Colombia to sign new peace deal with Farc

Colombia to sign new peace deal with Farc

Colombia’s government says it will sign a new peace accord with Farc rebels on Thursday, after a previous deal was rejected in a referendum last month.

The new revised agreement will be submitted to Congress for approval, rather than put to a popular vote.

But opposition groups say it still does not go far enough in punishing rebels for human rights abuses.

The deal is aimed at ending more than fifty years of civil war, in which more than 220,000 people have been killed.

In a televised address to the nation on Tuesday, President Juan Manuel Santos said: “We have the unique opportunity to close this painful chapter in our history that has bereaved and afflicted millions of Colombians for half a century.”

The original deal was signed two months ago in an emotional ceremony before world leaders but it was rejected in a referendum on October 2.
Government opponents led by former President Alvaro Uribe said the deal was too favourable to the rebels.

Farc and government negotiators worked round the clock to make more than 50 changes to make it more acceptable to conservative Colombians who despise the Farc.

Uribe and other sceptics continued to claim the changes made were cosmetic.

President Santos has made clear there is no more room for negotiation despite Uribe requesting a meeting with the Farc leadership to discuss his concerns, reports the BBC.
He has said ratification would take place in Congress where the government coalition has a solid majority.

Uribe had been pushing for another referendum which he said would vote down the accord again.
Government negotiators say the peace accord needs to be be signed urgently for fear that a delicate ceasefire could unravel unless implementation begins soon.

Last week two suspected Farc fighters were killed during fighting with security forces who said they mistook them for members of Colombia’s second-largest rebel group, the ELN.
Farc rebels have also expressed anger over the killings of several land reform activists and human rights defenders.

Source: News Telegraph

https://newtelegraphonline.com/colombia-sign-new-peace-deal-farc/