Our joy over the beginning of the public phase of dialogs between the government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army (ELN)

We understand through our faith that peace is a gift from God, constructed in society through the generous and extensive efforts of all the actors involved in conflicts. It is for this reason that we express our desire and prayer that in the current Colombian context dialogs take place, not only between the government and the FARC-EP, but also between the government and the ELN guerrilla, especially when a public announcement of formal dialogues has been made.

April 1, 2016

Juan Manuel Santos
President of Colombia

Nicolás Rodríguez Bautista
Commander of the National Liberation Army (ELN)

And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:18

Our joy over the beginning of the public phase of dialogs between the government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army (ELN).

Warm greetings in the name of all the religious communities that we accompany.

We understand through our faith that peace is a gift from God, constructed in society through the generous and extensive efforts of all the actors involved in conflicts. It is for this reason that we express our desire and prayer that in the current Colombian context dialogs take place, not only between the government and the FARC-EP, but also between the government and the ELN guerrilla, especially when a public announcement of formal dialogues has been made.

1. Above all, we want to express our joy over the beginning of the public phase of the dialogs between the Colombian government and the ELN. As we had expressed in previous communications, to hope for peace in Colombia without the involvement of all insurgencies would make a comprehensive peace impossible. We encourage all parties to use all of their wisdom and their love for Colombia and for the Latin American region, in order to develop the agreed upon agenda, looking towards a horizon of peacebuilding that is the fruit of justice and conforms to God’s will.
2. We are aware that a comprehensive peace must take into consideration the advances in the dialogs between the government and the FARC-EP, as well as the specificities of the talks between the government and the ELN guerrillas. We also believe that the processes must come together creatively to lay the foundation for peacebuilding.
3. We are concerned that the pursuit of peace is being threatened by the ever-increasing paramilitary presence in large parts of Colombia and by the crimes committed against social movements. We call on the government of Colombia to seek effective solutions to these threats that affect rural communities and those who work in peacebuilding.
4. Likewise we call on the ELN to continue to make real their determination to free all detained or abducted persons in their power and to cease all future kidnappings or detainments.
5. We also consider that, while each of the dialogs with each of the insurgencies, must come together at some point, the particular dynamics of each dialog must be respected, by not trying to ensure that the following decisive phases conclude at the same time: the signing of a bilateral ceasefire, the signing of final accord or the mechanisms that will be adopted for citizen approval of the accords.
6. The government and the ELN must use creative strategies that allow for a bilateral ceasefire. Continuing with the armed confrontation will continue to generate losses of life, that with a decision of both parties, can be avoided. Likewise, a ceasefire will generate a more relaxed environment for the development of the important agreed upon agenda.
7. As churches and national and international faith-based organizations, articulated with DiPaz, we offer for the consideration of the dialoging parties our modest services. These services can be used towards the development of the agenda, the oversight thereof, and/or pedagogy around the ending of confrontation, among others, based on the mission both parties see fit to allow us to develop.
We trust that the God of life, of justice, and of reconciliation will inspire your steps in the way of peace.

Firman:

1. Iglesia Luterana de Colombia IELCO

2. Comunidades Construyendo Paz en los Territorios
CONPAZ. Colombia

3. Rev Jairo Barriga
Iglesia Presbiteriana de Colombia

4. Rev. Chris Ferguson. Secretario General.
Comunión Mundial de Iglesias Reformadas. CMIR

5. Rev. Milton Mejía.
Secretario General
Consejo Latinoamericano de Iglesias CLAI

6. Rev. Dr. Dario Barolin
Secretario Ejecutivo
Asociación de Iglesias Presbiterianas y Reformadas de América Latina
AIPRAL

7. Dra. Sherron Hunter
Chicago Religious Latino American Network
CRLN. USA

8. Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz
Colombia

9. Mónica Velasquez
Programa Dh infancia y género
Asociación Pacto Colombia

10. Edith Muñoz
Movimiento Estudiantil Cristiano Mec Bogotá – Mec Colombia

11. Rvda. Julia Brown Karimu,
Presidenta, División de Ministerios de Ultramar
Iglesia Cristiana (Discípulos de Cristo) en los Estados Unidos y Canadá
Co-Ejecutiva de los Ministerios Globales

12. Jenny Neme. Directora
Asociación Menonita JUSTAPAZ. Colombia

13. Luis Ma. Alman Bornes –
Iglesia Anabautista Menonita de Buenos Aires. Argentina

14. Ricardo Pinzón
Director
Fundación Menonita para el Desarrollo de Colombia MECOLDES

15. Prof. Dr. Fernando Enns, Amsterdam
Center for Religion and Peace & Justice Studies,
VU Free University Amsterdam. Holanda

16. César García
Secretario General
Congreso Mundial Menonita

17.Ptr. Lácides Hernandez
Director
Confraternidad Carcelaria de Colombia

18. Norma Inés Bernal V.
Hermanas Auxiliadoras del Purgatorio.
Asociación Codo a Codo.
GEMPAZ.

19. C.B.T. CENTRO BIBLICO TEOLOGICO,Cali
Iglesias Hermanos Menonitas DIHMENO.
Iglesias Valle y Cauca. Colombia
Pastor Francisco Mosquera

20. James Patton
Executive Vice President/COO
International Center for Religion & Diplomacy
www.icrd.org

21. Rvdo. Dr. James Moos,
Ministro Ejecutivo, Ministerios de la Iglesia más Amplia
Iglesia Unida de Cristo de los Estados Unidos
Co-Ejecutivo de los Ministerios Globales

22. Rvdo. Angel L. Rivera Agosto
Ejecutivo de Área para América Latina y el Caribe
Ministerios Globales, ICDCEE.UU. y Canadá e IEUEE.UU

23. Celeste Larkin
Public Policy Coordinator
Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America

24. Humberto Martín Shikiya
Director General CREAS
Centro Regional Ecuménico de Asesoría y Servicio. Argentina

25. Miguel Tomàs Castro,
Pastor de La Iglesia Bautista Emmanuel de San Salvador

26. Medardo Ernesto Gómez Soto, Obispo Sínodo Luterano Salvadoreño
IPAZ Iniciativa pastoral por la vida y la paz del Salvador
FUNVIPAZ Fundación para la vida y por la paz del Salvador

27. Emily Brewer
Executive co-director
Presbyterian Peace Fellowship,

28. Pastor Santiago Flores
Iglesia Reformada Calvinista de EL Salvador IRCES Y ALFALIT de EL Salvador.

29. ENC Radio-Emisora Nuevo Continente de Colombia.
“48 años difundiendo el Evangelio”.

30. Ptr. Pablo Moreno
Fundación Universidad Bautista de Cali- Colombia

31. The Rev. Dr. Paul C. Hayes
Noank Baptist Church, Noank CT USA
Global Baptist Peace Conference

32. Pastor William Mathis, J.D., M.Div.
Springs of Life-Giving Water Church
New Haven, CT

33. Raimundo C. Barreto, Jr., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of World Christianity
Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton, NJ

34. Hans Petter Buvollen
Country Director/Director de País
Honduras Regional Office
DanChurchAid – Ayuda de la Iglesia de Dinamarca
35. Marcelo Leites
Secretario Ejecutivo Regional para la FUMEC ALC
FUMEC ALC: Federación Universal de Movimientos Estudiantiles Cristianos – América Latina y el Caribe.
36. Revdo. Nelson Fernando Celis Ángel
Pastor Iglesia Evangélica Luterana de Colombia
37. Viviana Carolina Machuca
Coordinadora de Compromisos Cristianos
World Vision Colombia
38. Mujer Misterio de Amor que Da Vida a la vida –MUMIDAVI

39. Milciades Puá Gomez – Vicerrector Académico
Corporación Universitaria Reformada. Colombia

40. Adelaida Jimenez Cortés – Decana de la Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Artes y Humanidades y Directora del programa de Teología.
Corporación Universitaria Reformada. Colombia
41. Pedro Acosta Fernandez. Director
Corporación para el Desarrollo Social Comunitario –CORSOC-

42. Rev. Gloria Ulloa
Presidenta para América Latina y el Caribe
Consejo Mundial de Iglesias

43. David López
Vocero oficial para Asuntos Públicos-
Concilio de las Asambleas de Dios de Colombia

44. Ptr. Leonel Rubiano
Vicerrectoria Fundación Universitaria Bautista de Colombia

45. Ken Sehested
Member of the Global Baptist Peace Conference,
editor, prayer&politiks

Organizaciones acompañantes de DIPAZ

46. Erik Norman
Representante regional / Liaison Officer
La iglesia Sueca / Church of Sweden

47. ICCO Cooperación

48. Federación Luterana Mundial FLM

49. Christian Aid