Overview of Colombian Conflict - The Catholic Church's Role in Peacebuilding-Internal Displacement - Human Rights - Social and Economic Development -

Peace Processes - Education for Peace - Reconciliation - International Solidarity

Peace Processes

The Catholic Church has played various roles in formal and informal mediation and negotiation processes.

Formal Negotiations

The Church has been active both behind the scenes and publically in formal negotiations. The CEC (Conferencia Episcopal Colombiana) has played the role of mediator, facilitator, observer and in one unique instance as representative of the government during formal negotiation processes.  Various commissions of bishops have participated in the national dialogues and negotiations and have identified lessons learned and best practices.   They have played prominant roles in the following agreements:

• The 1990 Accord between the National Government, the Political Parties, the M-19 and the Catholic Church in the capacity of a moral and and spiritual guide for the process
• The 1998 Palace of Viana Pre-Agreement in Madrid
• The 2002 Los Pozos Accord
• The 2003 Santa Fé De Ralito Accord to contribute to peace in Colombia

During 2006, the ELN and the Colombian Government held exploratory peace talks.  For an excellent scholarly review, see "ELN and the Current Peace Talk Scenario in Colombia" by Anders Rudqvist.

The National Conciliation Commission, the Colombia Bishops' Commission for Peace, and local and regional clergy faciliate negotiation processes and humanitarian agreements between the armed parties and the governemnt on the national, regional and local levels.

National Conciliation Commission created by the CEC (Conferencia Episcopal Colombiana) is an autonomous and indepedent entity seeking peaceful solutions to Colombia's armed conflict.  The Commission plays a significant role in accompanying the formal peace processes and in promoting respect for human rights and international humanitarian law.

Pastoral Dialogues

The Church holds these dialogues locally and regionally.  Clergy faciliate the talks and thereby create space and possibility for encounter between the warring factions.  By building trust and establishing dialogue, these processes attempt to defend life and dignity of the civilian population by allowing leaders of the Church to intervene in conflicts and confrontations.  Pastoral Dialogues have resolved situations of blocked roads, the liberation of kidnapping victims, threats of harm to persons and threats of violence and displacement of communites.  While these dialogues are not without their debate, pastoral dialogues allow the prophetic voice of the Church to emerge and creatively imagine alternatives and possibilities in situations where the civilian poplulation is at risk.

Peace Communities

The Colombian Bishops' Conference (la Conferencia Episcopal de Colombia, CEC) has worked in association with REDEPAZ to assist many communities in conflict zones to establish and maintain “Peace Communities.”  Peace communities and 'communities of resistance' are communities that attempt to distance themselves from all armed actors and form a community built on peace, dignity, equality and justice for all.  Local dioceses have often encouraged these communities and supported their quest to remain on their land and become catalysts for peace.  The leadership of the local Catholic Church and the diocese helped create one of the first 'zones of peace' in Mogotes, Colombia. 

For more information on zones of peace in Colombia, see the book Zones of Peace by Landon Hancock and Christopher Mitchell.