The unilateral ceasefire which had been declared by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia, FARC two months ago, ended on Sunday 20 January 2013, after the failure of the Columbian government of Juan Manuel Santos to declare a bilateral ceasefire, to continue negotiations, and failure to show willingness to compromise on core issues of social injustice and the literal starvation of segments of Colombia´s population..
FARC chief negotiator and second in command of the FARC Ivan Marquez told international media and representatives of Colombia´s government in Havana, Cuba, “It is with heartache that we again must return to the military phase, which nobody wants“.
Marques urged the Colombian government to reconsider the possibility of a bilateral ceasefire and a cessation of hostilities, so that peace talks could take place in an atmosphere of calm and trust, so that a solution of the conflict could spare the people of Colombia from even more suffering.
Rather than showing willingness to find a true compromise and willingness to realistically address core issues such as neo-feudalistic landownership, the role of multinational corporations in Colombia and their use of agricultural land for producing bio-fuel while the population is being starved, as well as failure of the government to show willingness to address the core issues of social injustice and inequality in Colombia, the Colombian government portrayed the ceasefire as a negotiation tactic only, while blaming the FARC for 52 violations of the ceasefire.
The FARC on the other hand has lost at least 19 soldiers in attacks which it blames on the governments violation on of the truth.
With a “mud throwing competition” ensuing about who broke the cease fire most often and why rather than addressing political issues, there was no more basis for a continuation of the ceasefire.
The government as well as private consultants on the issue have however, recognized that there has been an overall decrease in the level of violence as compared to the same period a year ago.
Although the FARC has shown an honest willingness to compromise, and even though the FARC has long ago ceased to maintain a rigid Marxist philosophy as a basis for negotiations, it cannot compromise on core issues and core problems of social injustice and a backward social and economical policy that literally starves large segments of the Colombian population, and which increasingly isolates Colombia in Latin America while its neighbors have embarked on a way of social and economical reform.
Dr. Christof Lehmann who is the Founder and Editor for the nsnbc is also one of the frequent contributors for The 4th Media.
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