The United Nations Office in Colombia on Tuesday delivered over 4,000 peace proposals concerning victims of the armed conflict to Colombia’s Congress.
Colombia’s Congressional Peace Commission received the extensive list of proposals from the UN, which were collected from over 2,000 victims of armed conflict through Peace Regional Boards.
Between May and July, 2,813 people from nine of the worst affected departments in Colombia spoke about their experiences concerning the violence in the country and their ideas for solutions. Such departments included Choco and Norte de Santander.
The citizen’s proposals were also presented to the peace delegations of the Colombian government and rebel group FARC, as peace talks continue in Havana, Cuba.
“Victims do not want more victims and ask that the number of affected people, both civilian and uniformed do not continue to grow,” said United Nations coordinator for Colombia Fabrizio Hochschild at the UN ceremony Tuesday.
In addition to the proposals, victims donated various items related to their experiences with the armed conflict including chains from kidnappings and the pen of Jose Antequera, Communist leader of the Patriotic Union who was murdered in Bogota, Colombia’s capital in 1989.
Peace talks between Colombia’s government and the FARC have been ongoing 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.