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The negotiation team Colombian government in peace talks with National Liberation Army (ELN) guaranteed this Monday that this guerrilla must make a decision regarding peace and kidnapping, after that armed group announced that it will resume what it calls “economic retentions”.
“I believe that we have made a lot of progress in this process despite the difficulties, that there is concrete progress and concrete commitments, and therefore the Government’s availability in this process remains. He THEN have to make a decision regarding peace“said the government’s chief negotiator, Vera Grabeat a press conference.
LOOK HERE: Colombia: ELN “ends” suspension of kidnappings for economic purposes
In a statement, the ELN National Directorate said “ended its offer to unilaterally suspend economic withholdings” because a multi-donor fund for the peace process has not yet been established, to which the Government responded that the “elimination” of kidnapping is not negotiable with the State.
The parties announced in December last year, in the fifth negotiating cycle, held in Mexico Citythat the ELN would end kidnappings for economic purposes, and in February Grabe said that this armed group had released all captives by December 2023.
Kidnap rejection
The senator Ivan Cepedaof the left-wing party Democratic Pole who is part of the Government’s negotiating team, stated at the press conference that “Colombian society does not accept kidnapping as a financing practice”.
“Trade with human beings is not from any point of view justifiable as part of the practice of armed conflict (…) Therefore, this demand is reiterated to the ELN today, we are not going to renounce it and obviously we are facing a new situation, we will have to study which decisions correspond“, added the parliamentarian.
Despite this decision by the ELN, the Government delegation intends to participate in the meeting scheduled for May 20th to 25th in Caracas sign a new agreement as part of the peace negotiations.
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“For us (the meeting) continues because it is a commitment that has to do with one of the essential points of the agreements and the process, which is participation (of society). At the extraordinary meeting we had a few weeks ago, this commitment was ratified and this date was ratified, we remain firm in this commitment, which is with society.“, explained the chief negotiator.
The ELN’s announcement to resume kidnappings comes after several fights between the parties over the Government’s intention to also negotiate a territorial peace, starting with Southern Plebeians Frontfaction of this guerrilla that operates in the department of Nariñoin the border Ecuadorwhich the illegal armed group considers “violates agreed agreements”.
In view of this determination by the Government, the ELN announced last February the freezing of dialogues regarding the “critical condition” of the peace process, but later agreed to return to the negotiating table.
Source: Elcomercio
I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.
