Colombia’s president on Thursday presented the United Nations General Assembly the advances made in peace talks with rebel group FARC, as a bit of good news in a world caught up in another Middle East war.
In his speech, President Juan Manuel Santos announced that the goal of the peace talks was primarily so that there would be no more victims in Colombia.
“We work for the satisfaction of the rights to justice, truth, reparation, and guarantee of no repetition. But above all we work so that there are no more victims in Colombia, said Santos.
Santos pointed out the unique and active role victims are having in Colombia’s peace process with the FARC rebel group. The president stated that, “I think that for the first time in the history of the world, representatives of the victims are presenting their situation, pain and expectations before the government and rebel negotiators.
President Santos also mentioned in his speech the difficulties that face a post-conflict Colombia.
“When we arrive in a post conflict period we will have many challenges reincorporating the demobilized combatants, guaranteeing state presence in the regions affected by the conflict, and guaranteeing citizen security. Support and assistance from the international community will be very important, of which, starting now, are requesting!”
Santos gave thanks to all the countries and organizations that have supported Colombia’s peace talks, including the UN.
President Santos also showed solidarity with victims in Syria, Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Iraq and Libya, saying that Colombia knows the pain these nations are experiencing.
Santos finished his speech announcing that this was the decade of Latin America and the Caribbean to develop sustainably and equally.