Colombia's FARC rebels say will forfeit assets for victim reparations

Record ID: 83112

  • Title: Colombia's FARC rebels say will forfeit assets for victim reparations
  • Date: 2nd October 2016
  • Summary: SAN VICENTE DEL CAGUAN, COLOMBIA (FILE) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FARC MEMBERS ARMED AND IN FORMATION
  • Embargoed: 17th October 2016 05:38
  • Keywords: Colombia FARC victim reparations peace forfeit assets
  • Location: BOGOTA AND SAN VICENTE DEL CAGUAN, COLOMBIA / INTERNET
  • City: BOGOTA AND SAN VICENTE DEL CAGUAN, COLOMBIA / INTERNET
  • Country: Colombia
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
  • Reuters ID: LVA00152B8T3B
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Colombia's FARC rebels will forfeit all their assets to fund victims reparations, the group said on Saturday (October 1), one day before the Colombian people are set to vote on a peace deal between the insurgency and the government.
    Colombian authorities say the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, possess huge tracts of valuable land, as well as cattle ranches, shops and construction companies which have allegedly helped the group launder money from drug trafficking, kidnapping and extortion.
    Lead government negotiator in the peace process, Humberto de la Calle, said the announcement was important for the country and especially the victims of the 52-year war.
    "The FARC have just announced they are going to present an inventory of all the monetary and non-monetary resources in their possession with the proposal to make reparations to the victims. It's an important announcement. It's very good news for Colombia. But it is especially good news for the victims," de la Calle said.
    The peace deal, which will receive final approval or rejection at the polls on Sunday (October 2), requires the group to hand over all money and property before it can transition into a political party.
    De la Calle said the announcement was evidence both sides were planning on respecting the deal.
    "This shows that we are meeting the agreements, that everything will go as per the agreements as planned, that the agreements will be met. And it also shows that we never lied to Colombia. We've always said there would be material reparations and this shows that there will be. I think this resolves the point that a lot of Colombians were waiting for and what possibly became the most delicate part of the negotiations," he added.
    The funds will be given to victims of FARC killings, kidnappings, bombings and displacements and will be handed over during the demobilization process, set to begin in the days after the referendum vote.
    The government had previously said it would seize all guerrilla assets to fund the reparations, but confiscations of rebel property have so far been limited.
    Under the deal the FARC are set to develop economic projects, including tourism, farming and cheese-making, to employ their ex-fighters, but they are not permitted to fund the efforts with money earned from crime.
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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