Delegates FARC
Delegates FARC, Maritza Sanchez (L), Iván Márquez (C) and Jesús Santrich (Photo: FARC-EP)
War and peace

The FARC’s 10 proposals on victim reparation

by Emil Foget

Colombia’s largest rebel group, the FARC, completed their 10 point long list of minimum proposals on victim reparation in the event the guerrillas sign peace with the government.

The government and the FARC are currently negotiating an end to the five decades of war in Colombia, a war that has killed more than 200 thousand Colombians and according to conservative estimates has left at least 6 million victims.

MORE: Colombia government, FARC release preliminary peace deals

Delegations from the two sides are currently discussing victims’ reparations in Havana. Saturday the FARC released their 10 minimum proposals for victims’ reparations, which will be their basic claims when discussing with the government.

These are the 10 proposals:

Proposal 1

Clarification of the historical truth of the conflict and its impact on the population

After the FARC repeatedly proposing a truth commission and the government denouncing it, the two parts came to an agreement on creating a historic commission in early June. This commission is currently investigating the responsibility for the deaths and human rights violations that occurred during five decades of conflict with a myriad of aggressors.

MORE: No truth commission before Colombia peace deal signed: Govt to FARC

Proposal 2

Recognition of the victims of the conflict

The FARC proposes to recognized all victims by starting in the 1930s and onwards. Victims should be defined by international law, adjusted to particular conditions of the Colombian conflict. And according to the FARC victims should be conceptualized allowing to categorize according to victimizing events. By recognizing the victims and conceptualizing a basis for recognizing their rights will be constituted.

Especially women victims should be considered along with combatants who are engaged directly in the conflict and hereby have been victimized.

The FARC ends this proposal by stating that all victims should be treated as political objects.

Proposal 3

Special recognition of collective victims; political and social organizations, trade unions and peasant and afro-descendant communities, and indigenous people

The FARC proposes that collective victim groups as mentioned above deserve special recognition, because these groups according to the FARC are victims of state terrorism.

Proposal 4

Systemic responsibility, primary responsibility of the state and multiple responsibilities including the responsibility of the guerrillas towards victims of the conflict

The fourth proposal is all about the FARC not wanting to take sole responsibility for the victimization. In this, the rebels say, the responsibility should also be carried by the state, government-aligned paramilitary groups, political parties, businesses from both Colombia and the United States, and intelligence agencies from especially from the United Kingdom and Israel.

Proposal 5

Full recognition and real and effective materialization of the rights of the victims of the conflict, with particular attention to women’s rights

One third of the FARC’s guerrillas are women, making it one of Colombia’s most emancipated armed actors. The group now seeks special attention and a special role for women involved in the conflict, be it actively or passively.

Proposal 6

Full compensation for the victims of conflict and creation of the Special Fund for Comprehensive Compensation (FERI)

The Special fund for Comprehensive Compensation, or FERI, should be funded with 3% of Colombia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which translates to $11.3 billion. The goal with the compensation is to “re-establish the situation of individual and collective victims as it was before the victimizing events took place, and compensate the impact on their lives, ‘according to international standards’.”

MORE: FARC proposes $11B fund for Colombia conflict victims

Proposal 7

Direct participation of the victims of the conflict and their organizations in the definition of policies for the effective protection of their rights

Victims are already participating in the definition of policies, as the government and the FARC has agreed on letting 60 victims contribute to the negotiations in Havana. The 60 victims will be spread over five delegations, of which the first two have already contributed.

MORE: Colombia peace talks resume, 2nd panel of victims to discuss grievances

Proposal 8:

Agreed definition of legal mechanisms and tools to ensure the rights of the victims of the conflict.

Proposed mechanisms for victim compensation should be based on International Humanitarian Law, the guerrillas say. The FARC’s approach to justice should be based on the recognition of political offense and the right to rebellion, including crimes necessary for or related to the right to rebellion.

FARC ends the eighth proposal by saying that no pact of impunity may be agreed between government and the FARC.

Proposal 9

Provision of real and material guarantees of non repetition

According to the FARC, Colombian society as a whole needs to transform, both politically, economically, socially and culturally.

Politically this proposal consist of abolishing anti-communist and counter-insurgent doctrines. “Paramilitarism” will have to be dismantled and society and state will have to be demilitarized, to guarantee repetition will not occur. FARC suggests creating a “Permanent Constitutional Committee of guarantee, protection and promotion of human rights and prevention of its violations.”

Proposal 10

Political and social pardon to construct the bases for a process of national reconciliation

In its tenth proposal, the FARC says that only the victims of the conflict and society as a whole can grant forgiveness for the conflict, and that a pardon is needed to reconcile as a country. The rebels additionally propose setting up cultural ceremonies, museums and “social justice” to strengthen democracy.

Sources