As international civil society organizations that have accompanied Colombian organizations during the long armed conflict that lasted more than 50 years, we celebrate with great joy the agreement that ends the armed confrontation between the Government of Colombia and the FARC- EP insurgency, certainly an affirmative action in favor of peace.
On this historic day we express our support to the 8 million victims left by this conflict and urge that the signing of this agreement and its implementation translate into measures and policies to reduce inequality and protect and guarantee human rights of all communities, delegitimizing forever the use of violence in politics.
As part of the international donor community in Colombia, we have worked tirelessly, some of us for more than 40 years, for a negotiated solution to the armed conflict, respect and promotion of human rights and peace building throughout Colombian territory, especially those areas most affected by the brutality of war. In furtherance of this commitment we note with deep concern the persistence of serious attacks against human rights defenders in several places of the country, in spite of the measures of de-escalation of the conflict that were launched amid the negotiations in Havana.
Moving towards a comprehensive, sustainable and lasting peace involves creating scenarios where conflict transformation is possible through the implementation of institutional and structural reforms that make it sustainable over time, based on the respect and guarantee of human rights.
We take this great opportunity to reiterate our call to immediately start negotiations with ELN, hoping that the Colombian insurgency will definitively renounce violence and turn to the exercise of politics without weapons.
We also urge Colombian authorities to establish and implement guarantees of non-repetition aimed at effective and sustainable dismantling of paramilitary groups and criminal bands in all regions of the country, and economic and political structures that support them.
As international civil society organizations we will continue working for a comprehensive peace, maintaining our presence and support to Colombian civil society.
PEACE IS A RIGHT AND A MANDATORY DUTY1
For more information, please contact: COOPERATION FOR PEACE / ESPACIO DE COOPERACION PARA LA PAZ Cooppaz2016@gmail.com
1 Articule 22 Constitución of Colombia
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