Ricardo Bolanos lays out a camouflage vest, a small battery radio and old rubber...
PONDORES, Colombia - Ricardo Bolanos lays out a camouflage vest, a small battery radio and old rubber boots on his bed, cherished relics from his 45 years as a FARC guerrilla fighter.
The guerrillas agreed to disarm in return for promises of reintegration into society, economic benefits for former fighters, political representation in Congress, and guarantees of their safety. “We’re worried about our personal security,” Bolanos says, from his cramped and overheated living space. “You start to lose confidence in the credibility of the peace process.”
“We’re worried about lives as people in the reincorporation process are being murdered and so are hundreds of social leaders,” Marcos Calarca, a FARC spokesperson and member of Congress, told Reuters at the Pondores camp. In June, Duque announced 23 new measures to ensure their security, including closer work with the ombudsman to spot risks sooner, less waiting time for personal security assignation and self defense training.
The government says it will extend a monthly $200 stipend to ex-combatants until Dec. 31, as they did not meet a August 15 cut-off date to hand over the loans. As the former rebels struggle to get projects off the ground, Duque has come under fire for the delays from FARC leadership, lawmakers and human rights groups.
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