Killing continues in Colombia as FARC disarms
By
Carlota Duran
21 July 2017
After 52 years, the oldest world’s guerrilla group has laid down its arms. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos last week signed an amnesty covering 3,252 members of the FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia—Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), the last of three such decrees covering a total of 6,005 guerrillas. Another 1,400, many of whom are in prison, are being sent before judges to secure amnesty.
The decrees follow the appearance by Santos, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of the UN Mission for Colombia, Jean Arnault, and FARC leader Rodrigo Londoño, also known as Timochenko, at a ceremonial surrender of weapons in Mesetas, Colombia on June 27.
At the event, the UN inspectors verified a container filled with rifles as a symbolic act, leading to a collection and counting of all FARC weapons.
Rodrigo Londoño, ‘Timochenko’, shouted to the guerrillas at the Mesetas Camp: “Goodbye, weapons! Goodbye, war!”
The guerrillas have moved to temporary demobilization camps, established also as “Gun Drop Zones,” where thy have been slowly handing over their guns, reaching 7,132 according to the latest report. For security reasons some weapons will remain in the camps until August 1st, but for the most part, the UN inspectors said, disarmament is essentially complete.
According to media reports, the collected weapons are being packed for shipment out of Colombia and, in some cases, will be melted down and used to build monuments.
President Juan Manuel Santos said in an interview on July 1, 2017: “The disarmament of the members of the FARC registered in the country zones is complete. The recovery of weapons in the hideouts is underway. We…