The Colombian government and the leftist FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) rebels have signed a historic ceasefire and disarmament agreement.
It was signed in presence of Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, FARC leader Timoleon Jimenez and UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon at a ceremony held in Havana, Cuba.
Key Points
The ceasefire and disarmament agreement is considered as one of the last steps toward ending a half-century conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people in Colombia.
The deal puts a definitive end to fighting in Latin America’s longest civil war, which has torn Colombia apart with shootings and bombardments in its coca-rich jungles and hills.
The ceasefire and disarmament agreement establishes a bilateral ceasefire and end to hostilities and the definitive laying down of arms.
Under the agreement, the FARC rebels must hand over its weapons to United Nations monitors within six months.
The FARC’s members (estimated to be around 7,000) will gather in “normalisation zones” for a demobilisation process.
The sides also agreed to government action against “criminal organisations” blamed for fueling the conflict.
About FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia)
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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