September 23, 2016
All the men and women in Our America who have dedicated their lives and efforts to end the civil injustice, exploitation, violence and marginalization that generations after generations have had to endure from the rancid oligarchy that has managed to control the course of our history for their total benefit must now support with all their efforts the final solution of the conflict between successive Governments of Colombia and the guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP) which has been one of the longest conflicts with the most serious consequences in our America.
Many unsuccessful attempts have been made to end the fighting and to lay the foundations for a lasting peace. These attempts have been led by the FARC-EP, as well as by men and women committed to justice and to safeguarding human rights. Now we have an opportunity that has been achieved thanks to a great humanist and defender of unity of the peoples of our America as a Zone of Peace. It was the Commander Hugo Chávez, recognized by both sides in the conflict, who dedicated his efforts to making Peace possible in Colombia. His example set the tone of commitment that resulted in the Peace Agreements reached in Havana. The final resolution has now opened the doors so that the Colombian people can re-unite in peace and justice.
The supportive role played by the revolutionary government of Cuba is important to be noted as it proved decisive in developing the process of dialogue as well as achievement of the general Peace Agreement in Havana. Almost from the beginning Cuba welcomed the dialogue along with the collaboration of the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Norway and Chile. Cuba and Norway acted to ensure the process, while Venezuela and Chile were companions.
The Network of Intellectuals, Artists and Social Movements in Defense of Humanity (REDH), in reaffirmation of its commitment to the defense of peace, justice, solidarity between peoples and transparency, accepted an invitation from the negotiating team of the FARC-EP to attend a dialogue in Havana where the Network was briefed on the progress achieved and the expectations in the long-desired Peace in Colombia which is also Peace in Our America.Accordingly, the REDH expresses its appreciation and commitment to this Peace Dialogue, which must now be a cause of joy for all the people of the region, and consequently:
We add our support to such commitment and express our desire to work hard so that the conditions ensure the participation of all Colombian society in the building of a peace mediated by a culture of reconciliation, coexistence, tolerance and non-stigmatization. This is necessary to ensure the reunion without revenge or violence of those who took up the armed struggle and those who stood in silence during this period of oppression and denial of basic rights.
We advocate for the end of the conflict and the implementation of reforms arising from the Final Agreement that will constitute the main guarantee of non-recurrence of such acts, as well as an expeditious way to ensure there will be no new generations of victims.
We support all the measures that both sides have agreed upon to guarantee a true mutual recognition and willingness to compensate the damage caused directly or indirectly by a conflict that for more than 50 years have led to innocent victims, separation of families, internal migration, forced displacement, mutilations, violations, disappearances, deaths and deep wounds in the soul of the society.
We recognize the agreement of establishing a Special Jurisdiction for Peace, which will be part of the Integral System of Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Repetition (SIVJRNR) as a great contribution to the strengthening of the Justice system and the consolidation of Peace. This will allow the Colombian State, accompanied by a society in reconciliation, to comply with its duty to investigate, clarify, pursue, judge and punish the serious violations of human rights and the serious violations of the Humanitarian International Rights (DIH) that took place in the context and because of the armed conflict.
We are confident that the peace reached will allow for a fair treatment and a full guarantee for the safety of life and human rights of all insurgents who did not participate in crimes that violated human rights, and who have decided to engage fully in the political life of the Colombian nation. We are also confident that never again will there be a massacre like the one committed against members of the Patriotic Union who honestly chose for peaceful incorporation into society.
We urge rejection and condemnation of any manifestation that goes against the strong desire for Peace and we remain vigilant against any action intended to obstruct or divert the agreements reached. In particular, we urge direct actions to dismantle criminal paramilitary structures, organized and encouraged by the Colombian extreme right, which are still functioning. These groups still control large parts of Colombian territory and have spread with serious consequences into the neighboring countries of Venezuela and Ecuador, thus threatening the stability of the region.
We recognize that the reconciliation that Colombian society and the world awaits cannot ignore the crimes committed by the sides, but it must be sealed with humanitarian considerations such as amnesty and forgiveness for all those men and women imprisoned in State jails as a consequence of the state of war. There must also be forgiveness for civilians accused of complicity only for the crime of having supported what they believed was just.
We hope that this peace process in Colombia will be complemented with the installation of a similar negotiating table with the National Liberation Army (ELN) to ensure a final closing of an era of violent confrontation and to open forever a dialogue of coexistence, peaceful dispute of differences and full participation of all citizens in the conduct of public affairs and in the fair distribution of the vast wealth that characterize that beautiful country.
We support the proposal made by the Government of Juan Manuel Santos of consulting through a plebiscite the opinion of Colombian society on the current Peace Agreements, and we hope that the result will be a resounding YES. And that as a result will provide the basis for the opening of a new political and social reality in Colombia followed by a call for a Constituent National Assembly.
We call on all intellectuals, artists and social movements of Our America and of the world to accompany in a decided way this peace process that the people of Colombia desire. We believe that at the same time this process will contribute to stopping the aggressions from foreign powers on Latin American territory and shall constitute an exemplary model to follow as an important step in building a world of peace with justice.
In Our America, September 23, 2016.
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http://cuba-networkdefenseofhumanity.blogspot.com/2016/09/statement-of-network-of-intellectual.html
Source: Network in Defense of Humanity