Colombia: FARC handover remaining weapons on June 27 /update 1

Event

Members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) officially surrendered their remaining weapons to the United Nations Mission in Colombia during a ceremony on Tuesday, June 27. The event took place in the town of Mesetas and was attended by President Juan Manuel Santos. FARC members will now start transitioning the rebel group into a political party. The completion of the disarmament process is seen as a major step in securing long-term peace.

Context

Some FARC leaders claim that the government has been slow to enact the peace agreement. They have complained that many of the 26 transition camps, which are intended to help FARC members reintegrate back into society, lack basic supplies and facilities. FARC leaders have complained of conditions in the transition camps, claiming that many have not been fully completed. These transition camps are a major component of the peace agreement.

Since the peace agreement was signed in November 2016, Colombian security forces have been unable to secure much of the territory formerly occupied by the FARC, with other criminal or paramilitary groups, such as the National Liberation Army (ELN), often stepping into the vacuum.

Advice

Due to the presence of a number of armed groups - including organized crime groups, drug cartels, right-wing paramilitaries, and local gangs - many Western governments advise against travel to various regions of the country (particularly rural zones), with the notable exceptions of the northern Caribbean regions and central areas (including Bogotá).