Colombia admits rights violations in battle with leftists

Google – AFP, 25 July 2013

Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos delivering a speech at the

 Constitutional Court in Bogota on July 25, 2013 (Colombian Presidency/

AFP, Juan Pablo Bello)

BOGOTA — Colombia admitted for the first time Thursday that the government has been guilty of "serious human rights violations" during its 50-year battle with leftist rebels.

President Juan Manuel Santos made the admission in a speech aimed at defending a constitutional amendment known as the "legal framework for peace," which is considered the legal basis for ongoing peace negotiations.

The Bogota government and rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia since November have been engaged in talks aimed at ending the conflict, Latin America's longest running.

Santos said the government "has been responsible, in some cases by default, in other cases by direct action of some state agents, of serious human rights violations and breeches of international humanitarian law," since the conflict began.

"Our role, as agents of the state, is to guarantee and protect the rights of all citizens. For that reason, our responsibility is that much greater," he added.

But the president emphasized his admission did not absolve the rebels, who he said also are "responsible for human rights violations and international humanitarian infractions."

"If we are truly at the end of this conflict, members of FARC and the ELN and the demobilized fighters of the AUC (the far-right United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia) ... must also take on their own responsibility," the president emphasized.

"That is critical," he said.

Approved by Congress in 2012, the constitutional amendment still requires the endorsement of the constitutional court. It permits the suspension of sentences for rebel fighters who demobilize, among other statutes.

Formed in 1964, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC by its Spanish acronym, is the country's largest guerrilla group, with an estimated 8,000 fighters.

The smaller leftist National Liberation Army, or ELN, is also active in Colombia and has so far remained outside the peace process.

Related Article:

"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems  (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it),  Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse),  Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

“…  Government

Let us speak of government. We're not speaking of your government, but of any government - the way it works, how it survives, how it has survived, the way it campaigns, and how it elects leaders. It's going to change.

Years ago, I told you, "When everybody can talk to everybody, there can be no secrets." Up to this point on this planet, government has counted on one thing - that the people can't easily talk to each other on a global scale. They have to get their information through government or official channels. Even mass media isn't always free enough, for it reports that which the government reports. Even a free society tends to bias itself according to the bias of the times. However, when you can have Human Beings talking to each other all at once, all over the planet without government control, it all changes, for there is open revelation of truth.

Democracy itself will change and you're going to see it soon. The hold-outs, the few countries I have mentioned in the past, are doomed unless they recalibrate. They're doomed to be the same as they have been and won't be able to exist as they are now with everyone changing around them.

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In government, if you're entire voting base has the ability to talk to itself without restriction and comes up with opinions by itself without restriction, it behooves a politician to be aware and listen to them. This will change what politicians will do. It will change the way things work in government. Don't be surprised when some day a whole nation can vote all at once in a very unusual way. Gone will be the old systems where you used to count on horseback riders to report in from faraway places. Some of you know what I am talking about. Government will change. The systems around you, both dark and light, will change. You're going to start seeing something else, too, so let's change the subject and turn the page. …”