More than 30 former guerrillas face allegations of war crimes during five decades of bloody conflict. The historic tribunal was founded under a peace deal.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/F. Vergara
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Former commanders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) appeared before a tribunal to respond to charges of kidnappings and forced disappearances under the terms of a peace deal.
The procedural hearing for "Case No. 001" lasted three hours. It was attended by just three of the 31 leaders of the disbanded guerilla army who were summoned. A fourth FARC leader joined via video conference from prison. The others were represented by lawyers.
Among those who attended the hearing was Rodrigo Londono, also known as Timochenko, who was the FARC's top commander and now chairs its political party.
"Many families have suffered pain, fear and irreparable loss," said Londono. "We ask for their forgiveness and will do everything to ensure that they find out the truth."
The conflict that went on for five decades resulted in at least 250,000 dead, 60,000 missing and millions displaced.
Controversial tribunal
The Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) tribunal, founded under a 2016 peace deal between the government and FARC, will try cases of war crimes. The cases are based on investigations by authorities and accusations from victims.
The tribunal, set to run for at least 15 years, will controversially allow most former combatants who cooperate to escape any time behind bars and enter politics.
President-elect Ivan Duque, campaigned on seeking tougher sentences for FARC leaders, has vowed to change parts of the 2016 peace accord.
During the campaign, Duque also lashed out at the provision in the deal that gives the ex-rebels 10 seats in Congress before serving sentences for any crimes. FARC representatives in each house are due to be sworn in on July 20.
But for many the tribunal will help heal wounds left by the conflict.
"The country will never be the same again," Colombia's High Commissioner for Peace, Rodrigo Rivera, said in a statement.
"The leaders of the FARC before the special tribunal is something that seemed impossible for 50 years."
The tribunal's first case concerns kidnappings that FARC guerrillas committed between 1993 and 2012.
Ransom was a major source of revenue for the rebels, along with drug trafficking and extortion. FARC earned more than $1.25 billion (€1.1 billion) in ransoms from 8,100 kidnappings during those years, according to the attorney general's office.
The hearings are expected to shed light on the remains of some of those who were kidnapped and murdered.
"This shows that the FARC is fulfilling its promise and that they are willing to confess to the victims," said Yolanda Pinto, head of the government's Victims Unit, which helps those affected by the war and ensures they receive compensation.
"I feel satisfied that this will help heal," said Pinto, whose husband was kidnapped and killed by the FARC in 2003.
Colombia's presidential election is an important milestone towards consolidating the peace accord with FARC guerrillas. It was reached after decades of bloody conflict between the state and the FARC guerrilla groups.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/G. Legaria
Difficult path toward peace
The 2016 signing of the peace accord between the Colombian government and FARC rebels was a major, but not final, step towards ending the decades-long conflict. The deal remains a controversial topic in the country and took center stage during the presidential election.
Image: Kaeufer/Moser
Land owners vs. farmers
The conflict's origins date to the 1920s and a struggle over land ownership, which claimed thousands of lives. The 1948 murder of Jorge Eliecer Gaitan (photo), a liberal politician, threw the country into deep crisis. A result was the formation of a number of resistance groups; the Colombian army launched a campaign against "communist farmers."
Image: Public Domain
FARC and ELN
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) were founded in 1964. The former wanted to break up the monopoly of land ownership, whereas the ELN formed out of a radical student movement and ideas of liberation theologians such as Camilo Torres (photo). The Colombian government fought both groups with the support the United States.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Paramilitary groups
The conflict deepened in the 1980s with the introduction of right-wing paramilitary groups in the service of the landowners against FARC. Both sides were closely linked to drug cartels. Four presidential candidates and countless left-wing politicians were murdered by paramilitaries between 1986 and 1990.
Image: Carlos Villalon/Liaison/Getty Images
Ingrid Betancourt kidnapped
In February 2002, the government cut off peace negotiations with FARC after guerrillas hijacked a domestic flight. Days later, the rebels struck again, kidnapping presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt. Alvaro Uribe went on to win the election that May and escalated military operations against FARC, ruling out further negotiations. He was re-elected in 2007. Betancourt was released in 2008.
Image: AFP/Getty Images
Peace talks begin
Juan Manuel Santos was elected president in 2010. Two years later, a law concerning compensation for victims of violence and the return of land came into effect. Peace talks between the government (photo) and FARC officially began that November.
Image: Reuters
Ceasefire
At midnight on August 29, 2016, the permanent ceasefire came into force. "A new chapter in Colombia's history begins on August 29," Santos wrote on Twitter. "We have silenced the weapons. The war with FARC is over!"
Image: Getty Images/AFP/G. Legaria
Peace deal with FARC
On September 26, 2016, President Santos and FARC leader Rodrigo Londono, a.k.a. Timochenko, signed the peace treaty, ending the 52-year-old conflict. The signing took place in Cartagena and was attended by 2,500 people.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/F. Vergara
Setback
Distrust in FARC manifested itself in a pre-referendum campaign against the peace treaty, led by the conservative ex-president Alvaro Uribe. To the surprise of many observers, a thin majority of Colombians voted to reject the deal on October 2, 2016.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/I. Valencia
Peace Prize for Santos
The international community threw its support behind the treaty's supporters. Just five days after it was rejected in a referendum, Santos was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The ceremony took place in Oslo in December 2016.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/T. Schwarz
Parliamentary ratification
Colombia's parliament ratified the peace treaty on November 30, 2016, following a list of changes to the deal's original language.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/G. Legaria
Disarmament
FARC rebels gave up their weapons in three phases. On June 27, 2017, at the end of the UN-controlled disarmament process, Santos wrote: "For me and all Colombians, today is a special day. It's a day when weapons were exchanged for words."
Image: picture alliance/dpa/A. Piñeros
The new FARC
The now disarmed, former rebel group chose to renew itself as a political party and disavow violence during a convention on August 27, 2017. The guerrilla's founder, Rodrigo Londono (photo), was elected the new party's head. He was unable to run for president, however, due to his poor health.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/F. Vergara
FARC at the polls
For the first time since the end of the armed conflict, FARC put up its members as candidates in the parliamentary election, which took place on March 11, 2018. The party received just 50,000 votes, but secured five seats in the senate and lower house of parliament, respectively, as guaranteed by the peace treaty. The conservative party of former President Uribe won the election.
