Colombian government and FARC enter negotiations

World Today

Peace talks are underway between the Colombian government and the rebel group known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia– FARC. The negotiations are happening in Cuba.

The FARC rebel negotiators arrived for talks prepared to confront what their newsletter describes as the most thorny issue so far, how to compensate victims of the conflict.

Fifty years of conflict has killed more than 200,000 people and forced millions more from their homes. FARC has acknowledged that innocent civilians suffered and died but maintains that state-backed paramilitaries were responsible for the majority of victims.

The peace talks were put on hold for the Colombian presidential elections. Had President Santos lost, the whole process might have collapsed. The Colombian government is concerned about a recent upsurge in guerrilla attacks. So far it has taken almost two years to reach agreement on three of the six topics on the agenda: the drug trade, rural development and integrating FARC into the political process. That is now in jeopardy after a recent Colombian high court ruling that rebels guilty of atrocities cannot hold public office.

The first victims of the conflict are due to bring their stories to the table later this week.

CCTV America’s Michael Voss reports from Havana.

Colombian government and FARC rebels enter negotiations

Peace talks are under way between the Colombian government and the rebel group known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-- or FARC. The negotiations are going on in Cuba.

Bernardo Perez Salazar has years of experience researching armed conflict and he works for a think tank called the Peace and Reconciliation Foundation. Bernardo joins CCTV American from Bogota to talk about developments at the peace negotiations.

Bernardo Perez Salazar on the peace negotiaions in Cuba

Bernardo Perez Salazar has years of experience researching armed conflict and he works for a think tank called the Peace and Reconciliation Foundation. Bernardo joins CCTV American from Bogota to talk about developments at the peace negotiations.