Panel for peace talks between the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN)

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Country/entity: Colombia
Region: Americas
Agreement name: Panel for peace talks between the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN)
Date: 23 Aug 2023
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: Implementation/renegotiation
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: Colombia VI - Government-ELN post-2015 process
Parties: Government of the Republic of Colombia, National Liberation Army (ELN)
Third parties: Episcopal Conference of Colombia, United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia
Description: The document outlines the role and objectives of social oversight (Veeduría Social) in the context of the Bilateral National and Temporary Ceasefire Agreement between the Colombian Government and ELN.

Agreement document: CO__Panel for peace talks between the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN).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: 4. We believe that full compliance with the commitments made in the agreement on the bilateral ceasefire and on participation in peacebuilding represents a meaningful contribution to the electoral process that will culminate in the regional and local elections to be held on 29 October 2023 and the ballot counting.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: 3. We have adopted the rules of operation and workplan of the National Committee on Participation.
We have set 3 August 2023 as the new date for the official establishment of the National Committee on Participation, in Bogotá.
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: Rights related issues→Media and communication→Media roles
• Communications related to the Agreement on a temporary bilateral national ceasefire
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: Rights related issues→Protection measures→Protection of civilians
Social monitoring and humanitarian protection mechanisms under the Agreement on a temporary bilateral national ceasefire
Rights related issues→Protection measures→Other
• Security and protection for the members of the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism
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: • Security and protection for the members of the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism
• Security for ELN and the places where it is present under the Agreement on a temporary bilateral national ceasefire
Ceasefire: Security sector→Ceasefire→Ceasefire provision
1. After signing the Cuba Agreements on the process of participation of society in peacebuilding and the temporary bilateral national ceasefire, the two delegations worked intensively in the cities of Havana, Republic of Cuba, and Bogotá to prepare the documents necessary to complete the tasks envisaged for the preparation phases.
• Role of the peace talks panel in the implementation of the Agreement on a temporary bilateral national ceasefire
• Supplementary protocol on the mandate of the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism for the temporary bilateral national ceasefire
• Role of the Catholic Church in the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism •
Social monitoring and humanitarian protection mechanisms under the Agreement on a temporary bilateral national ceasefire
• Evaluation, extension or suspension of the Agreement on a temporary bilateral national ceasefire
• Security and protection for the members of the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism
• Security for ELN and the places where it is present under the Agreement on a temporary bilateral national ceasefire
• Communications related to the Agreement on a temporary bilateral national ceasefire
• Education on the Agreement on a temporary bilateral national ceasefire and its Protocols
In addition, we have agreed on and signed the glossary that sets out the conceptual understandings shared by the parties in relation to the aforementioned ceasefire.
We have set 3 August 2023 as the new date for the official establishment of the National Committee on Participation, in Bogotá.
On that same day, the temporary bilateral national ceasefire will come into full effect, for a term of 180 days.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
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: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: No specific mention.

Annex

[Original:

Spanish]

Panel for peace talks between the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN)

Communiqué No.

We are making progress on the ceasefire and on participation

The delegations of the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN) wish to convey the following information:

1. After signing the Cuba Agreements on the process of participation of society in peacebuilding and the temporary bilateral national ceasefire, the two delegations worked intensively in the cities of Havana, Republic of Cuba, and Bogotá to prepare the documents necessary to complete the tasks envisaged for the preparation phases.

2. We have adopted and signed the following nine protocols that establish the conditions for the implementation of the Agreement on a temporary bilateral national ceasefire:

• Role of the peace talks panel in the implementation of the Agreement on a temporary bilateral national ceasefire

• Supplementary protocol on the mandate of the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism for the temporary bilateral national ceasefire

• Role of the Catholic Church in the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism •

Social monitoring and humanitarian protection mechanisms under the Agreement on a temporary bilateral national ceasefire

• Evaluation, extension or suspension of the Agreement on a temporary bilateral national ceasefire

• Security and protection for the members of the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism

• Security for ELN and the places where it is present under the Agreement on a temporary bilateral national ceasefire

• Communications related to the Agreement on a temporary bilateral national ceasefire

• Education on the Agreement on a temporary bilateral national ceasefire and its Protocols

In addition, we have agreed on and signed the glossary that sets out the conceptual understandings shared by the parties in relation to the aforementioned ceasefire.

3. We have adopted the rules of operation and workplan of the National Committee on Participation.

We have set 3 August 2023 as the new date for the official establishment of the National Committee on Participation, in Bogotá.

On that same day, the temporary bilateral national ceasefire will come into full effect, for a term of 180 days.

4. We believe that full compliance with the commitments made in the agreement on the bilateral ceasefire and on participation in peacebuilding represents a meaningful contribution to the electoral process that will culminate in the regional and local elections to be held on 29 October 2023 and the ballot counting.

5. We thank the people and Government of Cuba for hosting the work of the permanent peace talks panel over the last few weeks, and the guarantor countries and permanent accompanying partners for their presence, as well as the group of accompanying, support and cooperation countries (GPAAC).

The commitment to and support for peace in Colombia shown by the Republic of Cuba, as evidenced by the agreements reached in this third round of talks, make the removal of Cuba from the list of State sponsors of terrorism all the more imperative.

6. We are grateful to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for its hospitality in offering to host the fourth round of talks, which will take place from 14 August to 4 September 2023.