WOLA Experts Available for Comment
Media Advisory
Washington, D.C.—Tomorrow, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are expected to formally sign an accord to implement a bilateral ceasefire, which could end hostilities in the Western Hemisphere’s longest running armed conflict and pave the way for a potential peace agreement.
The two sides are also expected to announce agreements on other key issues: how the FARC will demobilize into so-called “Concentration Zones,” lay down arms, as well as safety guarantees for former guerrillas. Reports indicate that Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos will be in Havana, Cuba for the announcement, where the peace negotiations are taking place, along with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. This agreement will pave the way for the parties to finalize a peace accord in the coming months.
WOLA (the Washington Office on Latin America), a leading research and advocacy organization that has monitored the Colombian peace process since it first began, has prepared a series of analytical pieces and videos on how to ensure the success of a potential bilateral ceasefire agreement. The series looks at:
- The uncertainties surrounding how the FARC will demobilize into so-called “Concentration Zones”
- Why integrating the rights of Afro-Colombians and indigenous groups is crucial to the success of a potential agreement
- The role of the military in a post-conflict Colombia
- The need to incorporate members of Colombia’s vibrant civil society in the construction of a sustainable peace
WOLA’s experts on Colombia, Gimena Sánchez and Adam Isacson, are available for comment on the importance of the potential bilateral ceasefire. To interview Ms. Sánchez or Mr. Isacson, please contact:
Kristel Muciño
Communications Director, WOLA
Tel: +1 (202) 797-2171
press@wola.org