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OAS SECRETARY GENERAL HIGHLIGHTS ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES IN REPORT ON PEACE PROCESS IN COLOMBIA

In his quarterly report before the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) on the Mission of Support to the Peace Process in Colombia (MAPP/OEA), Secretary General José Miguel Insulza today highlighted the achievements and challenges of the peace process, describing the Mission’s evaluation as “again positive and hopeful.”

The report “acknowledges the important progress made by the Colombian government, taking into account the magnitude and complexity of the Peace Process, a process that has no precedent in our hemisphere for its magnitude,” Insulza said.
“The process finds itself at a key stage due to the need to consolidate the accomplishments achieved and to make headway in the challenges that are part of the process towards achieving the complete return of peace to the regions, taking into account the violent dynamics that today still afflict certain communities,” he held.
“We acknowledge the relevance of the application of the Law of Justice and Peace that has enabled the trial process of demobilized members of the Self-Defense Forces and guerrilla, as well as access to the truth and the possibility of making comprehensive reparations to the victims. Four years after the promulgation of the law,” Insulza concluded, it is necessary to “continue to extend it,” as well as to “provide the necessary conditions for more victims to access this process” and to “strengthen the institutions in charge.”
The Alternate Representative of Colombia, Carlos Iván Plazas, said the Government of his country has committed itself to renew the mandate of the MAPP/OEA for another year. “Because of the results achieved to date and with the purpose of allowing the new administration of Colombia to get to know the work of the mission and define the priorities of support of the MAPP, the Colombian Government has agreed with the OAS to renew for one more year the mandate of the MAPP, which ends in January of the year 2010,” he said.

“Given this, the MAPP in coordination with the Colombian Government has conducted an analysis of the organizational structure and activities that allow the Mission to continue contributing to the consolidation of the process following the stage of disarmament verification and demobilization of the armed groups in violation of the law,” he said.

Insulza and Plazas acknowledged and thanked the participation of the international community in the Peace Process.

The quarterly report on MAPP is presented before the Permanent Council of the OAS in accord with resolution CP/RES 859, which sets to “instruct the Secretary General that he quarterly inform the Permanent Council of the work of the MAPP/OEA and of its continuing ability to contribute to the achievement of values and principles contained in the OAS Charter and the Inter-American Democratic Charter.”

Reference: E-343/09