Colombia's CNEB armed group gives up 14 tons of arms

DW (English)

In Colombia, a peace initiative aims to negotiate with all militant groups. The National Bolivarian Army Coordinating Committee (CNEB) recently gave up large swathes of military equipment in response to this policy.

Transcript

00:00This is what attempted peace in Colombia looks like, as the CNEB hands over 14 tons of military

00:10supplies for destruction, mainly consisting of mortar heads and plastic explosives.

00:16I would like to thank all my comrades who have gathered here to take this important

00:24step towards peace. Our objective now must be to continue down the same path.

00:33The weaponry that was destroyed was used for attacks and combat, financed mainly by cocaine

00:39production and drug trafficking. But today, the CNEB's leaders talk about peace.

00:46It would be good if the armed conflict in Colombia ended, wouldn't it? Children could

00:53go out to play, they could go to school without fear, young people could study, they wouldn't

00:58be in armed organizations. That's the kind of peace we would like to see in Colombia one

01:03day.

01:08Members of the CNEB once belonged to other armed groups, who they are now fighting with for

01:14territorial control.

01:17The progress made in negotiations was celebrated at a public event. But members accused some

01:24of trying to torpedo the process.

01:29Peace faces many challenges. And we must overcome them all. Everyone knows that Colombia has a

01:35very powerful opposition. They are staunch enemies of peace, democracy and change. But peace must

01:43be achieved by everyone, with everyone, with the Colombian people.

01:52After four years of negotiations, the success of the talks has been mixed. Still, the government

01:58remains committed to total peace.

02:02How can we backtrack on a policy where a group is laying down their weapons to reconnect with

02:10communities? And why would our institutions shut the door on that possibility?

02:20What kind of future would we be offering those territories then?

02:27Despite significant advances such as the destruction of weapons, negotiations with armed groups in

02:33Colombia remain a major challenge.

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