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July 1st, 2017 
Awake Goy 
nsnbc : Reintegrating former FARC guerrilla into Colombian society is a priority challenge said Jean Arnault, UN Special Envoy to Colombia, at a session of the UN Security Council on Friday.
UN Special Envoy to Colombia, Jean Arnault, at the UN Security Council
Arnault stressed that reintegrating the about 10,000 former guerrilla of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP) into Colombia’s civil society is a process that will be difficult, but nonetheless a process that needs to be addressed as a priority.
The UN Special Envoy to Colombia stressed that FSRC members have a deep sense of uncertainty about their physical security after their disarmament as well as about their economic future and occupation in civilian life.
Arnault’s statement at the UN Security Council on Friday came after a ceremony on Tuesday, when UN observers padlocked the last containers of FARC-EP weapons. Even though both the government, the FARC, as well as the UN are aware that there still are armes caches that have not been disclosed or dug up, the parties largely agree that the disarmament process of the FARC has been exemplary and that the disarmament has brought Colombia one step significant step closer to ending the now 53-year-long civil war.
While some few arms caches remain undisclosed and/or undiscovered, an issue that creates some debate, especially among members of Colombia’s opposition Democratic Center party members, there are many who show some degree of understanding and tolerance, especially, considering the fact that 35 community leaders and grassroots activists have been assassinated since the FARC began its demobilization and disarmament.
FARC demobilization camp – former guerrilla are facing uncertainties about their physical security and their future in general.
After the last weapons have been handed over by FARC guerrilla and sealed in containers, the UN can now focus on disposing of hundreds of arms caches. So far 81 caches have been visited, weapons confiscated and explosives destroyed. According to the FARC and overserves, there are approximately 380 more caches. The final deadline for the disarmament is September 1, 2017, and both the UN and the FARC are confident that this deadline can be met.
In June 2017 Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos urged the United Nations to establish a new mission, focused on the reintegration of former FARC-EP guerrilla as well as more far-reaching security guarantees.
The UN Security Council, for its part, issued a press release on Friday, welcoming the FARC’s disarmament as a positive step and stating that the Council, over the coming days, will work toward meeting President Santos’ request.
Arnault also noted that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had recognized that the reintegration of former FARC guerrilla is a daunting task, not least, because of Colombia’s “entrenched illicit economies, the presence and spread of armed groups, including organized crime, former FARC guerrilla and so-called “FARC dissidents”, as well as the disturbing pattern of violence against social leaders”.
Arnault noted that the reintegration of former combatants is the most urgent challenge, but that the “peace process must also respond to “more vulnerable segments of Colombia’s society”. Many would consider this statement as inconsistent and incoherent because the FARC is being transformed into a non-militant political party.
FARC politicians, especially local members of this emerging, non-militant political party, will become members of this “more vulnerable sector of Colombia’s society”; A fact that explains part of the FARC guerrilla’s “uncertainty about their physical security” that Arnault mentioned.
However, Arnault meant that he and the UN agree with the Colombian government that security forces have to be deployed to protect vulnerable communities. The most vulnerable communities are located in rural districts and the military and police have been slow in their deployment. Other needs that must be addressed, said Arnault, are delivering goods and services to isolated rural communities and to deliver on the promise of justice for the victims of the decades-long conflict.
A/N & CH/L – nsnbc 01.07.2017
Source Article from https://nsnbc.me/2017/07/01/reintegration-former-farc-guerrilla-a-priority-challenge-jean-arnault/
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