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News > Latin America

Colombia: UN, EU Encourage Govt, ELN to Adopt a 'Path of Peace'

  • The United Nations Human Rights Commission said Tuesday that the protection of human rights and improved living conditions for citizens should be Colombia's priority.

    The United Nations Human Rights Commission said Tuesday that the protection of human rights and improved living conditions for citizens should be Colombia's priority. | Photo: Reuters

Published 17 January 2018
Opinion

Political groups around the world have criticized the delays, calling it a “political game" as the country nears presidential elections.

Colombian President Juan Santos and the rebel National Liberation Army have an obligation to the nation’s people to leave violence behind and resume peace negotiations, the United Nations and the European Union said this week.

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"The Office in Colombia of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, within the framework of its mandate, reminds the State and the ELN that their obligations regarding human rights and international humanitarian law, IHL, continue to be in force,” the United Nations Human Rights Commission said Tuesday, adding that the protection of human rights and improved living conditions for citizens should be the state’s priority.

"The UN Office for Human Rights also urges the State and the ELN to carry out measurable and concrete actions to improve the human rights situation of the people in Colombia, who reside in areas affected by the armed conflict. These human rights actions will be the ones that will allow a sustainable peace to be achieved in the country, and the Office hopes that, as soon as possible, the parties can continue to build this path towards peace, based on genuine respect for human rights."

The European Union echoed this statement, restating it’s complete support of peace negotiations and denouncing the alleged ELN attacks.

"It is unacceptable for the ELN to resume attacks. We urge them to stop, and we encourage the parties to resume the talks,” said European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides. EU members have encouraged the organization to increase its financial assistance by expanding the Trust Fund to allow for continued support of the Colombian peace process.

Political groups around the world have criticized the delays, calling it a “political game” in the midst of Colombia’s electoral field as the country nears another presidential election.

“The electoral process can't stop the peace process,” said EU member and Spanish Socialist Workers Party representative, Ramón Jáuregui, warning that the Colombian right has attempted on multiple occasions to “cock the wheel” of peace negotiations in favor of electoral interests.

Peace talks were first suspended by Colombian President Santos after his government claimed that members of the ELN had carried out several attacks against Colombian security forces last week.

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Just hours after the expiration of the ceasefire agreement between the government and guerilla militants, violence had broken out. President Santos rejected plans to reinitiate peace negotiations with the National Liberation Army.

"I have talked with the head of the government delegation in Quito so that he can return immediately to evaluate the future of the process," Santos said from the Casa de Nariño in Bogota during a televised address.

Continued acts of violence, the recent bombing in Casanare to a state-owned oil company, Ecopetrol, Sunday, which caused severe contamination to the Guiza River and a grenade attack at a Navy facility in Arauca which injured two military personnel have stalled further discussions.

"My commitment to peace has been and will be unwavering. But peace comes with concrete will and acts of peace. Not just with words," Santos said.

Numerous international groups and politicians have pushed for negotiations in the South American country to continue for the good of the nation.

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