Bogota, January 22 (RHC-EFE) – The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has completed one month of their unilateral ceasefire, although the Armed Forces have continued to launch offensives against them, according to several independent reports.
The guerrilla group said that it is complying with what was agreed and reiterated its call to the government to respond to this initiative with a bilateral ceasefire in order to lower the intensity of the armed conflict.
The unilateral and indefinite ceasefire by the FARC, in effect since December 20th, is the fifth of its kind since peace talks began in November 2012.
FARC wanted the situation to be evaluated by the Union of South American Nations, Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the International Committee of the Red Cross and Colombia’s Frente Amplio, which brings together left-wing political organizations and social movements.
Though the government, led by President Juan Manuel Santos, did not agree to a ceasefire or a verification by these organizations, on the completion of a month’s ceasefire, several reports have emerged on how the FARC have kept their word.
This has been confirmed through reports by the Ombudsman’s Office, Frente Amplio, Conflict Analysis Resource Center and the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation, who have relied on testimony and observation to evaluate if the guerrillas have stopped fighting.
“Today we can show to Colombia and the world that despite military attacks, despite orders to increase the offensive against us, on our part we are complying (with the agreed ceasefire),” FARC’s peace delegation in Havana said in a statement.
Since December 20, the FARC has issued several statements saying that the ceasefire was in danger due to bombings and other offensives on land undertaken against them.
According to the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation, there have been 17 clashes in the last month registered between the two sides, which included offensives by the government and defensive measures by the FARC.
