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Uni Bautista Cali
Colombia longs for peace
Recently, Colombia held a public referendum to invite people to ratify the peace agreements which would put an end to 50 years of a bloodthirsty war between the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias Colombianas (FARC) and the Colombian Government.
I want to share the lucid analysis that I received from Angelica Rincón Alonso and Michael Joseph on Colombia and the work of the Organization JustaPaz.
Peace Agreements
The summary of the peace agreements that put end to the war are:
- Comprehensive rural development. Despite 50 years of war, the lands remain owned by big business. The agreement requests that is establish areas protected and that is create a jurisdiction agrarian.
- Incorporation of the FARC to Colombian political life. Exchange ballot by bullets that means to grant to the FARC, by a term of 2 years, 5 of 188 delegates in the Chamber of representatives, and others 5 of 88 seats in the Senate. The agreement includes the commitment to review the electoral system, so as to guarantee the electoral participation of marginalized areas and the eradication of vote buying.
- End of the armed conflict. Defines the rules for the cessation of fire in 28 points of the country. Includes the creation of guarantees that prevent the extermination of those peasants that lay down the weapons.
- Combating drug trafficking. Establish programs that effectively manage the substitution of those crops of coca by other products agricultural. The agreement ensures no criminalization of those who voluntary opt for this road, and that the attack will be made against criminal gangs. It also establishes a public policy aimed to serve the drug consumer population.
- Victims. Establish a Truth Commission to investigate war crimes and that processes to find missing people. It will give general amnesty to the guerrilla and to the army, but in atrocious cases will be judged at a special Court.
- Implementation, referendum and monitoring. It was established that a public referendum would be held and monitored by the Security Council of UN and CROG of Holland.
The Director of Justapaz in Bogota, Jenny Neme Neiva, encouraged the Congress of Colombia to choose Yes. Congress said yes to the signing of the peace agreements. Surprisingly, a few weeks before, by a minimum margin of votes, the people in the referendum had rejected the agreements.
How could it occur that the people reject peace? I asked. They explained to me that there was a campaign of terror, which argued that Cuba and Venezuela would take control of Colombia and that the agreements would impose nationwide equal marriage for same-sex couples. Terrified, the people allowed those fears to influence their decision.
What did churches vote for in the plebiscite? I went back to ask. They replied: everything was based on their location. They explained: the churches located in large cities, which did not really feel the war, voted no. Churches located in areas of conflict, that saw daily massacres and violence, and that had to accompany the victims displaced by war, and cry with those who are in pain because they have suffered the same pain, voted to ratify the agreements that put an end to the armed conflict.
Santos, the President of Colombia, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, stood his ground and insisted for peace, as did the FARC, and peace was finally signed.
Baptist University of Cali
I have the privilege of collaborating with the Continental Christian Network for Peace and working with great people and great institutions. The Baptist University of Cali is an encouraging example of the educational work in Colombia. It has a committed team immersed in their reality, and a faculty with high levels of clarity and reflection like Pablo Moreno, Betty Ruth Lozano, and others. The work of the pastor Luz Amparo with the women, the strength of youth, and the commitment of all is also very noticeable.
Here, promising proposals have been generated for the Global Baptist Conference for peace that we will celebrate here in May 2018.
MICAH 3b-4:
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Everyone will sit under their own vine
and under their own fig tree,
and no one will make them afraid,
for the Lord Almighty has spoken.
If we take Micah as a model, we must pray and work to:
-prevent territories that are unwinding from becoming easy prey to pillaging
-encourage to comply with pending accounts of peace agreements in Central America
-create a movement that confronts the new expressions of violence that kills
-build solidarity through the length and breadth of the migrant corridor migrant
-generate the accompaniment of international solidarity for peace
-have a Church incarnate the Gospel among crucified peoples
That this year 2017 we may unite our strengths for peace, so that the glory of Christ be manifested, and that His will be made on Earth as it is in heaven.
Come! I invite you to be a part of those who announce their glory of the Lord, and work for bringing his kingdom of peace!