Colombia’s FARC rebels announce unilateral cease-fire

Four countries supporting peace talks between the Colombian government and FARC rebels called Tuesday for an “urgent de-escalation” of armed conflict, as 1,200 terrified indigenous people fled more heavy fighting.

The guerrillas said they were responding to a call for restraint by both sides that was issued the previous day by Cuba and Norway, which are helping facilitate the negotiations in Havana. “We consider these steps essential”.

Cuba, Norway, Venezuela and Chile reaffirmed their commitment to continue with their contributions to advance the talks that have been going on in Havana since November 2012 and the adoption in the near term of a final agreement to end the conflict and build a “stable and lasting” peace in Colombia.

The Colombian government’s top negotiator has threatened to walk away from peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) as a result of the recent intensification of the war.

A rash of low-intensity bombs which detonated last week in Bogotá has alerted security forces that the country’s two guerrilla groups, FARC and the maoist National Liberation Front (ELN), could be planning a campaign of terror in the large cities to erode the resolve of Colombians and impact the urban population which has been relatively immune to the upsurge in violence.

Despite the renewed bloodshed the Colombian government said for the first time Saturday that it was potentially open to a bilateral ceasefire.

Rebel leader Ivan Marquez, who is taking part in the talks, read a statement saying the guerrillas want to sign a peace accord and called for calm and perseverance at the talks. Santos ordered a resumption of air assaults in response to a rebel attack that killed 10 soldiers.

Measures to deescalate the violence in December past year, including a unilateral ceasefire by the FARC, have failed.

Since then, about 30 rebels have been killed in army operations and recent surveys show the public to be wary about the peace process.

Meanwhile, the parties seem unable to come to an agreement on how to guarantee justice for the growing number of victims of the 51-year-old war, the agenda point that is now being negotiated. Still under discussion are victim reparations and the Farc’s demobilization.