Colombian Gov't, FARC Rebels Sign Historic Ceasefire Agreement Thursday June 23,2016

Colombians are celebrating the signing of a ceasefire by the government and the Farc rebel movement, which ended 50 years of civil war. 

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos (L) shakes hands with Timoleon Jimenez (R), the top leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), next to Cuban President Raul Castro, in the signing ceremony of a historic ceasefire agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC, in Havana, capital of Cuba, on June 23, 2016

 Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and top FARC commander Timoleon "Timochenko" Jimenez presided over the signing ceremony in Havana, Cuba, which was attended by world dignitaries, including Latin American heads of state and the secretary general of the United Nations(UN)

The agreement sets up mechanisms for the FARC to disarm and its transition to a political party or movement, although the disarmament process will not begin until a definitive peace treaty is signed.

The agreement follows nearly four years of peace negotiations in Havana, which hosted the talks, and commits the Colombian government and rebels to set aside fighting and adopt peaceful, democratic means of resolving their disputes. 

The head of the Colombian government delegation to the talks, Humberto de la Calle, signed on behalf of the government, while his FARC counterpart, Ivan Marquez, signed on behalf of the rebel group.

Who are the Farc?

• The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc, after the initials in Spanish) are Colombia's largest rebel group
• The main enemy of the Farc have been the Colombian security forces. Farc fighters have attacked police stations and military posts, and ambushed patrols
• They have been hit hard by the Colombian security forces over the past years

The head of the Colombian government delegation Humberto de la Calle (L) and the head of the FARC-EP delegation Ivan Marquez (R) shake hands after the signing the historic deal 

In the capital, Bogota, people took to the streets, hugging each other and singing the national anthem.

The announcement is seen as one of the last steps before a full peace deal is signed, which is expected within weeks.

Hundreds of Colombians watched the announcement on a giant screen in downtown Bogota

  
People in Bogota left messages marking the end of the civil war 

 

The longest-running insurgency in the Western hemisphere left some 220,000 people dead and millions displaced.

Thursday's announcement in Havana caps formal peace talks that started three years ago in the Cuban capital.

Thursday's announcement included:

• A commitment that rebels will lay down arms within 180 days of a final peace deal
• The creation of temporary transition zones and camps for the estimated 7,000 rebels
• A provision that no civilians will be allowed to enter Farc camps, to guarantee rebel security
• A provision that UN monitors will receive all the group's weapons

But it does not mark the start of the ceasefire, which will only begin with the signing of a final accord.
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos has previously said he hopes to sign that by the end of July.

The announcement of the Farc ceasefire dominated the headlines of the online editions of the main Colombian newspapers and other media outlets.

Centre-left newspaper El Espectador featured extensive coverage of the news of the agreement and a banner headline, which reads: "The guns went silent" along a striking image of two guerrilla fighters in action. It also covered the key points of the deal as well as the history of the conflict.

Conservative newspaper El Tiempo emphasised President Juan Manuel Santos's statement that the final agreement would be signed in Colombia, not Cuba.

Medellin-based newspaper El Colombiano featured a commentary by former President Alvaro Uribe, who remains sceptical about the prospects for peace, saying "the word peace is wounded".

One of the main national radio networks RCN ran a story citing Farc leader Timochenko saying: "We are going to do politics without arms."

Timeline of 5 decades of Farc insurgency

1964: Formed by Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda after fleeing a government assault on communist groups in the country. Farc, or the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, was formed in 1964 with the stated intention of overthrowing the government and installing a Marxist regime.
Farc founder Manuel Marulanda Velez  

At its peak Farc was the largest and best equipped guerrilla force in Latin America 

 
1966: Farc are adopted by the Communist Party of Colombia as its armed wing. 
1977: Farc rebels kidnap a US Peace Corps volunteer who is held for three years and released following payment of a $250,000 ransom.
1984: Ceasefire agreed following talks with the government. 
1985: Farc guerrilla fighters attack several firms based in Medellin, including IBM, Union Carbide and Xerox.
1986: Rebels demand $100m from the Shell Oil Company to operate in the Magaleas valley. The firm refuses to pay and suspends operations in the area. 
1987: Ceasefire agreed in 1984 ends following the assassination of a presidential candidate associated with Farc.
May 1991: Second attempt at peace process begins. Talks collapse a year later. 
August 1996: Farc take 60 Colombian soldiers hostage; the first mass abduction carried out by the group.
May 1999: President Pastrana and leader Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda announce the start of a period of "negotiation and dialogue" following a meeting between the two in July the previous year. Large areas of the country are demilitarised to facilitate the talks. 
November 2001: US State Department lists Farc among groups whose assets are subject to seizure as part of the "war on terrorism".
20 February 2002: Farc rebels hijack a domestic flight carrying 24 passengers, prompting President Andres Pastrana to end peace talks which began in 1999.
22 February 2002: Senator Ingrid Betancourt kidnapped and held for six years before being rescued by the Colombian military along with 14 other hostages.
7 February 2003: Attack on the exclusive El Nogal Club in Bogota leaves 36 people dead. The leaders of the Farc are tried in absentia for the bombing in July the following year. 
February - October 2005: Surge of attacks on political and military targets, including an assault on a marine base in Narino which kills 16 people.
December 2005: Government forces seize the traditional Farc stronghold of Tolima.
31 December 2006: Former Development Minister Fernando Araujo escapes during a military operation. He had been held hostage for six years. 
25 May 2008: The group confirms the death of Farc leader Manuel Marulanda from heart attack.
4 November 2011: Farc leader Alfonso Cano killed by the military. 
15 November 2011: The group announces that Timoleon Jimenez, alias Timochenko, is the new leader of the group.
28 August 2012: President Juan Manuel Santos says talks have begun over a new peace process
November 2012: Formal peace talks between the Colombian government and Farc commence in Havana, Cuba. Farc declares a unilateral two-month ceasefire.
26 May 2013: The two sides issue a joint statement announcing an agreement on land reform. Land reform is the first of six key issues laid out on the peace agenda.
16 May 2014: Farc agree to "end any relationship" with the drugs trade, upon which it relies for most of its funding. 
15 December 2015: After three years of peace talks, the two sides sign a key deal on paying reparations and ensuring justice for victims of the conflict.