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An article by the Abya Yala Agricultural Collective in CONPI.org (translated by CPNN)

“We believe that the defense of life and territory cannot be an isolated task of our indigenous communities, and thus we propose bonds of unity, solidarity, fraternity and commitment with whom we share the land as small farmers: the communities of African descent and others, not only those in the agricultural and rural sectors but also those in cities who also want to change the history of this country,” – National Dialogue Declaration of Indigenous Women for Peace

As noted by the historian Diana Uribe, we have come to a turning point in Colombia with the negotiated solution to the armed conflict between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army and the National Government. We are also encouraged by the announcement last March of negotiations with the ELN National Liberation Army to advance the construction of a diverse nation that is no longer marked by the history of war.

This article aims to make visible the voice of the indigenous, peasant and Afro-descendant ommunities. Its victims have been deeply affected by the unresolved armed conflict in the country, but nevertheless they are moving forward with proposals from their territories in the post-accord context, as stated in the following excerpt from the report of the Historical Commission of the conflict:

“The main players of today [in relation to the assertion of rights] are now urban dwellers, displaced by war, peasants and indigenous sectors, women, inmates of prisons, and ethnic and sexual minorities. Their demands include the desire for peace,

– the rejection of anti-democratic amendments to the Constitution and legislation,

– the denunciation of the tax reforms,

– the unveiling of the negative effects of NAFTA,

– land claims,

– opposition to programs that would eradicate illicit crops with aerial spraying with effects on environmental and living conditions,

– reform of the public hospital sector,

– changes in the educational system,

– the placement of demobilized and displaced persons,

– an end to actions that violate human rights by the armed forces “(page 67)

As a sign of support for the process of negotiation of Havana, the communities have presented their positions on complex issues such as the arrival of former combatants into their territories.

In Caldono last July the traditional authorities of the indigenous reserves of Pueblo Nuevo, San Lorenzo de Caldono, Pioyá from the Municipality of Caldono and Tumburao from the Municipality of Silvia published a letter offering their territories to install a ZVTN. (District Zone for Transition to Normalization):

“When we heard the news that Caldono is a ZVTN, it was no surprise because we have prepared for it, not so much for the large investments that we may receive as part of the implementation of the agreements, but rather to welcome our colleagues who with or without conviction joined the insurgency that brought so much disharmony and imbalance to different territories of the country. They will be welcomed, forgiven and asked to compensate for the damages with ideas that positively transform the social order. This will clarity the values of our community set out in our Law of Origins by returning to our community its members, both men and women, returning them to their spiritual home and harmonizing the relation between the community and Mother Earth.”

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(Click here for the original version of this article in Spanish or here for a translation into French.

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

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For their part, the rural communities of the Peasant Reserve Areas that are expected to be protagonists in the postconflict agreements have offered themselves as managers of the implementation process of the agreements through a critical look at laws like the ZIDRES [Zones of Rural, Economic, and Social Interest] which they consider to be in conflict with the process.

According to the Political Declaration of the General Assembly of the National Association of Peasant Reserve Zones (ANZORC): “As the 66 processes of the Peasant Reserve Zones ANZORC, at a general meeting in the village of San Isidro de Pradera (Valle), we see a great opportunity in the eventual signing of a final agreement with the FARC and the implementation of peace agreements. (…) ANZORC, in its first General Assembly of 2016, decided

– to initiate a process of territorial anchoring of the peace accords,

– to advance the special circumscriptions of the peace accords (i.e. the 16 zones of transition),

– to promote intercultural territories,

– to fight against the expropriation of 6,000 peasant families living in the alleged “vacant FARC” regions of El Pato Balsillas, El Yari, the Losada-Guayabero and La Macarena,

– to oppose the law of ZIDRES,

– to establish rural guards in their territories,

– to establish a dialogue with the Ministry of the Environment and Autonomous Regional Corporations concerning the law on the 2nd forest reserve zone and regional protected areas,

– to formulate a proposal for social control over the extent of coca crops,

– to extend the process of popular assemblies throughout the country,

– and to strengthen our involvement in the National Constituent Assembly.”

In Natagaima from 12 to 14 August this year under the theme “Indigenous Women weaving their thoughts to defend the territory and build peace with social justice” more than 170 indigenous women from different villages, after a festive march in the municipality publicly declared their “Yes” to the plebiscite with the understanding that peace becomes possible with the end of the armed conflict, but it will not be easy:

“We believe that indigenous peoples must not be indifferent to the historical moment facing the country with the end of the armed conflict. The process in which we have been involved includes an ethnic approach to each component of the agreements. We must prepare to ratify our YES in the referendum as the main tool to build territories for peace with social justice. This means balance and harmony in our relationship with Mother Nature and the guarantee of conditions for a dignified life in our territories and our communities. ”

It has been declared by the parties at the negotiation table in Havana that the implementation of the agreements requires a new approach in order to overcome the historical and structural conditions of the armed conflict in Colombia. In this approach it is necessary to include the proposals of communities from the territories. This approach must see beyond the rigid legal principles of the Anglo-Saxon tradition in the constitution and the law, and take into consideration the diverse cosmologies of the peoples. It must fight against practices such as racism and extinction of indigenous communities.

The Interethnic Dialogue Peace Proposal brought to the table in Havana last April 6 by indigenous organizations and Afro-Colombianos reads as follows: “The black communities of African descent, the palenqueras, raizales and indigenous peoples conceive the territory as a collective good, in the function of the needs of its inhabitants. The land is a source of material, cultural and ecological life. It is not a commercial product based on private profit. The land has to be seen as a geographical and free space where communities can fully develop, as the physical place and symbolic source of sovereign welfare and independence, under the principles of autonomy, solidarity, growth, indigenous development, balance and sustainability ” (…)

“Indigenous peoples, Blacks, Afro-Colombians, palenqueros and raizales have been historic victims of exclusionary structures of racist and discriminatory State practices that have prevented us from enjoying all the rights and guarantees that citizens should have in a nation . In that regard, the social and armed conflict that the country has experienced for 60 years has particularly affected these communities in all aspects.”

Finally, we say that the challenge of building a culture of peace in Colombia will take several generations but at each step forward, there is more hope in our territories that we can finally emerge from the long night of 500 years, the colonial and republican legacy of war.

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An article from the United Nations News Service

Following a recent agreement to end more than 50 years of conflict between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP), a seven-day training session on monitoring and verifying their bilateral ceasefire has begun in the country’s western city of Popayan, with United Nations support. Instructors from the Government, FARC-EP and the UN Mission in Colombia are training 80 men and women who will form part of the tripartite verification and monitoring mechanism at national and regional levels, according to a news release from the UN Mission

Members of the FARC-EP take part in the traning with the Government of Colombia and the UN Mission. Photo: UN Mission in Colombia

“This first training session is an important step towards building a stable and lasting peace,” the UN Mission said. “Not only does it mark the beginning of the realization of the agreements reached in Havana but it also marks the full commitment of the parties with a robust and transparent monitoring and verification mechanism to give full guarantees to all Colombians.”

Sessions will cover the verification methodology, logistical aspects, security, gender issues and operational procedures for the transitional local zones and points for normalization, where the separation of forces and the laying down of arms is to take place. The sessions also include theoretical and practical aspects of the Final Agreement, especially related to the bilateral ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, and protocols covering the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism.

In June, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon travelled to Havana, where he witnessed the signing of the agreement on the ceasefire and the laying down of arms. He noted that the “peace process validates the perseverance of all those around the world who work to end violent conflict not through the destruction of the adversary, but through the patient search for compromise.”

The UN Mission in Colombia’s international observers include representatives from eight countries from the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC): Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay and Uruguay.

(Thank you to the Good News Agency for calling this story to our attention)

(Click here for a Spanish version of this article

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

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by Sergio Aguayo (translated by CPNN)

Who is winning and who is losing in the narco wars? How can we achieve a convergence of state and society around a common project for the construction of peace?

Between 20 and 22 June, Mexican and foreign academics, social leaders, victims, officials and senators discussed the situation of violence and peace in ten states of the Republic. The event, coordinated by Froylán Enciso for Violence and Peace Seminar of the College of Mexico, was sponsored by the National Commission of Human Rights, the Belisario Dominguez Institute of the Senate of the Republic and the Deputy Human Rights of the PGR (program: violenciaypaz.colmex.mx/).

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A paradox. The State is winning the war, but organized crime is flourishing and the society is paying the bills. Federal forces are breaking up the drug cartels and imprisoning or killing the big capos but the violence does not end; it is reduced here to return there and then return to place of origin. In this situation the thirst for wealth and power of the mini-cartels proliferates.
                                                       
At the meeting the enormity of state spending devoted to preventing violence and regeneration of the social fabric was recognized. There was consensus that the poor results can be attributed to waste, disorganization and lack of continuity. In sum, the State knows how to break up cartels but lacks a strategy to build peace.

Passivity is a myth. Society resists. Even in communities devastated like Tamaulipas [scene of mass murders in recent years] there are victims, civic leaders, academics, religious and social groups documenting the barbarism and bringing hope to the affected population. Citizens and institutions of other countries are interested; the narco wars are internationalized.

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(Click here for a Spanish version of this article

Is there progress towards a culture of peace in Mexico?

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Resistance is weakened by atomization and isolation; centralism continues to weigh heavily, as well as isolation because of geographical distances. Hence, Mexico City has been little affected by criminal violence; it evades the violence plaguing other portions of the territory. Another problem is the differences between academics and activists; this came up in our private conversations, reflecting the lack of a common culture of peace.

The rocky and complicated issue was, is, and will be the relationship between the state and organized society. The evidence confirms that a formula for success requires the collaboration between State and society. In Mexico the obstacles are enormous because the officials who have hierarchy and budgets look askance at academics while activists are too independent and wary of officials.

There was concern about the third day of activities organized by the Institute Belisario Dominguez in the Senate. On this day, ten social leaders (some of them victims) were accompanied by students (most from El Colegio de Mexico) who helped systematize their experiences for presentation to the senators willing to listen to the testimony. Criticisms were restrained and responses were measured. They could not arrive a concrete agreements because it takes much more to demolish the walls that separate society and state. It’s a long road we must travel to generate empathy.
                    
The seminar illuminated the challenges posed by narco wars: 1) we need to improve our understanding of the dynamics of criminal violence and social resistance; 2) we must reduce barriers to communication and collaboration between academics and activists; 3) it is urgent to better incorporate international solidarity and 4) is essential to ensure that the State give priority to public safety in its war strategy. It is a mistake to fragment the drug cartels and forget the victims.

The most promising route is the development of a culture of peace acceptable to victims, activists, academics and officials. In the case of Mexican the initiative needs to come from organized society and in particular universities. At the present time, these are the spaces for a natural and logical convergence between different sectors of the society. To fail in this effort can only open the door to the futher increase of organized crime.

(Thank you to Roberto Mercadillo for sending this to CPNN)

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Excerpt from the website of the Encounter (translated by CPNN)

The First International Encounter for Peace Studies – Cartagena de Indias (Colombia), 7 – 9 September 2016 – is a space for academic discussion of singular importance in the field of social sciences. It aims to strengthen links between theoretical discussions about peace building, as well as the necessary links for conflict transformation in that context. By listening to different voices and perspectives and by commitment to an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary perspective, we can assimilate the approaches of various investigations, and create the conditions for engagement and dialogue with various stakeholders of social conflicts.

During the course of the meeting, there will be cultural activities: exhibitions of photography and short films and documentaries, cultural experiences, etc. These materials may be displayed and/or presented by their authors or guest commentators.

MODALITIES OF PARTICIPATION

Presentations and discussions with special invited guests

Roundtables: Group presentations on each of the thematic lines

Presentation of Experiences around specific themes in order to establish dialogue and cooperation among participants.

Workshops involving practicing teachers and graduate students

THEMATIC SESSIONS

The theoretical content and scope of the thematic lines are presented below and the coordinators of each will be forthcoming soon.

Justice, Truth and Forgiveness

In this session are presented the advances and research results concerning transitional justice processes both local and global, including trends, prospects and strategies undertaken by different actors (victims, perpetrators, state, civil society, media, academia, etc.) and institutions that are responsible for their consolidation. The various theoretical and methodological trends for the construction of public policies aimed at strengthening peace and reconciliation are analyzed., responding to contemporary debates as well as the political implications resulting from the knowledge and judgment of atrocities

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(Click here for a Spanish version of this article

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

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Land, Territory and Post-Conflict

This theme will reflect on the challenges of policy for structural transformation of land ownership and use in Colombia. Studies are presented concerning land restitution, formalization of land ownership, the recovery of public lands, and new visions of rural development from a multidimensional perspective including the perspectives of those who have been involved in the Colombian conflict. It will be interesting to learn about the advances and research results concerning possible legal reforms intended to regulate the legalization and social use of land by the victims of the conflict.

Education, Pedagogy and Communication for Peace

The presentations of this session highlight progress and results of studies about initiatives and experiences around the introduction of the theme of peace into schools and universities, as well as works that address the challenges of communication in the context of the transition to peace. The axis of this area is the dissemination of research processes and knowledge generation that promote teaching and learning in the context of a culture of peace. Also considered are the devlopment of spaces for social tolerance and solidarity, as well as questions of legal reforms that require educational institutions to be involved in the construction of peace.

Urban Violence and Human Security

This session concerns research to identify and describe the different discourses involved in building security policies enunciated by the different actors concerning the question of punishment for past offenses. It will address the contexts and discourse concerning strategies to contain and transform urban violence as well as violence generated in post-conflict and/or post-agreement areas. It will also present papers from cultural, political and economic perspectives that analyze government policies to fight against organized crime.

Struggles and Social Movements

This session presents progress and results of academic work and the sharing of experiences about struggles and empowerment of collectives and social movements. It will elucidate control strategies and recognition of rights based on the constitutional guarantees for freedom of assembly. It is expected to provide a space for discussion in which different social actors (unions, LGTBI Community, Afro Movements, feminist movements, collectives for the rights of peasants and cultural movements in general) can explain the dynamics and challenges they face in the context of neoliberalism, including globalization and loss of local involvement in the economy and privatization of social and political guarantees, as well as the understanding of dynamics articulated in the post-conflict context.

For information about costs and registration, go to encounter website.

(Thanks to Alicia Cabezudo who sent this to CPNN)

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Statement from International Peace Bureau

At the International Peace Bureau Conference DISARMAMENT IN COLOMBIA: BEYOND WAR, TOWARD THE CONSTRUCTION OF CULTURES OF PEACE (Prepcomm for Berlin Congress Disarm! For a Climate of Peace) organized in cooperation with the University El Bosque and other partners, attendees received with joy the news of the signing of the final peace agreement between the Government and the FARC – EP.

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This is undoubtedly the most important historical event in the recent history of Colombia. It is the triumph of dialogue over weapons, after more than 50 years of armed struggle, in which neither the FARC nor the government won a victory by military means. It left behind many victims among not only the warring parties, but also mainly civil society, as well as damage to the environment and the national infrastructure, and with serious impacts on culture and the national imagination. It took four years of negotiation and dialogue to achieve what was not achieved by force of arms.

In this period, parallel to the war and the various forms of violence that hit the country, movements of resistance and of peace building also emerged, which allowed communities, despite pain and death, to survive and create a future. It is ALSO thanks to them and pressure from sectors of civil society that the fighting ends, due to their persistence in insisting that the ways of force and violence will not lead to peace.

This agreement is an important step towards peace. It means the abandoning of weapons, which is undoubtedly very important, but this process has to continue in order to reach an agreement also with ELN – Ejército de Liberación Nacional and other insurgent groups. The next step is the ratification of the agreement by the whole population in a plebiscite that will happen on 2 October. The third and most important step is undoubtedly the implementation of the agreements. The land reforms, the incorporation of former combatants into civil society; the quest for a more just and equitable society; the structural changes that guarantee human rights for all people, including the indigenous and the afro-Colombian communities; the cultural changes that allow people to recognize, respect and value differences; and finally reconciliation, forgiveness and guarantees of non-repetition.

The challenges involve first the state and the government as well as the FARC and major institutions, the church, academia, the trade unions and civil society as a whole. Implementing the agreements is a task that starts from the various localities and regions, recognizing the progress they have made, and the resistance that has created the life and strength that is needed today. Then comes the commitment of all citizens of the country. We urge that those Colombians now somewhat skeptical of the Havana agreement overcome their reservations and fully join in developing our potentials and dreams so that Colombia can become a country based on the ideals of a culture of peace.

We join Facundo Cabral, the Argentinean singer, in saying: This is a new day to start again …with hope, dreams, work and action.

(Thank you to Amada Benavides for sending this to CPNN)

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

See the CPNN bulletin: Peace in Colombia

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An article from Prensa Latina English

After nearly four years of talks, delegations from the FARC-EP and the Colombian government have signed a final agreement in Havana for a political solution to the armed conflict in the South American country. Signed yesterday [August 24] by the representatives of the insurgent Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP) and the Colombian government, the document includes a set of initiatives that contribute to the implementation of Colombian constitutional rights and ensure a stable and lasting peace.

The initiative will mean an end to the enormous suffering caused by the conflict and will open a new chapter in the history of the nation and will begin a transition period which will allow territorial integration, social inclusion and the strengthening of democracy, the two sides said.

Through a joint statement, read by the representatives of the guarantor countries – Cuba and Norway – the representatives of the guerrilla force and the government of Juan Manuel Santos stated that the pact is a comprehensive approach which respects ethnic, cultural and gender diversity.

Item one of the agreement concerns comprehensive rural reform, which will contribute to structural transformation of the countryside; item two deals with the democratic enlargement that will allow the emergence of new forces onto the political scene in order to enrich the debate on major national issues.

Item three contains the bilateral and definitive ceasefire and hostilities agreement as well as disarmament; item four analyzes the solution to the problem of illegal drugs; item five concerns the victims; and item six deals with the mechanisms for implementation and verification.

The heads of the government delegation, Humberto de la Calle, and the FARC-EP team, Ivan Marquez, have signed seven original copies of the document. They will be distributed to the negotiating sides, the guarantor countries and the accompanying nations (Venezuela and Chile).

The seventh document will be deposited, after its signing, at the Swiss Federal Council in Bern, as the depository of the Geneva Conventions.

The concluding text of the talks will be followed by the tenth conference of the FARC-EP and a referendum, whose date has not yet been set. The referendum seeks to endorse the agreement. There will also be a ceremonial signing of the peace agreement.

The signatories agree that although it is not a perfect agreement, it is a viable mechanism to initiate the necessary transformations in Colombia, on the basis of guarantees to respect the fundamental rights of future generations.

(Click here for a Spanish version of this article

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

See the CPNN bulletin: Peace in Colombia