Victims of Colombia’s armed conflict are “ready to forgive” the Colombian government and rebel group the FARC for decades of human rights violations, national media reported.
Representatives of Colombia’s 6.5 million conflict victims gathered in Congress on Monday where the announcement was made to show their support for the 10-point agenda of talks focused around their justice and reparation, according to a report from Colombian news magazine Semana.
FARC recognizes victims
This follows Saturday’s announcement in which the FARC and the government both recognized their role as victimizers in the armed conflict and announced their decision to invite victims to take part in ongoing peace talks.
MORE: FARC formally admits responsibility for victims of Colombia conflict
The FARC’s admission of responsibility in human rights violations and violations of fundamental rights of Colombians is historic; never before have the guerrillas explicitly admitted responsibility.
Representatives of political alliance Colombia Without Wounds and the Movement of Victims of State Crimes met with prominent political figures, including Senator Juan Fernando Cristo and High Commissioner for Peace, Sergio Jaramillo.
Senator-elect for the leftist Alternative Democratic Pole, Ivan Cepeda, was also present. He told Colombia Reports that the participation of victims in the peace process was “a fundamental announcement,” continuing to say that “this agreement shows that the subject of victims will be assumed in a responsible manner in the dialogues, and that the process will have the active participation of victims, their movements, and their organizations.”
10-point agenda
1. The recognition of victims
2. Recognition of responsibility
3. Fulfillment of the rights of victims
4. Victims’ participation
5. Clarifying the truth
6. Victims’ reparation
7. Guarantees to safety and security
8. Guarantees of non-repetition
9. Principle of reconciliation
10. Focus on rights