On October 27th the ELN (National Liberation Army) guerrillas began an operation to release their last confirmed hostage, a promise announced in the wake of the inauguration of peace talks scheduled to begin in the Ecuador in November.

In the beginning of October, Colombians narrowly (50.2 percent) voted to reject a peace agreement negotiated between the Colombian government and the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) in a nationwide plebiscite. Given little attention in this backdrop is that part of the agreement ensured that the rights and interests of Afro-descended and indigenous peoples will be respected and the fact that the majority of the “Yes” votes came from Afro-descended territories and territories hit most by the violence.

You’re invited to presentations and a discussion with three (3) activist-analyst experts in a conversation on Colombia and the opportunities for peace covering:
• What agreements were reached with FARC, how, and why the results of the referendum,
• The perspectives and prospects for Afro-Colombians,
• How the process with ELN could be improved and what is expected of ELN

The discussion will unpack the challenges ahead, what to pay attention to in coming months, and what will be the role of the U.S. in the context of a new president.

PANELISTS:

• Charo Mina-Rojas, Colombian human rights activist with National Afro-Colombian Peace Council and Black Communities’ Process (Proceso de Comunidades Negras- PCN),
• Michael Paarlberg, journalist for the Guardian who witnessed the recent plebiscite in Colombia,
• Sanho Tree, IPS Fellow and Director of the Drug Policy Project.

Please RSVP.