jueves, 5 de octubre de 2017

Colombia, consolidating the road to peace?



A few weeks ago, the second most important guerrilla in Colombia after the FARC, the National Liberation Army (ELN) announced an unilateral ceasefire. This was the culmination of the peace talks beetween the government and the ELN that started in February in Ecuador following an agreement last year that led to the disarmament of the much larger Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

In the upcoming Forced Migration Review issue on Latin America and the Caribbean, I write an article on the topic of New Drivers of displacement in southwestern Colombia. In this article, I draw attention on how in spite of the demobilization of the main non-estate armed group the peace is far to be reached.

Of course the abandonment of armed struggle of both FARC and ELN are very welcomed news, but the root causes of violence persist even. There has been a historical incapacity of the state to exercise its power and protect its citizens and this space has been occupied by criminal groups, guerrillas and paramilitaries. Deep inequalities in Colombian society is another important factor to take into account.

In the same way, as I analyze in the article drug trafficking along with illegal mining have been fueling the armed conflict and will probably continue to do so in the future. I strongly recommend to have a look at the latest Forced Migration Review issue where you can find this article and many interesting other ones on displacement in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Image: FMREview


Alfredo Campos García

Legal expert in asylum and conflict, focusing on the Middle East and North Africa, Central Asia and Colombia