Colombia’s last recognized leftist guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), has announced a month-long ceasefire in response to the coronavirus pandemic, a statement released on Monday said.
The rebels said they would unilaterally suspend military action from today “as a humanitarian gesture.”
The statement was disseminated by a group of Colombian senators who are seeking to establish a peace process with the group.
Photo: AFP
The ELN cited a recent appeal by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a halt to conflicts worldwide as nations grapple with the pandemic, and said that Colombian organizations had made similar requests.
Guterres welcomed the move and hoped the ceasefire “can bring in measures of relief to communities and vulnerable groups in conflict affected regions in Colombia, and help the authorities to focus on fighting the pandemic.”
He also called on the other armed groups operating in Colombia “to do likewise”
Colombian Senator Ivan Cepeda, who was among those who made public the rebel statement, said the ELN reserved the right to defend itself against attacks by government forces.
He said it would also respond similarly to drug trafficking groups with whom it vies for control in some areas.
“We call on the government of [Colombian President Ivan] Duque to order its troops to remain in barracks,” the statement said, and urged him to reactivate contacts with its representatives in Havana to negotiate a bilateral truce.
However, Colombian High Commissioner for Peace Miguel Ceballos said the guerrillas’ announcement did not go far enough.
“We have just learned of the ELN’s decision to cease fire for a month. I believe that the country hopes for much more than that. We face a huge challenge, thousands of people can die,” Ceballos said in a radio interview.
Colombia had 798 confirmed cases of the virus as of Monday, including 12 deaths.
The ELN, which is said to operate in about 10 percent of the country, has about 2,300 combatants and an extensive network of supporters in urban centers.
In its statement, the ELN criticized the government’s handling of the health crisis and said the coronavirus had been artificially created and spread by the US.
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