Colombian President, Rebels Set “Deadline For Peace”

The Colombian government and FARC rebels announced a key breakthrough in their almost three-year peace talks Wednesday with the signing of a deal on justice for crimes committed during the five-decade conflict.

In a historic meeting on Wednesday afternoon in Havana, a partial agreement was reached over transitional justice and victims’ reparations between Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and FARC head Timochenko.

He said that deep respect to the positions of the two sides, absolute impartiality, discretion and firmness, consistent support and solidarity would continue to characterize Cuba’s modest contribution to the peace process, believing that it was Cuba’s duty.

Santos and the FARC leader also agreed to establish special tribunals for former rebels and offer an amnesty, which would, however, exclude those responsible for committing war crimes or crimes against humanity. Peace negotiations between the two sides have been ongoing for several years and, despite progress, several major sticking points blocked a final push towards peace. Colombia is life, and it’s peace.

Santos sat one seat away from Timochenko, the nom de guerre for Timoleón Jiménez, with President Castro sitting between them.

A meeting between Santos and Timochenko, who is wanted in Colombia on charges of terrorism, rebellion, aggravated homicide and kidnapping, will be a landmark step in the peace process. The FARC commander has played a central role in prior peace talksand has been imprisoned in a maximum security prison in the for allegedly conspiring to “commit hostage-taking”.

If successful, it would end a conflict that has killed 220,000 and displaced at least eight million since 1964.

“We must break once and for all any link between politics and weapons”, he told a room packed with Colombian journalists and politicians. War crimes committed by Colombia’s military will also be judged by the tribunals and combatants caught lying will face penalties of up to 20 years in jail. “Most important, if the agreements are honored, there will be no future victims”.

A final resolution of Colombia’s long-running civil war moved significantly closer on Wednesday after the country’s government and largest guerrilla movement announced plans to end hostilities by early next year.

“Justice is at the heart of the peace negotiations and with an agreement on that issue, the dream of building a country in peace begins to become a reality”, the president’s office said in a statement.

Six months later, in November 2013, both sides agreed on the rebels’ political participation should a peace deal be reached, and in May 2014, they forged a comprise on the illegal drugs trade – one of the main sources of funding for the Farc.