Colombia: the ELN Announces a Ceasefire in the Context of the COVID-19 Spread

On 30 March, the National Liberation Army (ELN) announced a unilateral ceasefire, for a month, as the spread of COVID-19 is accelerating in Colombia. It also prompted the Government to start negotiations in Havana with ELN representatives to reach a bilateral ceasefire. This announcement follows the UN Secretary General’s call for a global ceasefire to facilitate the global response to COVID-19 and has been respected so far, according the Conflict Analysis Resource Center.

Fight for Humanity welcomes this ceasefire and hopes it can alleviate the suffering of the population. It also hopes that this ceasefire can constitute an opportunity to resume peace talks. In a letter sent to the High Commissioner for Peace, several personalities and organisations, including Fight for Humanity, requested the appointment of a detained ELN member to the role of facilitator in the peace process, as a first step to creating favourable conditions to reach humanitarian agreements and resuming peace talks.