Conflict and Violence In Colombia
Even by Latin American standards, Colombia is a violent country. Violence in Colombia is not a recent phenomenon, Colombia have experienced six of the bloodiest civil wars during the 19th century, “The war of the thousand days” (1899-1902) this lead to the loss of grand part of the population, then in the 1940s after the assassination of a liberal presidential candidate lead to a new civil war this one known as “La Violencia” which ended in the 50s by an agreement between conservatives and liberals.
Some people say violence in colombia started in the mid of 1960 when the two guerrillas organizations were formed; Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) and Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional (ELN) which are still active nowadays. It's not over yet, let's add a little bit of drug money which is the cherry of the cake on the violence conflict in Colombia, From the production and export of marijuana in the late 1970s the country began using coca paste imported from Bolivia and Peru to produce cocaine and ship it to the USA. When the infamous drug cartels were dismantled in the 90s, the guerrilla took over the drug business.This coincided with the interdiction by the US of the air bridge linking Bolivia and Peru to Colombia, which then started to grow its own coca bushes.
The drug windfall empowered guerrillas who overtime became less politically motivated and much more violent. Meanwhile, formerly splintered private armies financed by landowners and drug lords to provide protection against the extortion by guerrillas, merged under an umbrella organization called the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC). These paramilitary militias also secured a share of the drug business and made the war a lot bloodier
In June 2017, the United Nations political mission in Colombia verified that FARC guerrillas who accepted the peace agreement with the government had handed in their weapons to the mission. The demobilized guerrilla group later announced it was forming a political party, the Revolutionary Alternative Force of the Common People, However the ELN continued to commit abuses against civilians, including killings, forced displacement, and child recruitment.
PEACE NEGOTIATIONS
The peace agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC provided for the creation of a “Special Jurisdiction for Peace” to try those responsible for gross human rights violations committed during the conflict.
For me peace is something that Colombia has not achieved yet, since it's difficult, taking into account the dark background this country has, it's not impossible but the citizens will always try to bring peace and justice to everyone.
By Antonella Cantillo, Step 9
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Even by Latin American standards, Colombia is a violent country. Violence in Colombia is not a recent phenomenon, Colombia have experienced six of the bloodiest civil wars during the 19th century, “The war of the thousand days” (1899-1902) this lead to the loss of grand part of the population, then in the 1940s after the assassination of a liberal presidential candidate lead to a new civil war this one known as “La Violencia” which ended in the 50s by an agreement between conservatives and liberals.
Some people say violence in colombia started in the mid of 1960 when the two guerrillas organizations were formed; Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) and Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional (ELN) which are still active nowadays. It's not over yet, let's add a little bit of drug money which is the cherry of the cake on the violence conflict in Colombia, From the production and export of marijuana in the late 1970s the country began using coca paste imported from Bolivia and Peru to produce cocaine and ship it to the USA. When the infamous drug cartels were dismantled in the 90s, the guerrilla took over the drug business.This coincided with the interdiction by the US of the air bridge linking Bolivia and Peru to Colombia, which then started to grow its own coca bushes.
The drug windfall empowered guerrillas who overtime became less politically motivated and much more violent. Meanwhile, formerly splintered private armies financed by landowners and drug lords to provide protection against the extortion by guerrillas, merged under an umbrella organization called the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC). These paramilitary militias also secured a share of the drug business and made the war a lot bloodier
In June 2017, the United Nations political mission in Colombia verified that FARC guerrillas who accepted the peace agreement with the government had handed in their weapons to the mission. The demobilized guerrilla group later announced it was forming a political party, the Revolutionary Alternative Force of the Common People, However the ELN continued to commit abuses against civilians, including killings, forced displacement, and child recruitment.
PEACE NEGOTIATIONS
The peace agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC provided for the creation of a “Special Jurisdiction for Peace” to try those responsible for gross human rights violations committed during the conflict.
For me peace is something that Colombia has not achieved yet, since it's difficult, taking into account the dark background this country has, it's not impossible but the citizens will always try to bring peace and justice to everyone.
By Antonella Cantillo, Step 9
ResponderReenviar
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