Jun 16, 2016
Colombia: Peace is within reach, but the world must help
By Renata Dubini
Conflict has forced more people to flee their homes and seek refuge elsewhere than at any other time since records began.
While millions of people have fled violence and persecution in places like Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, the largest single group of internally displaced people is in a country not so often in the headlines: Colombia.
As the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, prepares to make his first official visit to the region, there is a renewed sense of hope that the reasons for their exodus could soon be over.
Peace in this area represents nothing less than a historic opportunity to transform people’s lives.
The government of Colombia is on the brink of signing a landmark peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and has announced it will start parallel peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN) to put an end to five decades of conflict.
Peace in this area represents nothing less than a historic opportunity to transform people’s lives. It must not be allowed to slip away. Of course a peace agreement in itself is not a solution, but it is the start of one. As Sergio Jaramillo, Colombia’s High Commissioner for Peace, commented: “It will take at least 10 years for peace to be consolidated.”
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has worked with the people of Colombia for over 19 years and remains ready to assist all sides in making the promise of peace this time a reality.
The continued solidarity of Colombia’s neighbours, in particular Ecuador and Venezuela, is vital. The signing of a peace treaty does not necessarily mean that conflict and persecution will cease overnight. Displacement within and beyond Colombia’s borders may initially continue so the institution of continuing asylum is vital to the peace process.
Meanwhile, inside Colombia, the challenges are many. Colombia is a vast country with hard-to-access rural and border areas, some of which, as a result of insecurity, have known no government institutions for decades. UNHCR has worked in many corners of this remarkable country, and is ready to support the reconciliation and integration efforts that will be necessary for enduring peace.
Surveys show that despite the strenuous efforts of the government, only about half of Colombian society believes in the viability of this peace agreement. Their hesitance is understandable. People have seen previous attempts at peace collapse, and all too often hostilities have returned with renewed vigour.
The government and the FARC have set an impressive example to the international community by including victims of the conflict in the peace talks and recognizing the need for reparations for those harmed on all sides of the fighting. This must be translated into action.
The majority of the families who fled their homes are now in the outskirts of Colombia’s largest cities. Here, a plan is required to find sustainable solutions both to prevent new cycles of conflict and consolidate peace. Some of the displaced people will wish to return home and need help to do so.
Others need assistance in building a future where they have lived for many years as displaced. Their integration into local communities will necessitate rehabilitation and construction of homes, registration of the land they are living on, and crucially training, education and development that will allow them to build healthy futures for their families.
UNHCR welcomes the fact that the government of Colombia continues to allocate significant resources to help its displaced population. Unlike many countries blighted by conflict and displacement, Colombia has well-functioning government institutions, including judicial and healthcare systems. Despite more than 50 years of conflict, the country has maintained strong democratic institutions and conducted peaceful elections.
This is a strong base on which to build. However, in some cases, more equitable distribution of resources will be an important step towards helping to redress some of the root causes of the conflict.
Signatures on a piece of paper will not transform society.
UNHCR is a humanitarian organization, not a political one. Our task is to help any and all of the refugees and displaced persons of the world. To do this our primary focus is on solutions. Signatures on a piece of paper will not transform society. Fair, equitable and lasting solutions will. They must come swiftly for the good intentions of the Havana peace talks to take root and flourish.
The situation today in Colombia lends itself to solutions. The United Nations has been helping people on all sides of the conflict and we will continue to work alongside the government, the signatories of the peace agreement and civil society in the task of building a lasting peace for Colombia. This is the longest-running conflict in Latin America, and peace here will help stability and prosperity to spread throughout the region.
I sincerely hope that one day we can look back on 2016 and say that this was the turning point for peace in Colombia, a vital milestone for the continent and an example of peace-making and peace-building.
Renata Dubini is the Director of the Bureau for the Americas at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. She has served with the organization for over 20 years, working in Latin America, Southern Europe, Africa, the Middle East and UNHCR’s headquarters in Geneva.
