This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/17/farc-rebels-declare-ceasefire

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Farc declares ceasefire but warns of retribution if attacked Farc declares ceasefire but warns of retribution if attacked
(about 1 hour later)
Colombian rebels at peace talks with government representatives in Cuba have announced an indefinite, unilateral ceasefire as long as military units do not attack them. Colombia’s leftist Farc rebels have declared an indefinite unilateral ceasefire for the first time in its 50-year war against the state – but warned that it would end if its troops are attacked by government forces, placing the administration of President Juan Manuel Santos in a difficult position as it tries to move forward in peace talks with the guerrilla group.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia made the announcement in a communique published on its Twitter account on Wednesday. In a statement from Havana, the Farc’s chief negotiator, Iván Márquez, said the ceasefire would begin Thursday and continue indefinitely. “We have resolved to declare a unilateral ceasefire and end to hostilities for an indefinite time,” he said. Though the group has temporarily halted its hostilities in the past, never before have the guerrillas made it indefinite.
Representatives of the rebel group known as Farc have held a series of talks with government negotiators in Havana since 2012 aimed at ending the conflict of more the five decades. The historic announcement came on the day that another major conflict in the hemisphere appeared move towards a resolution as the US and Cuba announced plans to restore diplomatic relations.
In its statement, the FARC expressed the hope that the ceasefire would “transform into an armistice,” and said it would count on the help of various international bodies, including the group of South American nations known as UNASUR. “This unilateral ceasefire, which we hope will be prolonged in time, will only end if it is determined that our guerrilla structures have been the object of an attack by the military,” the Farc said.
But the declared ceasefire puts the government on the spot. The condition that the ceasefire would end if guerrilla units are attacked, means the Farc are trying to force the government into a bilateral ceasefire, a guerrilla demand that Santos has repeatedly refused. The government says rebels would use such a reprieve to rearm and regroup.
The ceasefire announcement came at the close of the latest round of negotiations which resumed last week after a brief crisis that followed the Farc’s capture of an army general just 20 minutes outside this remote province capital in north-western Chocó province. The surprise action prompted Santos to suspend negotiations until the general and his companions were freed December 5. When they recommenced, both sides said they were seeking ways to de-escalate hostilities.
“The government can’t and won’t accept the condition,” said Oliver Wack, an analyst with Control Risk, a security consultancy firm. “But it can tone down operations,” he said, adding that the military have shown their willingness to do so during temporary halts of guerrilla activity.
For the Farc, according to Wack, the ceasefire declaration has political benefits in Colombia and around the world, but the risks are also high. “What happens if a rogue unit breaks the ceasefire? What if there are spoilers?”
But the fact that they are willing to take that risk may indicate just how close a peace deal may be. Since the peace talks began in November 2012, the two sides have reached partial agreement on three of the five negotiating points on the agenda. They are now tackling the issues of transitional justice, reparations to victims, and demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration into society for former fighters.