Former civil war foes team up in friendly Colombia v Rwanda sitting volleyball match

Record ID: 83297

  • Title: Former civil war foes team up in friendly Colombia v Rwanda sitting volleyball match
  • Date: 1st October 2016
  • Summary: SANTOS WATCHING MATCH
  • Embargoed: 16th October 2016 20:47
  • Keywords: Colombia Rwanda peace volleyball reconciliation FARC
  • Location: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
  • City: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
  • Country: Colombia
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
  • Reuters ID: LVA003526ASEB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos attended a sitting volleyball match on Saturday (October 1) between teams from Rwanda and Colombia made up of formerly opposing sides of the nation's respective civil wars.
    The match took place a day before Colombia votes in a plebiscite on whether to ratify a peace agreement signed this week between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to end 52 years of internal conflict.
    Santos said Rwanda's history from genocide to reconciliation served as an example that peace is possible in Colombia, and that the African case had been studied thoroughly ahead of the negotiation process.
    "This match is a sporting competition, but one of union and peace, a demonstration against war," said Santos.
    Leading the Rwandan side was Dominic who had fought in the civil war with the Tutsi ethnic group. He stood alongside his teammate Jean who he said he believed had shot him in the leg when fighting with the Hutu-led government.
    Opposite them were Carlos and Gabriel, one a former guerilla fighter of the FARC's 40th front who lost his hands in an explosives unit six years ago, and the other a former government soldier who lost his leg fighting in the conflict three and a half years ago.
    Sitting volleyball follows the same rules as the better known version of the sport, but each player must keep one buttock on the floor at all times or be penalised for what is known as "lifting". Players may hit the ball with any part of their body.
    Polls open at 8 a.m. (1300 G.M.T.) on Sunday, with results expected by 6 p.m. (2300 G.M.T.). Surveys show the nation is likely to approve the accords.
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