The Phantom Dissidences that Haunt the Land of Peace

Blog publication date: 18/07/2024

A Thousand and One Obstacles to an Elusive Peace

When the peace agreement was signed in 2016, we believed it was the start of a new chapter—a "happily ever after." Yet, time has proven otherwise. The rise of FARC dissidents, such as the "Central High Command" (EMC) and the "Second Marquetalia," exposed the cracks in the accord. Disillusioned by unfulfilled promises, these groups abandoned the peace treaty, and the dream of lasting peace faded.

Although both factions share ideological opposition to the Colombian state, they have become bitter enemies, locked in territorial rivalries fueled by illicit economies. In Colombia, land is power, and power translates into wealth. This dynamic has unleashed violence, such as the EMC's threats against peace signatories in the Territorial Space for Training and Reintegration in Miravalle, Caquetá. On June 23, the EMC announced the eviction of men, women, and children, accusing them of siding with the Second Marquetalia. These former comrades, now exiles, are once again displaced by the very forces they once fought alongside—trapped in a cruel cycle of betrayal.

Once more, ordinary people suffer the consequences of armed conflict. It is alarming to witness the reincorporation and peace process stalling, prompting the inevitable question:

Where is the government?

Once again, the state has failed to protect those who laid down their arms in pursuit of peace. By agreeing to relocate the peace signatories, the government has essentially bowed to the demands of dissidents—groups now viewed almost as political entities, though they remain criminal organizations at their core.

There must be a limit to these threats—a line that cannot be crossed.

The government has entered negotiations with the EMC, securing a ceasefire set to last until July 15. However, the road to reincorporation and peace is blocked not only by dissident groups like the EMC and the Second Marquetalia but also by the state's shortcomings. As Johanna Torres, a peace researcher, notes, there has been a glaring lack of basic services and support for collective reintegration projects.

The ceasefire, which lasted only a few months, is clearly insufficient. This is not the first time that peace signatories’ lives have been endangered by broken promises and ongoing threats.