Although the historic agreement in 2016 between the Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) fighters encouraged other armed groups to sit at the negotiating table, the establishment of sustainable peace in the South American country still faces many obstacles.
In a message via social network X, the Ministry of Defence said that the ceasefire will continue for three months with the Gentil Duarte block, the Jorge Suarez Briceno block, and the Raul Reyes front.
The ministry instructed military units to quickly deploy attack activities against EMC as some factions of the force have violated the ceasefire in recent months, with terrorist acts targeting soldiers and civilians.
Formed by dissident former FARC members, EMC currently has about 3,500 members, operating in 23 out of 32 provinces of Colombia.
Peace negotiations with the EMC group fell into a deadlock, but it cannot be denied that the government of Colombian President Gustavo Petro has achieved many positive results on the South American country’s long road to peace, with efforts having been made to promote dialogue with armed groups, implement economic development policies, and repel violence.
Recently, the Colombian Government and the armed group Segunda Marquetalia, a dissident faction of the now-demobilised FARC, agreed to a unilateral ceasefire.
The two sides agreed to establish a technical subcommittee responsible for establishing areas where the Segunda Marquetalia group is present and implementing a series of measures to promptly compensate the victims of the conflict.
In May 2024, the Colombian Government and the armed group National Liberation Army (ELN) also signed an agreement calling for all layers of society to be involved in the negotiation process and contribute to peace
This agreement is considered by all parties to be a “historic and unprecedented step” in the dialogue between the government and the ELN group.
The United Nations Security Council also recently welcomed the increased attention of Colombian officials towards rural reform, noting the government's progress in distributing land to farmers and indigenous communities, as well as in implementing a comprehensive reintegration programme for former FARC members.
However, although some armed groups have agreed to a ceasefire agreement with the government, it is difficult to ensure that all parties seriously comply with the agreement.
The fact that the Colombian Government had to suspend the ceasefire with most units of the EMC armed group, accusing them of violating the ceasefire, is an example.
The peace process initiated by President Gustavo Petro is also facing difficulties with armed groups taking advantage of the ceasefire to expand their influence, occupy more areas, and recruit new members.
Combat between three Colombian armed groups in the country's southwest has forced some 5000 people to either flee or take refuge from the fighting, according to the government's high peace commission.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs (OCHA), security incidents involving humanitarian workers between January and April 2023 increased by 133% compared to last year.
Along with the long-lasting conflict, Colombia is the operating area of many organised crime syndicates.
The peace process in Colombia is seriously threatened by violence. However, public opinion still welcomes and confidence in the government's efforts to promote dialogue.
Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia, said that although challenges still lie ahead, the efforts of Colombian officials in building peace are “very diverse” and have brought many promising results.
