Colombia, FARC sign Historic Pact ending 52-year Civil War
The Colombian Government and left-wing FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) rebels have signed a historic agreement that formally brings an end to 52 years of civil war.
The agreement was signed by President Juan Manuel Santos and rebel leader Timoleon Jimenez, known as Timochenko at the ceremony in Cartagena.
Key Facts
- Under the deal, the FARC will be relaunched as a political party and will be able to contest elections scheduled to be held in October 2016.
- The agreement comes after four years of talks between President Santos and Timochenko in Havana, Cuba.
Significance of Agreement
The agreement brings end Latin America’s longest-running conflict (civil war) which has killed 260,000 people and left six million internally displaced. Now as part of the deal FARC rebels must hand over weapons to the United Nations within 180 days.
About Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)
- FARC is Colombia’s largest rebel group and Latin America’s oldest left-wing insurgency.
- It was established in 1964 as a communist-inspired peasant army fighting to reduce the gulf dividing rich and poor and land reform for equality in the Andean country.
- Since its formation it was also active other Latin American countries in Venezuela, Panama and Ecuador besides Colombia.
- In recent times, the FARC had shifted from its original ideology and was active in illegal drug trade, kidnapping and extortion activities.
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Month: Current Affairs - September, 2016