down arms shortly before Christmas, in light of an incident which led to the detention of a Colombian general by a FARC members, leading to a breakdown in negotiations. Peace negotiations started in Havana, Cuba, two years ago when the two sides sat down to try to end the country’s 50-year conflict.
However, the Colombian military has not yet joined the cease-fire, as President Santos has stated that he believed it would slow down the peace process.
“In all of the national territory the military offensive is intensified. The deployment of troops accompanied by air raids and assaults, has lead to six guerrillas dead, six injured, two captured and also 14 soldiers killed and five injured,” the FARC continued.
Negotiations are set to recommence Feb. 2. A bilateral cease-fire, the de-escalation of fighting, and justice for the victims of the conflict have been agreed to as key themes for the discussions.
On Tuesday, government negotiator Humberto de la Calle and peace commissioner Sergio Jaramillo announced that they will hold meetings with Colombian intellectuals about the peace process. The talks will take place in Cartagena during the city's famous Hay Festival of Literature.
President Santos said “this is the year of peace,” as the peace process had reached a point of maturity. He added that 2015 could be the year when they reach “concrete agreements that allow (them) to start to end this 50-year war.”
The conflict in Colombia has left more than 200,000 dead and close to 6 million internally displaced.
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