Colombian Government and FARC rebels sign revised Peace Agreement

Juan Manuel Santos, President of Colombia, and Rodrigo Londono, the leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), signed a new peace agreement on 24 November 2016.

The revised agreement will be submitted to Colombian Congress for approval. It will not be put to a country-wide vote, and would also not form a part of the Colombia’s constitution.

It is Colombian Government’s second attempt to end Latin America’s longest-running conflict, which has killed around 220000 people.

The previous deal, which was signed in September 2016, was rejected narrowly by the citizens of Colombia in a popular vote held in October 2016.

President Juan Manuel Santos was awarded the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize.

Key facts of the revised deal

• The new accord introduces around 50 changes, which are intended to temper critics led by still-powerful former President Alvaro Uribe.

• The modifications range from a prohibition on foreign magistrates judging crimes by the FARC or government to a commitment from the insurgents to forfeit assets.

• Under the revised accord, the rebels will have to declare their assets. The money will be used for reparation payments to victims of the conflict.

Background

• The Colombian Government and the FARC had signed the historic peace accord on 24 August 2016. However, the deal was rejected by the Colombian voters in a referendum.

• The peace agreement was reached after the two sides earlier in June 2016 signed the bilateral ceasefire agreement.

• Over the past four years, peace negotiators have managed to reach agreement on six areas and they are land reform, political participation for ex-rebels, justice for victims of the conflict, fighting drug trafficking, disarmament and the implementation and monitoring of the accord.