Long-sought six-month ceasefire starts in Colombia with ELN rebels

Record ID: 1736316

  • Title: Long-sought six-month ceasefire starts in Colombia with ELN rebels
  • Date: 3rd August 2023
  • Summary: GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATORS AT THE EVENT (SOUNDBITE) NATIONAL LIBERATION ARMY (ELN) CHIEF NEGOTIATOR, PABLO BELTRAN, SAYING: "We are going to build a common vision of peace, and I repeat, a common vision of peace. It is not the government's vision of peace, nor is it the ELN's common vision of peace, it is the vision of peace that we build among all of us." ATTENDEE AT THE EVENT BELTRAN AND PETRO SHAKING HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NATIONAL LIBERATION ARMY (ELN) CHIEF NEGOTIATOR, PABLO BELTRAN, SAYING: "The less hostility this ceasefire receives, the less defensive operations we have to do. We have to seek to lower the intensity of the conflict, which is what a ceasefire seeks. What does that bring? More relief for the people.” BELTRAN WITH PRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CIVIL SOCIETY, YOLANDA PEREA, SAYING: "Where we can all walk tomorrow in our territories without fear of losing our lives. It is necessary to silence the guns, but it is also necessary to silence the egos, the hatred, the self-centeredness. The time has come to put ourselves in the shoes of the other to understand that Colombia is diverse". VARIOUS OF INDIGENOUS GUARDS WALKING
  • Embargoed: 17th August 2023 23:10
  • Keywords: Ceasefire Colombia ELN Peace
  • Location: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
  • City: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
  • Country: Colombia
  • Topics: South America / Central America,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA006205303082023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A six-month ceasefire between Colombia's government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group began on Thursday (August 3), representing the most solid progress to date for President Gustavo Petro's ambitious plans to end the country's 60-year conflict.
    The ceasefire, set to run until the end of January 2024, is the product of ongoing peace talks between the ELN and the government, which restarted last year in hopes of ending the group's part in the conflict that has killed at least 450,000 people.
    The United Nations Secretary-General congratulated the two sides on the ceasefire in a statement on Thursday, hailing its potential to reduce civilian suffering. The U.N. Verification Mission in Colombia will monitor the effort under a mandate from the Security Council.
    The ELN negotiations have advanced further than any of Petro's other peace-building efforts.
    (Production: Herbert Villarraga, Gloria Lopez)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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