FARC-EP Disarmament Makes Peace Move Forward

On November 24, President Juan Manuel Santos and the leader of that movement, Timoleón Jiménez, signed the definitive agreement to end the fighting and hostilities

President Juan Manuel Santos said today that Colombia is experiencing a historic day because of the beginning of the disarmament of the FARC-EP, the country’s largest guerrilla, as a result of a peace agreement signed three months ago in Bogotá.

Today is a historic day: the FARC-EP says #FarewelltoArms to change violence for reconciliation; #PeaceMovesForward, the president wrote on his Twitter account.

Some 7,000 guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP) are concentrated in 19 areas and seven transitory points, within 14 departments, where they will leave the armament in their possession.

Beginning today, the tripartite monitoring mechanism, composed of UN observers and spokespersons both government and rebel organization, will begin the identification and registration of all weapons present in such temporary camps.

Simultaneously, containers will be installed in order to store these war tools, including those used by members of the FARC-EP that are part of the monitoring and verification apparatus.

The destruction of ammunition, mines, and explosives is another step in this phase, experts said.

On November 24, President Juan Manuel Santos and the leader of that movement, Timoleón Jiménez, signed the definitive agreement to end the fighting and hostilities.

Such a pact includes measures such as the bilateral cease-fire and disarmament in areas and points (smaller than the first ones) in which members of the FARC-EP will remain for several months until their reincorporation into civilian life.

Despite the delays in the adequacy of accommodation for these insurgents, both sides decided to maintain the schedule of the second process, which should end on May 29.

From then on the FARC-EP will be able to form its political party.