Yesterday, Sunday, Colombia elected Ivan Duque as its new president for the term of office from 2018 to 2022. Duque’s election threatens to finally derail the peace process in the country. Ten Swiss development and human rights organizations are calling on Ivan Duque’s government to continue the peace process that has already begun and to stand up for the security and rights of all Colombian citizens.
Media communiqué from 18.06.2018
Colombia elected Iván Duque as its new president on Sunday. After the first round of voting on May 27, Ivan Duque won the second round with 53.98% of the vote against Gustavo Petro. Duque will take office on August 7, 2018 and lead the Colombian government for four years.
Peace agreement under threat
The ten Swiss development and human rights organizations regret the outcome of the elections. With the election of Ivan Duque, the peace process in Colombia threatens to fail once and for all. Even under the government of his predecessor Juan Manuel Santos, which negotiated the peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) that came into force in 2016, its implementation stalled. The release of imprisoned FARC fighters was delayed, as was the establishment of transitional justice and the agreed agrarian reform. During the election campaign, Duque made it clear that he wanted to shape the implementation of the peace treaty according to his own ideas, for example with regard to the supposed impunity for former guerrillas. He has also announced high hurdles for the continuation of peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN). Duque also supports a development and economic model that relies heavily on mining and agro-industry. This model has caused numerous conflicts within Colombian society and has worked against peaceful coexistence in the country.
Strengthening local and regional peace initiatives
The “Semillas de Esperanza” peacebuilding programme, which the ten Swiss organizations have been implementing together with the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) since 2014, aims to build peace from the bottom up in a region that has historically been heavily affected by violence. In the Colombian Caribbean region, local and regional initiatives for the peaceful resolution of conflicts are being strengthened. Young people and women in particular are encouraged to exercise their rights. The peace process has benefited the work of “Semillas de Esperanza” in recent years, even though there have been various clashes with local and regional authorities and threats against participating organizations in Colombia.
Call for implementation of the peace agreement
The ten Swiss development and human rights organizations supporting the peacebuilding programme are calling on the newly elected President of Colombia, Ivan Duque, to continue the peace process initiated by the previous government. This includes the swift and complete implementation of the peace agreement concluded with the FARC in November 2016 and the continuation of peace negotiations with the ELN. In addition, the protection and safeguarding of the rights of all citizens must be ensured, especially human rights defenders, social movements and their leaders as well as smallholder, indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, trade unions, media workers and former FARC fighters. Because peace does not just mean the silencing of weapons, but that all members of society can exercise their rights in freedom and security without restriction.
The organizations involved in the Swiss multitrack peacebuilding programme “Semillas de Esperanza” are ask! (Working Group Switzerland-Colombia), Caritas Switzerland, COMUNDO, Fastenopfer, HEKS/EPER, PBI (Peace Brigades International), PWS (Peace Watch Switzerland), Swissaid, Terre des hommes schweiz and Terre des Hommes Suisse.
