- Title: Colombians ramp up opposing campaigns for plebiscite on peace agreement
- Date: 28th September 2016
- Summary: CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA (SEPTEMBER 26, 2016) (REUTERS) MARCH FOR THE ´NO´ VOTE LED BY FORMER COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT, ALVARO URIBE PROTESTER WAVING A COLOMBIAN FLAG WITH SIGNS READING (IN SPANISH): "VOTE NO, DON´T HAND YOUR COUNTRY OVER TO THE FARC" SIGN READING (IN SPANISH): "NO MORE SANTOS #RESISTENCIA CIVIL, COLOMBIA WANTS PEACE BUT NO TO THE BAD ONES" SIGN READING (IN SPANISH): "PRESIDENT SANTOS, WE WANT JUSTICE TO BE DONE. LET´S VOTE NO IN THE PLEBISCITE" SUPPORTERS OF THE ´NO´ VOTE DRESSED IN COLOMBIAN NATIONAL COLOURS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FORMER COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT, ALVARO URIBE, SAYING: "We - the ´no´ voters - say in solidarity to those for ´yes´ that we too want peace. Our concern is not with the ´yes´, but with the fear of seeing in our constitution a weakening of democracy in the face of terrorism." BANNER READING "NO+" BANNER READING "WHERE ARE THE 400 KIDNAPPED BY THE FARC?" "NO" DEMONSTRATORS BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (SEPTEMBER 28, 2016) (REUTERS) POLITICAL ANALYST JORGE RESTREPO DURING INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) POLITICAL ANALYST, JORGE RESTREPO, SAYING: "The ´no´ movement still draws a lot of interest, for one reason, because here in Colombia, we have come out of this internal armed conflict harmed, profoundly harmed, and the necessity for vengeance, the desire for revindication and restitution is very strong, and that is why people want revenge through the application of penalties, a strong punishment for the FARC for what they did." BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (SEPTEMBER 26, 2016) (REUTERS) ´YES´ SUPPORTERS GATHERED IN BOLIVAR PLAZA VARIOUS OF SIGNS READING (IN SPANISH): "YES" BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) MEDIATOR OF PEACE NEGOTIATIONS, ALVARO LEYVA, DURING INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEDIATOR OF PEACE NEGOTIATIONS, ALVARO LEYVA, SAYING: "In the same way no one backed this, everyone said it was barbarous, but now I think about 80 percent of us will be for ´yes´. It is history. The history of the universe goes on being written everyday." CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA (SEPTEMBER 26, 2016) (REUTERS) COMMANDER OF THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF COLOMBIA, RODRIGO LONDONO ALIAS TIMOCHENKO, WALKING TO TABLE TO SIGN PEACE AGREEMENT TIMOCHENKO SIGNING PEACE AGREEMENT COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT JUAN MANUEL SANTOS WALKING TO TABLE TO SIGN PEACE AGREEMENT SANTOS SIGNING AGREEMENT TIMOCHENKO RECEIVING A PIN IN THE SHAPE OF A DOVE FROM SANTOS TIMOCHENKO AND SANTOS SHAKING HANDS
- Embargoed: 13th October 2016 21:13
- Keywords: Colombia peace plebiscite Juan Manuel Santos Alvaro Uribe
- Location: BOGOTA, CARTAGENA AND BARANQUILLA, COLOMBIA
- City: BOGOTA, CARTAGENA AND BARANQUILLA, COLOMBIA
- Country: Colombia
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA00351HDTMR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: As Colombia prepares for a plebiscite on the peace agreement signed on Monday (September 26) between the government and Marxist rebels, both ´yes´ and ´no´ campaigners ramp up the volume.
One day after signing the agreement with commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos turned his attentions to campaigning for a ´yes´ vote in the October 2 plebiscite.
"This is why it is so important that people turn out on Sunday to vote ´yes´. I want to tell you what this means. Above all, it means that each of your votes is the same as mine, it could change the history of this country, it could end the FARC, when you vote ´yes´ in the plebiscite the FARC disappear as an armed group," Santos told a crowd in Baranquilla in the north of the country.
Santos´s plea faces tough opposition, however, from a ´no´ movement led by influential former president Alvaro Uribe, who marched with some hundred protesters in Cartagena on the day of the signing.
"We - the ´no´ voters - say in solidarity to those for ´yes´ that we too want peace. Our concern is not with the ´yes´, but with the fear of seeing in our constitution a weakening of democracy in the face of terrorism," Uribe orated to the crowds.
The most recent survey, conducted by polling firm Ipsos on behalf of local media RCN Radio, RCN Television, La FM radio and Semana magazine, showed 66 percent of those voting would approve the deal, while 34 percent would vote against it.
Many, however, are against the amnesty agreed for rebel fighters and reduced penalties in exchange for community service and cooperation with demining efforts, for example.
The other point of contention for the ´no´ movement is the guarantee of five seats in the lower house of congress and five in the senate which will also be awarded to the political party to transition out of the FARC as an incentive for disarmament.
According to political analyst, Jorge Restrepo, the ´no´ movement is strengthened by the pain suffered throughout the 52-year conflict.
"The ´no´ movement still draws a lot of interest, for one reason, because here in Colombia, we have come out of this internal armed conflict harmed, profoundly harmed, and the necessity for vengeance, the desire for revindication and restitution is very strong, and that is why people want revenge through the application of penalties, a strong punishment for the FARC for what they did," said Restrepo.
On the other side of the coin, peace advisor Alvaro Leyva, who mediated throughout the peace talks in Havana, said he was confident in the potential for a ´yes´ vote and for change.
"In the same way no one backed this, everyone said it was barbarous, but now I think about 80 percent of us will be for ´yes´. It is history. The history of the universe goes on being written everyday," said Leyva.
Polls open at 8 a.m. (1300 G.M.T.) on Sunday (October 2). To make the vote's result binding, the winning side would need a majority of votes cast and support totalling at least 13 percent of the country's 33 million eligible voters. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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