The fight for a definitive end to the long era of violence is at the heart of contemporary social life in Colombia. Without a doubt, building peace was the democratic factor that led to the greatest changes in the regime and political system. It is no coincidence that the one who governs today was precisely the protagonist of the peace process, which successfully ended not only one of the many conflicts…
Subscribe to continue reading
Read without limits
The fight for a definitive end to the long era of violence is at the heart of contemporary social life in Colombia. Without a doubt, building peace was the democratic factor that led to the greatest changes in the regime and political system. It is no coincidence that the one who governs today was precisely the protagonist of the peace process that not only successfully ended one of the numerous armed conflicts, but also led to the adoption of the current Constitution.
Seven years have passed since the signing of the final agreement to end the conflict and establish a stable and lasting peace. On the day of his inauguration, President Gustavo Petro declared that this was a key commitment of his government and that both the points of the agreement and the recommendations of the Truth Clarification Commission should be fulfilled “to the letter.” The outcome of this commitment is rich in contrasts. While there have been undeniable developments in some aspects, such as the efforts towards comprehensive rural reform and the inclusion of the implementation budget in the National Development Plan for the next four years, the results in other aspects are still poor. The protection of the lives of the peace signatories and their families, who continue to be subjected to systematic killings and persecution in their new habitats, could not be fully guaranteed. Although budgetary resources have been strengthened, implementation, institutionality and management for implementation are weak.
However, in these lines I would like to address another aspect of this review. I would like to emphasize that the transformative impact of a peace process is not only measured by the implementation of its agreements. This same balance must encompass what I call its democratic value, its impact on the regime and its dominant forces, on the moral conscience, the memory of violence and political culture in general. These changes, which touch deeper levels of the system, usually go unnoticed, but in my opinion they are the ones that give the greatest importance to peacebuilding.
In the case of the Final Agreement signed in 2016, this democratic value is expressed in many ways. First, from a global perspective, it is no exaggeration to say that this process has become a benchmark for building peace in the world. In particular, his model of restorative justice and his notion of the centrality of victims are studied in renowned academic institutions as a solution to the false dichotomy between peace and justice and are considered international standards.
These effects of restorative justice were also felt in national life. The intensive work of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) in the framework of the macro cases, the investigations carried out in a short period of time into thousands of acts of violence and the meticulous final report of the Truth Commission have become revelations and findings that have shaken public opinion and are beginning to have a devastating impact on the traditional social inertia that has led to impunity for crimes against humanity in Colombia for decades.
The democratic significance of the agreement is also reflected in the fact that it was reached against a background of widespread skepticism for peace and the enormous popularity of the war. These dialogues, conducted amid adversity, showed that it was possible to bring an end to one of the bloodiest chapters of the Colombian armed conflict. I still remember that during the negotiations, with each new crisis or obstacle, the voices of those proclaiming a catastrophe became louder: “It’s impossible with the FARC,” “It’s a repeat of other failures,” “You carry on.” Enjoying Colombian society.” But it was possible. It was shown that it was possible to build peace with an armed organization that had previously had numerous attempts that were unsuccessful and whose end had led to an increase in violence. The lesson is that peace is possible even in the most difficult circumstances and, as Lennon’s song goes, it should always be given a chance.
Newsletter
Current events analysis and the best stories from Colombia, delivered to your inbox every week
GET THIS
The agreement triggered political mobilization on various dimensions. It was itself a very participatory process in which opponents and defenders could present our arguments about the content of the Pact and resolve our contradictions through popular vote, approval and regulation. And despite the victory of the “no” vote on the agreement in the referendum, the public approach to these contradictions, overcome over time, was, in retrospect, healthy for Colombian society, as it allowed for a wide and intensive debate. Likewise, as is well known, the peace agreement with the FARC-EP helped the political left to exercise its opposition under better conditions and to win elections to the government in just a few years.
As part of this democratic value, it is also worth highlighting the formation of a social force that made this possible: the peace signatories, the victims, the leaders and the social leaders. This triumph, which at times seemed impossible, was consolidated thanks to a generation of heroes and heroines, the vast majority of whom are anonymous, and who sacrificed their lives to reach this seventh anniversary: those who laid down their weapons and despite the difficulties , they kept their word; the women and men who have led their territorial communities to build implementation projects in scenarios where other armed groups once again sowed war; or the victims and their associations who generously extended their hand of reconciliation.
The future of Colombian society is inextricably linked to the historic overcoming of the era of persistent violence and the building of a definitive and comprehensive peace. Each of the peace processes carried out in our contemporary history is part of the democratic accumulation of our society. We must continue to advance on this path: we must reach a national agreement, create a state peace policy, reach an agreement with the National Liberation Army (ELN), find a solution to other forms of violence through consensus, and achieve reconciliation as a society and a culture based on political consensus as a habitual way of dealing with national problems.
The 2016 agreement is an essential part of this democratic legacy.
Subscribe to the EL PAÍS newsletter about Colombia here and the WhatsApp channel here and receive all the important information on current events in the country.