When Justice and Reconciliation Meet in Colombia



Today the Special Jurisdiction for Peace in Colombia charged 8 former commanders of the FARC rebel group with war crimes. The BBC, whose article is linked above, reports that the 8 commanders "are accused of kidnapping thousands of people, and torturing and killing some of them. It is the first major result for the court set up after the 2016 peace deal". The FARC was a marxist rebel group in Colombia that had been waging a war against the government since 1964. A peace deal was signed in 2016 between the rebels and the Colombian government, bringing an end to Latin America's longest conflict.

The FARC employed many tactics during its 50 year struggle. In order to make money to keep the rebel group operational the FARC routinely kidnapped prominent Colombians and held them for ransom. They were also known to steal and sell oil as well as traffic illicit drugs. The group operated mainly in Colombia's mountainous southeast. 

The 2016 peace deal allowed the FARC to reintegrate its fighters back into Colombian society. The FARC also transitioned from a rebel group into a political party that is guaranteed 5 seats in both the lower and upper chamber of the Colombian legislature. This was the reconciliation part of the peace agreement. 



The peace deal also called for justice. It established the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, which today charged 8 former FARC commanders. Among those charged are party leader Rodrigo Londono, as well as Pablo Catatumbo and Julian Gallo who both hold seats in the Colombian senate. These men will have a chance to respond to the charges and face anywhere between 8 to 20 years in jail. 

When reintegrating a group who has terrorized a society back into said society two important actions must be taken. The aggrieved group of citizens who lived under the terror of the rebel group must welcome the rebel groups members back into their society. They must reconcile and forgive, to an extent, the actions taken against them. However, the rebels must also face some form of justice, so that the citizens believe their pain and suffering has not been in vain. Up until today Colombia has been reconciling its past with the FARC. Now, some FARC commanders must pay the price for peace, and accept justice for the actions they took over the last 50 years.  


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