Bogota, Dec 29 (IANS) Not a single “no” vote was cast on Wednesday as both houses of Colombia’s Congress approved a bill granting amnesty to members of the FARC guerrilla group who lay down their arms under the peace accord signed last month. The amnesty applies to security force members and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) fighters as long as they are not accused of committing offenses classified as crimes against humanity under the UN Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. After weeks of claiming FARC guerrillas were moving into the so-called ZVTN sites, the administration of President Juan Manuel Santos was forced to implicitly admit on Wednesday that it had failed to prepare most these sites.
As part of an ongoing peace process, the Congress of Colombia approves an amnesty law for thousands of demobilizing FARC rebels. The amnesty does not apply to FARC rebels who have committed war crimes or human rights violations.