Colombian and FARC leaders plan to sign a new peace deal
Thursday, despite objections from some in Colombia that the latest version of
the deal is still too lenient with the militant rebel group.
The new deal, which includes more than 50 changes to the one
voters rejected on Oct. 2, will be sent to Colombia's Congress, rather than
back to voters, where Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos expects it to be
adopted.
"We have the unique opportunity to close this painful
chapter in our history that has bereaved and afflicted millions of Colombians
for half a century," Santos said in an address to the country, referring
to the more than 50-year-long civil war that has claimed more than 220,000
lives.
After Colombian voters surprisingly voted "no" on
a peace deal in a referendum vote on Oct. 2, Santos went back to work with FARC
attempting to incorporate requests from former President Alvaro Uribe, who
opposes the deal.
Uribe, who the militant guerilla rebel group refused to meet
with on Monday about the peace deal, already was critical of the version agreed
to by Santos almost immediately.
The former president read a statement from the
"No" movement, suggesting opposition concerns were not considered and
any changes to the deal were simply cosmetic.
"We recognize those points in which there have been
advancements and those issues that could have some adjustments in
Congress," the statement said. "However, without reforms in the
listed issues, the government and FARC agreement is merely a retouch of the agreement
rejected by citizens."
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