Mass demonstrations against peace negotiations with Colombia’s FARC guerrillas

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Colombia

Mass demonstrations against peace negotiations with Colombia’s FARC guerrillas

The resentment of the Colombians is not only directed against the talks between the government and the FARC rebels. The General dissatisfaction with the policies of President Santos, is driving people on the road.

In more than 20 cities across the country, thousands of people against the head of state, Juan Manuel Santos and the peace negotiations with the leftist guerrillas have demonstrated organization Revolutionary armed forces of Colombia (FARC). The largest rallies were held in the capital Bogotá and in Medellín. In many places, the government allowed themselves to be opponents of heavy rain is not of their protest marches for an answer.

“Traitor, resign now” and “No more impunity” stand clear of the protesters. Had the rallies, the party called the Democratic center of Santos’ predecessor, Alvaro Uribe, has long been against the peace negotiations with the FARC rebels. They had begun more than three years ago, a successful completion of the railway in the meantime, in range, is delayed.

Protest in the rain on the Central Bolivar square in Bogota

The country-wide protests, but it also showed the General discontent with President Juan Manuel Santos said the former Colombian Vice-President Francisco Santos, the news Agency AFP. “We do not want impunity in the peace process. We have the many lies and bad economic management, taxes and Inflation, fed up.”

The leader of the protests – Ex-President Alvaro Uribe

The peace agreement is delayed

The FARC guerrillas and the Colombian government are negotiating in Cuba’s capital, Havana, about a far-reaching peace agreement to allow the rebels to take part in the political life. In some of the negotiations were chapters already agreed. The original March’s goal of a peace agreement, but was recently postponed to the end of the year. In many places in the drug trade became embroiled FARC-guerrilla has about 8,000 fighters. Due to a from the left of the rebels proclaimed a unilateral truce it is, however, hardly even to armed clashes.

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The negotiations with the FARC, now the Colombian government has gone a step further. They announced talks with the leftist guerrilla organization ELN. (30.03.2016)

In Colombia, approximately 17,500 members of the FARC guerrillas after a peace agreement in the society. From Medellin Tobias buyer reported. (23.03.2016)

Negotiations with the ELN

On Wednesday had informed the Colombian government with the National liberation army (ELN), the second largest guerrilla group in the country, on the resumption of peace talks. President Santos has, however, made a condition that the guerrillas let all hostages free. The ELN is involved in the drug smuggling and extortion. Their strength is estimated to be around 2,000 fighters. The planned peace talks should be based on the pattern of the Dialogue with the FARC: integrating the ELN into the political System of Colombia and the disarmament of the guerrilla.

The armed struggle between the guerrilla groups, the army and right-wing paramilitaries had lit up in the year 1964 on land conflicts and social injustice. In the more than half a century of continuous conflict, the other left-wing rebel groups, the ultra-right paramilitaries and drug traffickers involved were killed, according to official data, more than 260,000 people, of 45,000 more are missing. Millions of Colombians fled the violence from their hometowns.

qu/cw (afp, dpa)