Colombian President Gustavo Petro has announced the beginning of a bilateral ceasefire with five illegal armed groups: the National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional, ELN), Segunda Marquetalia, Estado Mayor Central, the Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia (AGC) and the Sierra Nevada group. The development came in an announcement in Bogota on New Year's Eve. The ceasefire will begin on Sunday, January 1, 2023 and last until June 30, 2023.
According to the Colombian President, the main objective of the six-month ceasefire will be to cease the humanitarian impact on the population in general and, in particular, on the ethnic-territorial and peasant communities, to suspend offensive actions and to avoid armed incidents between the Colombian Armed Forces and the five illegal armed groups.
For the initiation of these cease-fire pacts, the Colombian government will issue a specific decree for each of the organizations, where the duration and conditions of the cease-fire will be determined. The bilateral ceasefire will be verified nationally and internationally. Communities in the territories most threatened by violence have repeatedly asked for the the cessation of violence.
On Sunday, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the announcement of the six-month ceasefire with armed groups in a written statement, released by his spokesman. Mr. Guterres welcomed the “development that brings renewed hope for comprehensive peace to the Colombian people as the New Year dawns.”
“The Secretary-General trusts that adherence to these commitments will reduce violence and the suffering of conflict-affected communities, while helping to build confidence in ongoing dialogues,” the statement said. It also reaffirmed the support of the United Nations to “Colombia's efforts to achieve full and lasting peace.”
Six years after a peace accord between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) was signed, the humanitarian situation in Colombia is still marked by large scale internal displacement and insecurity due to armed violence. The country has endured half a century of intense armed conflict, perpetuated by widespread illegal drug production and trafficking and rooted in territorial control by armed groups.
Armed groups, including the ELN, dissidents of the FARC, paramilitary successor groups and drug-trafficking gangs continue to operate in the country. Civilians in various parts of Colombia suffer serious human rights abuses at the hands of those armed groups. In the shadow of the FARC and the Colombian government peace accord other irregular armed groups increased their actions, particularly in rural areas.
Since taking office in August 2022, new Colombian President Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego has made great efforts to promote peace in the country. During his term, the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN), the country's largest remaining guerrilla group, officially launched new peace talks. The first round of dialogue aimed at reaching a peace agreement was held in November in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.
Further information
Full text: Presidente Petro anuncia cese al fuego bilateral con 5 organizaciones armadas ilegales, a partir del primero de enero de 2023, Colombian presidency, press release, published December 31, 2022 (in Spanish)
https://petro.presidencia.gov.co/prensa/Paginas/Presidente-Petro-anuncia-cese-al-fuego-bilateral-con-5-organizaciones-armad-221201.aspx
Full text: Statement Attributable to the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General - on Colombia, released January 1, 2023
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2023-01-01/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-colombia-scroll-down-for-spanish