The recent announcement of the final agreements between the government
of Colombia and the FARC (Revolutionary Forces of Colombia) is exciting news.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia (IELCO) and all affiliated
organizations and ministries have been working for decades to build peace and
look forward to the next stage in this long and arduous journey. What are the
perspectives of Lutheran Colombians on the peace agreements and hopes for the
future of their country?
The plebiscite, where the Colombian people will have the
opportunity to vote “yes” or “no” the agreement, will be held on October 2nd.
Between now and then we will be highlighting the voices of our Colombian
Lutheran brothers and sisters and their perspectives on the agreement.
This week, Sara Lara, Coordinator
of the Human Rights Program of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia:
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| Sara Lara, the coordinator for IELCO's Human Rights program. Photo credit - submitted by Sara Lara. |
The hopes of Colombians have grown with the “final agreement
for the end of the conflict and the construction of a stable and durable peace”to live without the war that has scourged the
country for more than 50 years. The surrender of weapons by the FARC also
strengthens the possibility of realizing the right to peace, enshrined in
Article 22 of Colombia’s Constitution of 1991.
Multiple organizations have arisen during this long war, many of them to defend the human rights of the
conflict’s victims. These organizations have played an important role as
protagonists of the social mobilization pushing for the peace agreements, as seen through the
development of peace education, the diffusion of the agreements from Havana,
and even the campaign for massive participation in the plebiscite which seeks to
endorse the agreements on the 2nd of October.
Civil society
organizations have taken on the tasks entrusted by the government of President
Santos, demonstrating the need to build peace from the grassroots and
for forgiveness and reconciliation to become a reality. In this vein, the work
carried out by churches is essential for the promotion of justice and the
proclamation of the Gospel. Also noteworthy is the undisputed support of the international
community for this process; since the beginning phase of secret negotiations to
the implementation of the final agreements.
The challenges ahead are
concerned with the experience of peace in everyday life; it is well known that
the FARC exiting the armed conflict does not necessarily mean the end of
violence in the streets, homes, schools and other living spaces. Nor can we
ignore the persistence of other guerrilla groups like the ELN and the EPL and the
criminal and paramilitary gangs that keep the Colombian armed conflict alive.
It is also our call to make visible the more than 8,131,269 victims of the
conflict whom are at the center of the agreement. They will need greater
attention from the government to ensure the effective enjoyment of their
rights.
We will move forward, step by step, with trust in God to heal this land
and with great expectations of peace. At the same time though, we are cautious of the current economic
model, as well as the difficulties concerning the integration of demobilized
guerrillas into political and civil life and the constant struggle for the respect
of the rights of all people in Colombia.