Colombia’s largest rebel group will assume responsibility for reparations to victims of the country’s decades-long armed conflict, according to a FARC press release on Wednesday.
The 27th round of peace talks in Havana between the FARC and the Colombian government turned to the issue of victim reparations on Tuesday, with the FARC agreeing to commit to the process.
“We have the absolute willingness to contribute,” said the guerrilla group’s negotiator, Pablo Catatumbo.
“We assume our responsibility, keeping in mind the political-military nature of our organization, our programmatic purposes….and norms for our behavior with the civilian population,” added Catatumbo.
Last weekend, the FARC leader released a web statement saying that his group will accept the “corresponding consequences” of civilian victimization during 50 years of violence.
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At the same time, it was announced that the “Commission for the Clarification of the Roots and the History of the Conflict” will be installed this month.
In March, the government firmly stated that there would be no “truth” or “history” commission until a peace deal was signed
MORE: No truth commission before Colombia peace deal signed: Govt to FARC
The commission’s job is to contribute to a precise definition of responsibilities, beginning with the origin and persistence of the armed conflict.
Finally, Catatumbo noted that the Colombian government “would have to make an enormous fiscal effort to finance the material compensations, at least for a decade to come.”
Sources
- Nuestro Compromiso Con Las Victimas Del Conflicto y Sus Derechos (FARC press release)