Columbia Nearing Peace Deal

Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, said that the 50 year-long civil war that has ravaged the country many be coming to a close. Since 1962, guerrilla fighters known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces, or Farc, the National Liberation Army, or ELN, and other leftwing groups have engaged government forces and rightwing paramilitaries in a bloody conflict that, over five decades, has caused 220,000 casualties and has displaces 4.3 million people.  The conflict began in 1962 when "Campesinos in the countryside - who long felt abandoned by urban politicians - formed rebel groups" (online).  Santos said that the Farc is participating in peace talks with the Colombian government.  According to the article, "The current peace talks come amid stronger backing from Venezuela and other neigboring countries and signs that the Farc...is losing strength because of army campaigns and desertion" (online).  Santos seems to be using the peace talks to his advantage, as another presidential election is scheduled in May.  Critics say that Santos has already made too many concessions to the Farc and after long, drawn-out, and unsuccessful negotiations in the past, claim that this one is of the same nature.  Santos made it clear that two of his objectives for peacetime are to integrate guerrilla fighters into government positions and to reduce the world's supply of cocaine in the future.  According to the article, "...he said the overall goal was not to humiliate the Farc but to persuade the guerrillas to swap their guns for votes - including the Farc's smaller rival, the National Liberation Army, which has not yet formerly entered into peace talks" (online).  According to Santos, "They can continue their objectives but through legal democratic channels.  I am willing to give them all the guarantees necessary for them to have this chance.  It is up to them if they can win or not...I tell them that many former guerrillas in Latin America are now heads of state, so think about it - let's stop the war" (online).  An end to the war may also mean an end to Colombia's long standing history of being one of the world's leading producers of cocaine.  According to Santos, " If we can agree to fight drug trafficking and substitute coca plants for legal crops it will have a big impact on the world because, unfortunately, for 40 years we have been the principal supplier of that drug" (online).  It will be interesting to see how the peace talks and negotiations between the Colombian government and rebel forces will turn out within the next few months. Santos is optimistic about ending the war saying, "Hopefully by the end of the year, we will have this deal done...It is a tipping point.  We have started not only conversations with the Farc, but a process whereby we are building the conditions to build peace for ever, not just for one or two years, but to change the history of this country" (online).

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/16/colombia-brink-ending-civil-war-farc

- Jack Mikolajczyk