The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on Friday announced that the rebel group had unanimously approved a peace deal with the government, a week before Colombians vote in a referendum to accept the accord.

"Peace is the most beautiful of victories," said FARC leader Rodrigo Londono, better known by his nom de guerre Timochenko, at the rebel group's congress on the southeastern Yari Plains.

"We yearn that no Colombians will ever again have to take up arms to make their voices heard and their demands felt, as has been required of us," he added.

Under the agreement, the FARC will transform into a political party, receiving 10 unelected seats in Colombia's parliament until 2026. Although the leftist rebels have yet to outline their policies, they are expected to base their platform on Marxist ideals.

"Our political proposals will have to come from the suggestions of our base," FARC secretariat member Pastor Alape told the Reuters news agency at the group's congress.

"We started our political efforts clandestinely and now we aspire, legally, to open our initiatives, together with all sectors of society, to concretely cultivate the political space we are given," Alape added.

While the FARC's upcoming political party, which will be formed under a new name, is likely to find a support base among poor farmers, the rebels will face difficulties expanding their constituency in cities, where Colombians are wary of the group.

Latin America's longest armed conflict comes to an end How the insurgency started In 1948, the assassination of populist leader Jorge Eliecer Gaitan sparked political chaos in Colombia known as "the violence." Tens of thousands died and peasant groups joined with communists to arm themselves. Later in 1964, a military attack on the insurgency's main encampment led to the creation of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC.

Latin America's longest armed conflict comes to an end What the rebels wanted FARC's political ideology has never been well defined. Initially, it sought to weaken the oligarchy's grip on power. The rebels also wanted land reforms in a country where more than 5 million people have been forcibly displaced, mostly by far-right militias. However, the group lost popularity as it turned to kidnapping and illegal gold mining for funds.

Latin America's longest armed conflict comes to an end How the US got involved To help the Colombian security forces fight against the insurgency and to counter drug-trafficking, the US began sending billions of dollars under Plan Colombia. The US State Department classifies the group as a terrorist organization and its leaders face US indictments.

Latin America's longest armed conflict comes to an end The human cost of the conflict Latin America's longest-running armed conflict is responsible for the death an estimated 220,000 people, while millions of Colombians have been displaced within their country. According to Bogota’s estimates, there are 7.6 million direct and indirect victims of the conflict. The country has more landmine victims than any country except for Afghanistan.

Latin America's longest armed conflict comes to an end Peace accord after decades of failed attempts Peace talks between FARC and the government collapsed in the mid 1980s after at least 3,000 allies of FARC's political wing Patriotic Union Party were killed at the hands of right-wing paramilitaries. Efforts fell short again in 2002 after the rebels hijacked an airliner to kidnap a senator. The latest round of talks started in 2012 in Havana and culminated on August 24, 2016 with a deal.

Latin America's longest armed conflict comes to an end 50 years of conflict "We have reached a final, integral and definitive agreement" to end the conflict and build a stable, lasting peace, the government of President Juan Manuel Santos and the left-wing Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia said in a joint statement. In June, the negotiators had already announced a cease-fire agreement and a blueprint for how the estimated 7,000 to 8,000 fighters will demobilize. Author: Aasim Saleem



Ending a bloody conflict

In 1964, the FARC launched an insurgency in response to the Colombian government's brutal repression of a peasant uprising.

Since then, more than 250,000 people have been killed and some 50,000 disappeared in the conflict, which drew in other leftist rebel groups, right-wing paramilitaries and later drug gangs.

It also forced nearly 7 million people to flee their homes to escape the fighting between the FARC, government forces and their allies.

The peace accord, which is set to bring an end to Latin America's longest-running conflict, covers justice, reparations for victims, land reform, disarmament and monitoring.

It also offers amnesty for "political crimes," although the worst offenders, those who committed torture, rape and massacres, will be put on trial, facing a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. However, penalties will be reduced for those who confess to their crimes.

ls/jlw (Reuters, AFP)