Joint Announcement by the National Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN)

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Country/entity: Colombia
Region: Americas
Agreement name: Joint Announcement by the National Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN)
Date: 24 Oct 2017
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Colombian Conflict (1964 - )
The Colombian conflict is really a set of conflicts and the peace agreements reflect both different processes relating to different conflict groups and dyads, and processes taking place at different times in a complex peace process history. The Colombian civil war has its roots in the late 1940s and the violent infighting between liberal and the conservative factions. Emerging from the liberal tradition with a thorough grounding in nationalist communist ideology, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People's Army (FARC) began its armed insurrection against the Colombian government in 1964. Other left-wing guerrillas emerged as well, most notably the socialist/populist M-19, which would later be integrated into the formal political system in the peace process of 1990s; the National Liberation Army (ELN), which has strong roots in liberation theology, and the Maoist Ejército Popular de Liberación (EPL) (also part of the 1990 process, less successfully). Several stages of peace processes were undertaken by the various sides, which were further complicated by the emergence of right-wing paramilitary ‘self-defence’ forces. The peace agreement between the Colombian government under President Uribe and the main alliance of the paramilitary groups, the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC), concluded in 2005 and is still heavily disputed as several remnants are still active, but now subsumed under the heading ‘Bacrim’ (Bandas criminales). In addition, FARC and ELN maintain a military presence, but both demonstrate a strong interest in completing successful peace negotiations with the government, with the most recent agreements being between FARC and the Government.
Stage: Pre-negotiation/process
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: Colombia VI - Government-ELN post-2015 process
Parties: Government of Colombia and ELN
Third parties: -
Description: This agreement concerns an application to the security council on the united nations’ participation in the verification and implementation of the bilateral, temporary and national ceasefire (cfbtn) agreed between the government of colombia and the national liberation army (eln)

Agreement document: CO_170924_comunicado-conjunto-5-solicitud-onu-verificacion-cese-fuego-eln-1_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): CO_171024_ELN FARC Declaration.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: Security sector→Ceasefire→General commitments
Page 1,
The Government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army (ELN) reached a Bilateral, Temporary and National Ceasefire Agreement (CFBTN) on September 4, whereby they have together agreed on the protocols that will allow this to be implemented, valid from 1 October 2017 and until 9 January 2018.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: Page 1,
The Government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army (ELN) reached a Bilateral, Temporary and National Ceasefire Agreement (CFBTN) on September 4, whereby they have together agreed on the protocols that will allow this to be implemented, valid from 1 October 2017 and until 9 January
2018.

Page 1,
...
In this framework, the Government and the ELN have agreed to establish a Verification and Implementation Mechanism (MV&V), which will be responsible for verifying compliance with the CFBTN Agreement, which will come into force on 1 October 2017 through 9 January 2018.

Page 1,
...
This MV&V will have the participation of delegates from the Government - Fuerza Publica, the ELN, the United Nations, and the Catholic Church. Its members will not carry weapons and will enjoy security guarantees in accordance with the provisions of the Security and Protection Protocol.

Page 1,
...
It will be the MV&V that will ensure compliance with the CFBTN Agreement, and will coordinate with delegates from the Government and the ELN to prevent incidents and respond promptly and effectively to any eventualities or contingencies that may arise. For the foregoing, permanent communication channels will be established. The Mechanism will collect the relevant information and produce reports on compliance with the provisions of this Agreement.

Page 1,
...
The MV&V will analyse impartially any threats or violations of the rules and commitments agreed between the National Government and the ELN for the CFBTN. Likewise, it will inform the public opinion and the Public Talks Table on a monthly basis of its results. The functions of the MV&V for the CFBTN Agreement will be fulfilled in three (3) instances: National, Regional and Local.

Page 2, Regional Level
The regional instances, formed by the UN with the assistance of the Catholic Church, will be in charge of issuing the recommendations that are considered necessary to be implemented by the local authorities. Also, they will refer to the national instance any information on serious incidents that it must assume instead. If the incident is appropriate for the regional instance’s scope, it will submit its report and respective recommendations.

Page 2, Local Level
The local bodies, formed by the UN with the assistance of the Catholic Church through their diocesan committees, will be in charge of observing, collecting, recording and analysing information in sectors that have been given a communally-agreed greater emphasis, with respect to compliance by the National Government and the ELN of the provisions of the CFBTN Agreement. Also, it will see out the necessary coordination with the National Government - Fuerza Publica and the ELN for the local authority, in the terms of the CFBTN Agreement, in order to avoid incidents. With this goal, the ELN will maintain communication within its levels, through its own channels, to inform and coordinate with the UN delegates all the activities related to the CFBTN to avoid incidents

Page 2,
The National Government- Fuerza Publica will also maintain permanent communication within its units located in their respective jurisdictions, and will be responsible for communicating and coordinating with the UN delegates all activities related to the CFBTN to avoid incidents. Within this framework and with the abovementioned objectives, we have decided to request the UN Security Council to authorize the UN Verification Mission in Colombia to carry out the activities of verifying and monitoring the CFBTN agreement
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: Page 1,
The Government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army (ELN) reached a Bilateral, Temporary and National Ceasefire Agreement (CFBTN) on September 4, whereby they have together agreed on the protocols that will allow this to be implemented, valid from 1 October 2017 and until 9 January
2018.

Page 1,
...
In this framework, the Government and the ELN have agreed to establish a Verification and Implementation Mechanism (MV&V), which will be responsible for verifying compliance with the CFBTN Agreement, which will come into force on 1 October 2017 through 9 January 2018.

Page 1,
...
This MV&V will have the participation of delegates from the Government - Fuerza Publica, the ELN, the United Nations, and the Catholic Church. Its members will not carry weapons and will enjoy security guarantees in accordance with the provisions of the Security and Protection Protocol.

Page 1,
...
It will be the MV&V that will ensure compliance with the CFBTN Agreement, and will coordinate with delegates from the Government and the ELN to prevent incidents and respond promptly and effectively to any eventualities or contingencies that may arise. For the foregoing, permanent communication channels will be established. The Mechanism will collect the relevant information and produce reports on compliance with the provisions of this Agreement.

Page 1,
...
The MV&V will analyse impartially any threats or violations of the rules and commitments agreed between the National Government and the ELN for the CFBTN. Likewise, it will inform the public opinion and the Public Talks Table on a monthly basis of its results. The functions of the MV&V for the CFBTN Agreement will be fulfilled in three (3) instances: National, Regional and Local.

Page 2, Regional Level
The regional instances, formed by the UN with the assistance of the Catholic Church, will be in charge of issuing the recommendations that are considered necessary to be implemented by the local authorities. Also, they will refer to the national instance any information on serious incidents that it must assume instead. If the incident is appropriate for the regional instance’s scope, it will submit its report and respective recommendations.

Page 2, Local Level
The local bodies, formed by the UN with the assistance of the Catholic Church through their diocesan committees, will be in charge of observing, collecting, recording and analysing information in sectors that have been given a communally-agreed greater emphasis, with respect to compliance by the National Government and the ELN of the provisions of the CFBTN Agreement. Also, it will see out the necessary coordination with the National Government - Fuerza Publica and the ELN for the local authority, in the terms of the CFBTN Agreement, in order to avoid incidents. With this goal, the ELN will maintain communication within its levels, through its own channels, to inform and coordinate with the UN delegates all the activities related to the CFBTN to avoid incidents

Page 2,
The National Government- Fuerza Publica will also maintain permanent communication within its units located in their respective jurisdictions, and will be responsible for communicating and coordinating with the UN delegates all activities related to the CFBTN to avoid incidents. Within this framework and with the abovementioned objectives, we have decided to request the UN Security Council to authorize the UN Verification Mission in Colombia to carry out the activities of verifying and monitoring the CFBTN agreement
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: Cuba Debate
http://www.cubadebate.cu/noticias/2017/10/24/eln-y-farc-acuerdan-creacion-de-mecanismo-conjunto-para-lograr-paz-en-colombia-video/#.WjfwtGefZqw

On this date, in Montecristi, Ecuador, the birthplace of the hero Eloy Alfaro, the delegations of the National Liberation Army - ELN, and the political party Fuerza Alternativa Revolucionaria del Común - FARC, have met with the National Government with the purpose of evaluating the development of the peace processes that are being advanced.

After deliberating for two days, we allow ourselves to state the following:

1- We express our firm decision to achieve total peace and to the changes and transformations that the majority of Colombians want, to defend together the Peace Process and to explore common mechanisms for compliance with the Agreement signed between the Government and the FARC-EP, to advance talks agreed between the Government and the ELN, as well as harmonise the two processes.

For this purpose, we have decided to create a joint mechanism between the two forces, whose results we will be reporting to the government, the country and the international community.

2- Recognizing the advances in recent years in the political solution, we also express our rejection of the persecution, manifested in the growing number of murders and imprisonments of social leaders, human rights defenders and the killing of thirty ex-combatants of the FARC.

Deeds that mostly remain unpunished at the time and that the Office of the National Attorney General wrongly insists on not finding relevant.

We call on victim organisations, defenders of human rights, and the democratic and alternative sectors to the organization, to denounce these deeds and to strive for resistance, mobilization, defence of life, of the territory, and of the Human Rights of the Colombians.

3-We reiterate that paramilitarism is the greatest threat to peace, society, and democracy in Colombia.

For this reason it is necessary to take effective and immediate measures for the definitive dismantling of paramilitary operations and organizations and their support networks.

4-The truth that must be uncovered to achieve Peace, will expose the weaknesses of a system that requires quick change and assurance of never allowing the situation to repeat itself.

5- The solution to the complex problem of crops for illicit use cannot continue to be an exclusively repressive treatment, with negative results such as those that have been seen in Tumaco and that threaten to spread to other regions, to fulfil commitments agreed upon with the United States.

It is necessary to act sensibly, with sovereignty and for the State to fulfil the commitments agreed upon with the communities, implement substitution plans, social investment programs, transparency in the management of resources, as well as the formalization of land ownership and strengthening of coexistence.

6-We state our concern about the overflowing corruption that has invaded the social structure of the country and in general the public and private institutions of the Nation:

the courts, the Congress, the executive branch, the Office of the Prosecutor, the State agencies at a regional level, as well as public and private companies.

The scandalous and delinquent behaviour of personalities embedded at the highest level of public service and the private sector jeopardizes the possibility of peace and the future of the real democracy to which we aspire.

We consider it necessary to design policies and take action to put an end to this alarming state of widespread corruption.

7-This historical moment requires an alliance of the sectors that defend peace and political and social changes.

We call for compliance with the Havana Agreements and for the increased participation agreed upon in the Quito Roundtable.

For the good of Colombia, we state from the City of Alfaro Montecristi, Ecuador, that no obstacle - no matter how big - will allow us to falter in the conquest of peace, built on the foundations of social equity, sovereignty, truth and democracy, as the Pope recalled in his recent visit when he said to the country:

"Inequality is the root of social issues"

ELN and FARC Delegations

Montecristi, October 23, 2017