Inside Story Americas: After Nearly 50 Years, Is Colombia's Conflict Over?

August 30, 2012 from Al Jazeera English

Juan Manuel Santos, the Colombian president, says his government has opened "exploratory talks" with the FARC rebel group. There are also reports that formal peace negotiations could commence in Oslo, Norway, in October. So what will it take to end a conflict that has lasted nearly 50 years? Guests Jorge Restrepo, Jim Jones, and Cynthia Arnson discuss.

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Colombian Armed Conflict

An ongoing asymmetric low-intensity armed conflict in Colombia began in approximately 1964 or 1966, between the Colombian government and peasant guerrillas such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, and the National Liberation Army. It is historically rooted in the co... Explore this topic

FARC

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People’s Army are a Colombian Marxist–Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization involved in the continuing Colombian armed conflict since 1964. The FARC is considered a terrorist organization by the Government of Colombia. The FAR... Explore this topic

Juan Manuel Santos Calderón

Juan Manuel Santos Calderón is a Colombian politician who has been the President of Colombia since 7 August 2010. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Trade, Minister of Finance, and Minister of National Defense. Explore this topic

Colombia

Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. It is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the northwest by Panama; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to t... Explore this topic

Peace talks

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President of Colombia

The president of Colombia is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Colombia. The office of president was established upon the ratification of the Constitution of 1819, by the Congress of Angostura, convened in December 1819, when Colombia was part of "la ... Explore this topic

Negotiation

Negotiation is a dialogue between two or more people or parties, intended to reach an understanding, resolve point of difference, or gain advantage in outcome of dialogue, to produce an agreement upon courses of action, to bargain for individual or collective advantage, to cra... Explore this topic

Hostage

A hostage is a person or entity which is held by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war. However, in contemporary usage, it means someone who is seized by a ... Explore this topic

Oslo

Oslo is the capital of and most populous city in Norway. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III, the city was elevated to a bishopric in 1070 and a capital under Haakon V around 1300. Personal unions with Denmark from 1397 to 1523 and again from 1536 to 1814 and with Sweden fr... Explore this topic

US-Colombia relations

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Also See

Colombian Armed Conflict

FARC

Juan Manuel Santos Calderón