Colombia’s government and a dissident faction of the former FARC rebel group, known as the Second Marquetalia, have announced that they have initiated a peace process.
In a joint statement, the two sides have revealed plans to establish border peace zones, which could help to revitalize economies in those areas.
They emphasized that the rights of the population in general, and in particular of ethnic peoples, will be respected and guaranteed in these zones.
They also stated that the peace process must be well-organized, prompt, and conducted with respect.
The government, under leftist President Gustavo Petro, is striving for “total peace” to bring an end to six decades of internal armed conflict, which has resulted in over 450,000 deaths.
While most members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) demobilized under a 2016 peace agreement, two significant factions rejected it. Security forces claim that they have continued to be involved in drug trafficking and illegal mining.
The Segunda Marquetalia, named after a town in Colombia, primarily operates in the Colombia-Venezuela border region. It consists of approximately 1,670 members, including about 1,060 combatants and 610 from support networks, according to information obtained by Reuters.
In their joint statement, the rebel group reiterated their commitment from 2019 to completely disassociate themselves from kidnapping.
The announcement of the new peace process coincides with the extension of a six-month ceasefire between the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels.
(Reporting by Natalia Siniawski and Nelson Bocanegra; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
