Columbian Government and FARC signed a Peace Accord, but Voters Reject It
Statement of the Colombia Peace Project on the Peace Accord between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrillas:
After four years of negotiations, the FARC guerrillas and the Colombian government have reached a peace agreement. The Colombia Peace Project endorses the accord; but we all know this isn’t the end of the struggle. Many communities face violence as they engage in nonviolent efforts at this very moment for their rights and their land. We can hope this accord is the beginning of something bigger than politics, the beginning of a long awaited peace after more than 50 years of a bloody war with more than 6 million people forcibly displaced. We must continue to stand with the struggling communities advocating for true peace.
We can say YES to the agreements reached in Havana reflecting about what it means to Colombia and Colombians hoping to move on to a brighter and peaceful future. Colombians will vote on the accord in a plebiscite on October 2nd. Let’s celebrate this step towards peace and spread the message: ¡Sí a la paz!
Editor’s Note: The plebiscite resulted in a very narrow “No” majority of just over 50.2% in what was described as a photo finish, with only about 68% of eligible voters casting ballots. It’s unclear what this means for the peace process.
