The commander of the majority of Colombia’s dissident FARC guerrillas declared a unilateral ceasefire ahead of a possible multilateral ceasefire that includes the security forces.
In a video published by guerrilla organization CCO, guerrilla commander “Ivan Mordisco” of the Southeastern Bloc announced on Friday that “all FARC guerrillas are ordered to avoid confrontations with the security forces as much as possible.”
Mordisco said the guerrillas would only use force to defend themselves against attacks, but said nothing about possible confrontations with other illegal armed groups.
The commander of the guerrillas that have rejected on ongoing peace process with the FARC or have rearmed in recent years said that the unilateral ceasefire was meant to create the conditions for a bilateral ceasefire.
The FARC dissident leader’s order to cease fire comes a day after President Gustavo Petro announced that a multilateral ceasefire with multiple illegal armed groups would be possible “in a matter of days.”
The Southeastern Bloc commander said that he “hoped for reciprocity from the government and the security forces.”
Petro says multilateral ceasefire in Colombia possible in “matter of days”
Progress in “Total Peace” negotiations
The government’s top peace official, Danilo Rueda, and representatives of Mordisco’s guerrilla organizations have been negotiating Petro’s “Total Peace” plan under supervision of the United Nations and the government of Norway for weeks.
This peace policy includes a possible resumption of peace talks with guerrilla group ELN and negotiations to demobilize paramilitary organization AGC.
These negotiations were initiated by former President Juan Manuel Santos in 2017, but abandoned by former President Ivan Duque the next year.
On top of resuming these negotiations, Petro has invited FARC dissidents and organized crime groups to negotiate their participation in his “Total Peace” plan.
Mordisco’s Southeastern Bloc and his allies of the CCO are in control of the majority of former FARC guerrillas who either rejected a 2016 peace deal with Santos or rearmed during the subsequent peace process.
These group’s main rival, the Segunda Marquetalia group of former FARC commander “Ivan Marquez” have also expressed interest in negotiating pace with Petro.
Rearmed former FARC guerrillas support Colombia’s “Total Peace” plans
In fact, more than 20 illegal armed groups have said they would demobilize in return for promised judicial benefits, according to think tank Indepaz.
The ceasefire of the Southeastern Bloc and their allies of the CCO would affect only southern Colombia where these group assumed control over many of the regions abandoned by the FARC.
Uncertainties about ceasefire
To what extent Mordisco’s ceasefire will reduce violence in southern Colombia is uncertain as it refers exclusively to attacks on the security forces.
Much of the violence caused by the FARC dissidents is related to their attacks against rivals and aggression towards the civilian population.
The Southeastern Bloc commander additionally said that his guerrillas would step up the protection of the environment, which the FARC historically did with the threat of violence.
Neither Mordisco not the government announced a mechanism that would allow to monitor the guerrillas’ compliance with their ceasefire or address possible violations.