The new final peace agreement that ended the 52 year long civil war was approved unanimously in the Senate on Tuesday, and has now been approved in the sub-wing of the Congress, the House of Representatives as well.
The peace agreement that was renegotiated between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) and President Juan Manuel Santos’s administration passed unanimously in the House of Representatives as well. The 130 MPs who attended the vote voted “yes” for the peace treaty.
The first peace agreement that had been signed on September 24 as a result of negotiations carried out in Cuba since 2012 was not approved by the referendum on October 2.
The campaign against the agreement led by former president Alvaro Uribe was effective, and the 300 page long text was partially modified afterwards. But Uribe and his supporters claim the revised version of the treaty is still “full of concessions” in favor of the FARC guerrillas and should be subject to another referendum.
260.000 people have lost their lives in the civil war between FARC and state forces/paramilitary groups that lasted 52 years.
During the implementation phase of the new agreement, FARC guerrillas will gather in several spots throughout the country and turn in their weapons, accompanied by international observers. The treaty also foresees the political integration of the guerrillas, and will allow them to be elected to the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The peace agreement also includes using FARC’s material possessions to support civilians affected by the war and special peace courts investigating war crime cases for a 10 year period.
