Away from James Rodriguez’s stupendous goals and the feverish soccer frenzy following the Colombian national team, relations between Colombia’s two largest rebel groups and the Colombian government created an eventful, but downplayed, month.
Here are a few things you missed while cheering on “Los Cafeteros” this month:
1. Dozens of children have fought and died in Colombia’s armed conflicts, UN reports
An annual report put together for the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) Security Council found that at least 81 Colombian children had been recruited into illegal armed groups in 2013.
Of those, 58 children went to Colombia’s largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and 17 minors went to the National Liberation Army (ELN), its second largest, while in six cases, the illegal group in question could not be identified.
MORE: At least 81 children recruited in 2013, 43 killed in Colombia armed conflict: UN report
2. Final stage of FARC peace talks outlined
Colombia’s government and the FARC began to outline the final topic of the peace process, the end of the conflict, local media reported on Wednesday.
The final phase of the peace talks includes the political incorporation of the FARC guerrillas into political and public life, the demobilization of the armed group, and criminal penalties for the FARC’s leaders, Bogota’s Caracol Radio reported.
MORE: Colombia govt, FARC outline last phase of peace talks
3. 15 delegates to represent victims in FARC peace talks
Colombia’s National Council of Victims selected 15 delegates to represent the victims of the Colombian armed conflict for the ongoing peace talks between the government and the FARC.
The victims will be represented for the first time in the ongoing peace negotiations with the FARC in Havana, Cuba, according to Medellin’s El Colombiano newspaper. This also marks the first time that the FARC recognized that they had been victimizers in the Colombian armed conflict.
MORE: Colombia selects 15 delegates to represent victims in FARC peace talks
4. Violence between ELN and ‘Urbeños’ displaced hundreds of Colombians
Some 300 people from the Pacific region of Colombia had been forced to flee their homes after violence broke out between rebel group ELN and neo-paramilitary group “Urabeños,” according to the United Nations.
MORE: 300 Displaced in West Colombia Over Violence Between ELN And ‘Urabeños’: UN
5. Ecuador hosted preliminary peace talks with the ELN
Ecuador President Rafael Correa said that his country had hosted preliminary negotiations and hoped to host formal peace talks between the Colombian government and the ELN.
Correa said that his country was “willing to provide all facilities, to give all our support to continue this dialogues,” according to Colombia’s El Espectador newspaper.
MORE: Correa says preliminary peace talks with ELN took place in Ecuador
Sources
- Child Rights Being Violated In Conflict Situations With Total Impunity, Says UN Official (UN)
- Children And Armed Conflict (UN)
- Gobierno Y Farc Repasan Detalles Para Empezar Última Etape De Diálogo (Caracol Radio)
- Mesa Nacional De Victimas Escogió Delegados Para Ir A La Habana (El Colombiano)
- ONU Denuncia Desplazamiento En Chocó Por Choques Del ELN y Paramilitares (El Espectador)
- Ecuador Esta Dispuesto A Albergar Eventual Proceso De Paz Con El ELN (El Espectador)