Demobilized rebels of the National Liberation Army, ELN, Colombia's second largest rebel group, surrendering to the army back in 2009 in Tumaco, Colombia. AP Photo/William Fernando Martinez. All rights reserved.
Today, the peace process in Colombia is the world’s main referent in peace-building. On September, 26, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) concluded the agreements that put an end to 52 years of armed confrontation. If the Colombian citizens endorse these agreements in the October, 2, plebiscite, this will be the main peace-building achievement since the end of the war in Nepal in 2007. These, however, will still be lame agreements, because they do not include the other armed movement in Colombia - the insurgent National Liberation Army (ELN). Without the ELN, peace will not be full.
Even though on March, 30, the government and the ELN announced the start of formal negotiations, on the basis of a five-point agenda, so far the talks have stalled over procedural disagreements. The government has urged the guerrilla force to put an end to kidnappings before proceeding with the peace talks, to which the insurgency has replied with astonishment that it accepts no condition for starting negotiations. This disagreement has resulted in major discredit for the guerrillas before a public that does not understand and does not accept that kidnapping should be something to negotiate. But this has not only meant a media and moral blow to the guerrilla force - the government and the country have also lost out.
