Luis Jesús Sánchez Durán

Teacher Jose Lim Serrano

B2.5 English Course Ilenguas

29 October 2014

The Colombian Government Tool

Colombia has been suffering over the past 50 years. This is due to a civil war that has

been raging between the national government and some armed groups outside the law including

FARC like the main. Unfortunately those affected by this war have been mostly civilians.

Realizing what happened, the Government has tried to find a way to end this senseless conflict.

While it is true that there have been various discussions with the FARC in the past, the ongoing

negotiation seems to be the most promising for the Colombian population. However, the current

peace process in Colombia is a government ruse that serves other purposes and its possible

success would be immersed in impunity.

In Colombia it is expected that the current peace process become successful because the

long period of war has traumatized the population and society. However, inappropriate

perspective about the way to reach the peace has been presented. It is noteworthy that some of the

agreements that are to arrive at the ongoing peace process involve an 'absolution' for many of the

crimes committed by the insurgent group. This will undoubtedly lead to a social crisis due to the

high impunity which could take place, and the victims will be the most affected. So, if the

ongoing peace process continues its course, impunity will be inevitable and victims will be

victimized again. According to Caracol.com.co, the proctor, Ordoñez, said that “We all want

peace, we all know that with the dose of impunity that Guerrillas wants it is not possible have

peace, there cannot be a sustainable peace”.

Moreover, it should be mentioned that the peace process has taken about two years to

develop well above the stipulated time originally. It is a problem because the government has

been using the negotiations with the FARC for its own benefit and the government is not really

concerned on fasting forward but maintains it as a tool to be used when necessary. Evidence of

this was in the last presidential election when the Government took the peace process as the

campaign flag to gain popular support to achieve reelection. Finally, the lax attitude of the

government against the armed actions of the FARC can also be considered as evidence that the

peace process is being used as a government tool. In this sense, SEMANA.com quoted the former

judge Eduardo Cifuentes who said "Santos capitalized the left sectors which ended up supporting

him on the issue of peace," adding that "the theme of peace hope was well handled by Santos"

In contrast, there are different positions which ensure that the main and only goal of the

peace process is to achieve peace, and therefore, it should be take the chance of the current

negotiation to reach peace, no matter the cost. The main problem with this attitude is that the

social risk is not analyzed and this attitude aims to bury the heinous crimes committed by the

FARC. It is noteworthy that the FARC are not willing to face harsh penalties and that the

government has the need to negotiate peace because the peace is its ongoing commitment with

Colombia. Furthermore, the pride of President Santos can be add as an extra ingredient in a

possible disastrous outcome because President Santos would be an important part of history as

the man who ‘brought peace’ to Colombia, so he will negotiate it in anyhow.

Americaeconomia.com quoted Senate President, José David Name, who said, "The Colombians

know we will have to make some sacrifices for the future to achieve peace"

Until a solid plan is not consolidated where the entire Colombian population is involved

and in accordance with their development, the current peace process should be reconsidered by

the national government, the peace process should no longer be used as a tool to achieve pro-

government purposes anymore. So impunity may be the only negative result of this negotiation

process where the particular objectives and folly prevail as a product of the eagerness of the

national government to maintain a good public image.

ONLINE SOURCES

“Proctor insists that the peace process will bring impunity”. Caracol Radio. 27 February 2014.

<www.caracol.com.co>.

“Peace won”. Semana. 16 June 2014. <www.semana.com>.

“President of the Colombian Senate: the country must "make sacrifices" for peace”. America

Economia. 8 May 2014. <www.americaeconomia.com>.