• Country/entity

  Colombia
  

• Region

  Americas
  

• Agreement name

  Acuerdo entre Gobierno Nacional y las Autodefensas unidas de Colombia para la zona de Ubicación en Tierralta (Acuerdo de Fátima)

• Date

  13 May 2004

• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed

• Interim arrangement

  Yes

• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/intrastate conflict ( Colombian Conflict (1964 - ) )

• Stage

  Framework/substantive - partial

• Conflict nature

  Government

• Peace process

  Colombia IV - Uribe

• Parties

  National Govt, AUC

• Third parties

  Witness: For the OEA, MAPP/OEA support mission Sergio Caramagna For the Cath Church Monsenor Julio Cesar Vidal

• Description

  Establishes large concentration zone in Cordona to faciliate and consolidate the negotiation process between the parties (i.e. DDR), improve verification of the ceasefire, and establish a timetable for demobilization.

• Agreement document

  CO_040513_Acuerdo de Fatima-tr.pdf | Download PDF

Groups

Gender

State definition

Governance

Power sharing

Human rights and equality

Rights related issues

Rights institutions

Justice sector reform

Socio-economic reconstruction

Land, property and environment

Security sector

Transitional justice

Implementation

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AND THE UNITED SELF-DEFENCE

FORCES OF COLOMBIA FOR THE SPECIAL CONCENTRATION ZONE IN TIERRALTA, CÓRDOBA

(Agreement of Fátima)

Santa Fe Ralito, 12–13 May 2004

The High Commissioner for Peace, in representation of the national government, and the

members of the Negotiating Chiefs of Staff for the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia

(Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia, AUC), present on 12–13 May 2004, in Santa Fe de Ralito,

supported by the Organisation of American States Mission to Support the Peace Process in

Colombia (OAS–MAPP) and the Catholic Church, have reached the following agreement to

govern the operation of the Special Concentration Zone in Tierralta, Córdoba.

1. Purpose of the zone

The Special Concentration Zone is established to:

a. facilitate the consolidation of the peace process and agreements between the

national government and AUC;

b. help ensure and verify the cessation of hostilities;

c. help produce an agreed schedule for demobilising AUC members;

d. allow the roundtable for dialogue to engage with all national and international

sectors;

e. facilitate citizen participation in the process and the contribution of Colombians.

2. Demarcation of the zone

The Special Concentration Zone is bounded by the limits set out in the resolution issued by

the President of the Republic under the powers conferred by Law 782, 2002.

There will be no commercial and private flights below 10,000 feet in the airspace of the

zone.

Aircrafts that need to use the space will have special authorisation from the national

government.

3. Duration

a. The zone will have a duration of six months, which may be extended in line with the

requirements of the process.

b. The date for the establishment of the Special Concentration Zone will be agreed

between the national government and AUC and communicated in a timely manner.

c. If the zone is terminated, either by agreement or unilaterally, AUC members will have

five days to leave the zone.

d. OAS–MAPP, supported by the church, will ensure compliance with this guarantee.

4. Legal guarantees in the zone

Under Law 782 capture orders and offensive operations against AUC members inside the

demarcated territory will be suspended for the duration of the zone.

5. Governing principles

The behaviour of AUC and the national government inside the Special Concentration Zone

will abide by the following basic principles:

 desire for peace  transparency  respect for residents of the zone  mutual respect  legality  flexibility and willingness to reach agreements  good faith  agreed confidentiality of the negotiations and the objectivity of public information.

6. Basic rules of operation

a. The full force of the state and Colombian law will prevail inside the Special

Concentration Zone.

b. The national government and OAS–MAPP will have two offices in the Special

Concentration Zone, whose security is the responsibility of the Colombian public forces.

c. AUC members who leave and re-enter the zone must be authorised and guaranteed by

the national government.

Permission will be limited and only given for activities related

to the peace process.

d. The Committee for Security and Coexistence will permanently operate in the Special

Concentration Zone.

The committee will comprise:

one representative of the Office of

the High Commissioner for Peace, one representative of OAS–MAPP and one

representative of AUC.

The committee will also have the following permanent guests:

the church, a representative of the Ministry of Defence, the mayor of Tierralta, the

departmental government of Córdoba, a representative of the community and any other

agreed representatives.

e. The Committee for Security and Coexistence will make decisions and coordinate actions

related to logistics, security, internal rules for coexistence and behaviour,

communications and the access of visitors to the zone.

f. AUC members will abstain from illegal activities, recruitment, exercising pressure or

making threats against residents or visitors, armed training and ordering or coordinating

illegal actions from within the zone.

g. Violations or infractions of Colombian law will be dealt with by the relevant authorities

in line with current legislation.

h. The entry, exit and movement of residents and people carrying out activities within the

zone will be guaranteed.

i. The Committee for Security and Coexistence will define a communications policy and

regulate media access to the Special Concentration Zone.

j. OAS–MAPP will receive an inventory of arms, material of war and ammunition held by AUC members in the zone.

AUC members will abstain from manufacturing, storing,

entering or removing arms, material of war and additional ammunition.

k. OAS–MAPP will receive a report on the media and equipment for communication in the

power of civilians or AUC members operating in the zone.

l. OAS–MAPP will undertake a process to provide information and raise awareness among

the communities who are resident in the zone.

7. Security of the zone

a. The Colombian public forces will be responsible for securing the perimeter of the zone

and controlling access.

b. People and vehicles entering the zone will be searched and subject to the security

measures established for this purpose.

c. Measures to allow the installation of an internal security cordon to protect AUC will be

taken in coordination with the public forces.

d. A security plan will be established and this will be periodically reviewed by the

Committee for Security and Coexistence.

8. Verification

a. OAS–MAPP will verify compliance with this agreement and the commitments made.

b. The Verification Committee will operate inside the zone and will be responsible for

supporting OAS–MAPP in verifying the cessation of hostilities at the national level.

c. The Verification Committee will comprise one member of OAS–MAPP, one

representative of the Office of the High Commissioner for Peace and one representative

of AUC.

The committee will produce a procedure for receiving and handling complaints,

information and reports of violations of the cessation of hostilities.

For the national government

 LUIS CARLOS RESTREPO RAMÍREZ, Former High Commissioner for Peace

For AUC:

 SALVATORE MANCUSO  VICENTE CASTAÑO  ADOLFO PAZ  JAVIER MONTAÑÉZ

 JORGE 40  JULIAN BOLÍVAR  HERNAN HERNÁNDEZ  MIGUEL ARROYAVE  ERNESTO BÁEZ  RAMIRO VANOY

Witnesses:

 SERGIO CARAMAGNA, OAS–MAPP  MONSIGNOR JULIO CÉSAR VIDAL, Catholic Church