Rebel group FARC on Wednesday reiterated their demand for an independent commission to analyze Colombia’s armed conflict.
The guerrillas initially made this proposal in early August, seeking an independent commission to analyze the causes of the conflict and the reason for the existence of guerrilla groups in the country.
MORE: FARC demands independent commission to analyze conflict
Their proposal is a direct response to government-funded research by the Group of Historical Memory, which claimed that there were more than 220,000 victims of the conflict in the last 50 years.
MORE: Colombia’s conflict cost 220,000 lives since 1958
“We want the government to assume the responsibilities of the state, to concede they violated international humanitarian law during the armed political and social conflict that has marked our history,” stated the FARC.
“The report by the Group of Historical Memory requires supplementation, as it does not include the years of conflict between the Liberals and Conservatives, which gave rise to our current state of affairs,” added the rebel group.
The guerrillas seek an investigation of events throughout the period of the internal conflict, including the gathering of witness testimonies.
“We are raising a formal request to receive the testimonies of those who suffered at that time and are still alive. We also request the public opening of the intelligence files of the state security agencies of that era, particularly those of various secret police services,” said the FARC.
“We also seek access to the minutes of the Council of Minister’s and politicians’ directories of the traditional parties at that time and those associated with false positives and other crimes that may help to clarify the historical responsibility,” added the rebel group.
The guerrillas have, as of now, assigned a name to the independent commission, and claim it should be comprised of both domestic and foreign nationals.
“The Commission for review and clarification of the truth of the history of the Colombian internal conflict, which is the name that has been assigned, must be composed of both nationals and foreigners,” demanded the rebel group.
The FARC did however praise the report by the Group of Historical Memory, before insisting that several important contributions need to be altered or removed.
“The FARC welcomes the report by the Group of Historical Memory recently released to the public. The report though, needs to return several of its contributions.”
“The job of the new commission that we create, must be to establish the root causes of all of the facts arising from the confrontation,” added the rebel group.
Peace talks between Colombia’s government and the FARC have been running since November. They paused briefly on Friday after the guerrillas asked to examine the government’s proposed referendum over an eventual deal, but resumed again on Monday.
While an accord has been reached regarding land reform, no agreements have been made on the issue of the FARC’s political participation, drug trafficking, the practicalities of the end of the armed conflict and the rights of the victims.
Sources