Colombia and FARC rebels agree to a ceasefire

(Vatican Radio) After 51 years of conflict which has cost quarter a million lives and seven million displaced people, the Colombian Government and the main insurgent group the Revolutionary Forces of Colombia, the FARC, are within reaching distance of a final peace settlement with an announced bi-lateral ceasefire. 

Listen to the report by James Blears: 

The peacefire-ceasefire, was jointly announced by both sides, and it`ll be independently verifiable.  Later today there will be a summit like no other to highlight what this means and the issues, which have now been largely resolved.

It`ll be chaired by Colombia`s President Juan Manuel Santos and the FARC leadership.  Guests will include President Raul Castro of Cuba, President Michele Bachelet of Chile and UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.  

It`s taken more than three years of painstaking and sometimes agonizing negotiation in Havana, Cuba to resolve key issues, which will end the five decades conflict and ease the FARC into civilian society.  

These  involve land reform,  the FARC agreeing to halt drug trafficking, which hitherto funded  its war chest, the FARC evolving into a political party converting its guerrillas into doves of peace. And significantly, the  prosecution of war crimes.  

Amidst all these back slapping handshaking congratulations, it must be remembered that the Government  has yet to conclude peace with the ELN, the National Liberation Army.  

There have been many false horizons and bitter sunsets over the years, but now peace is within sight and gunfire out of earshot.  Both sides hope a binding accord can be signed by July 20th.