RPR Peace Mail_February 14-20

Abstract

The final group of FARC-EP combatants arrived Saturday, February 18th, in La Montañita, Caquetá. In total, roughly 6,900 FARC-EP guerrillas have gathered in transitional zones. High Commissioner for Peace, Sergio Jaramillo, announced on the 16th that the FARC-EP militias will remain in their homes so as not to burden the already strained infrastructures of the transitional zones. FARC-EP leaders, after meeting with representatives of the GOC and the senate sub-committee for tracking the implementation of the peace accords, announced that all minors will be out of the FARC-EP ranks by the beginning of April. The GOC passed Decree 277 (2017), which regulates the way in which judges and attorneys can apply amnesty to members of the FARC-EP. Separately, five individuals have been selected for the commission charged with selecting the nearly 100 of the magistrates who will comprise the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP). The second initiative after the Amnesty Law to take advantage of the Congressional fast track process has passed 54-0. The new transitional article added to Law 5 (1992) allows for three members of the Voces de Paz movement to participate in the House of Representatives, with three additional in the Senate. Jean Arnault addresses CSIVI on challenges in transitional zones and timeline for laying down of arms. ELN-GOC split into two sub-committees to continue simultaneous talks.