Next Step in Peace Process Is to Continue Pressure: Ivan Cepeda

After Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced the new peace agreement with the FARC will be approved by Congress, Senator and human rights activist Ivan Cepeda says the next step is to work tirelessly to pressure authorities to fulfill it.

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According to Cepeda, “not only international organisms but local courts,” will pressure the Colombian state to diligently abide by all the agreements.

“What we’ll see in the future is an acceleration and an important incentive to respect the rights of the victims of the conflict,” Cepeda told teleSUR.

According to Cepeda, the right-wing opposition didn’t want the agreement to be approved by Congress since Santos has strong support and a majority in the legislature.

“There are still some sectors with economic and political interests in war and drug trafficking. They use drug traffic to incentivize war and they live under the theory that war creates commerce.”

On Tuesday, Santos said the legislative branch has “not only the legitimacy of the popular vote,” but represents “all the views and political options in the country.”

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“I will play the role of a facilitator,” said Cepeda. “I will dedicate myself completely to the implementation of the agreements.”

The senator also says the role of the legislators, human rights activists and supporters of peace, is to pressure the government to comply by the agreement word for word.

“I believe it's a civic duty, a patriotic act,” said Cepeda. “Peace is the duty of all Colombians.“

According to Cepeda, people need to pressure the government to resume talks with the National Liberation Army, or ELN, the second guerrilla in the country.

The talks with the ELN, scheduled to take place in Quito, Ecuador were suspended by the government hours before it started, as they alleged the ELN had not confirmed the release of a prisoner. Cepeda says these talks are fundamental for peace.

Cepeda’s father, Manuel Cepeda was a leader of the Communist Party of Colombia and a congressman for the Patriotic Union, who was murdered in 1994, when paramilitary forces killed two presidential candidates, eight senators, 13 legislators, 70 council members and 11 mayors.