Peace talks in Havana between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have yielded a sweeping agreement on agrarian reform, according to the Colombian press. The civil war, which has lasted half a century and affected millions of lives, had its roots in peasant uprisings over land ownership. If successful, these negotiations could set a new standard for the peaceful resolution of civil conflict the world over.
The agreement, described as “historic” by Radio Caracol and most of the Colombian media, was signed after more than six months of negotiations and almost half a century of conflict in Havana.
The key points of the agreement are related to the economic and social development of the rural areas and the distribution of land to the peasants. The reform will also be pursued thanks to a rural bank and it should provide for the restitution of land stolen from farmers during the war by the paramilitary forces and the guerrillas.