Thousand Medellin gang members want to hand in their weapons and reintegrate into society, but demand “legal guarantees” of the government, representatives wrote President Juan Manuel Santos.
“Recently, more than a thousand persons involved in gangs have showed us their willingness to leave the violence, but don’t see the legal or social guarantees needed to reintegrate in society,” Spanish press agency EFE quoted the letter.
The letter was also given to Santos when he was in the capital of Antioquia on Saturday for a communal meeting.
The letter urges special legislation to deal with the problems with violence in Medellin, where more than 1,600 people were murdered and at least 2,500 displaced so far this year.
The letter was signed by the “facilitation commission of peace,” that also brokered a temporary cease fire between gangs in early 2010.
The “commission” supports “the efforts of the Mayor of Medellin, Alonso Salazar, to counter the urban violence.”
The so-called “notables” that signed the letter say they also support the recently announced urban security plan proposed by the government.
In the letter, the “commission” stressed Santos to integrate education, work “and the values of democratic life” should be on the security agenda.
The “notables” offer Santos their support and say they trust the message “will not fall in a void.”