Rebel group FARC on Tuesday released six proposals as part of peace negotiations with Colombia’s government to increase public participation in the process of public policy and planning, with a particular focus on economic policy.
At a press conference in Havana, the rebel groups’ peace delegation presented the set of proposals, an expansion of one of the points released by the rebel group in June, in which the FARC released 10 proposals regarding their political participation.
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The proposals for greater public participation in the process of public policy and planning are as follows:
- The public policy process should be democratic, with social and popular participation.
- Social and popular participation in agencies such as CONPES (an advisory body to the Government on all aspects of economic and social development of the country) and CONFIS (an agency of the Ministry of Finance, responsible for directing and coordinating Fiscal Policy Budget System) as well as the board of the bank of the republic.
- The process of planning should be democratic, with social and popular participation.
- The budget process should be democratic, with social and popular participation.
- Comptroller social development plans and budgets.
- Macroeconomic policy for the good living of the population and a genuine rule of law.
In an expansion of the first point, the FARC proposed the formation of the National Council for democracy and participatory public policy, under the principle and the guarantee of national sovereignty.
To this end, the council will not only be represented by powers of the state such as business groups, but will be represented by ordinary workers, indigenous people, peasants, the youth and women.
The rebel group criticize the economic policy of previous governments, insisting that “fundamental changes (need to be made) in the prevailing political system riddled with fraudulent illegitimacy.”
“Public policy management will only be democratic if recognized, included and strengthened by people’s initiatives regarding the management of the economy and budget policy,” added the guerrillas.
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.