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A look back on the Colombia's 52-year conflict

CCTV.com

10-03-2016 00:55 BJT

The peace accord with FARC rebels will be a bitter pill to swallow for many Colombians. Under the deal's terms, FARC will transition into a political party. This means former rebels will run for office. They are guaranteed 10 seats or more in Congress for the first two legislative periods. Rebels will have to disarm and get out of the drug trade. The two sides have agreed to provide land, loans and basic services to rural communities. Amnesty will also be granted for a number of political crimes.

But some Colombians are not easy to forgive. They consider the deal an insult to the more than 220,000 people killed and the millions displaced during the 52-year conflict.
FARC was established in 1964 as an armed wing of the Communist party. The government tried but failed to reach a peace deal with the rebels in 1982. The 20-thousand-strong rebel group's power peaked in 2002 when it gained control of a third of the country. They even kidnapped a senator whom they held hostage for six years.

But 2008 was tough for FARC after a series of defeats. Peace talks restarted in 2012 and a ceasefire was finally proclaimed in 2016. Now, peace in Colombia is in the hands of its citizens.

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