Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bogota (Agenzia Fides) - "The peace process is alive and it is not true that it is in its worst moment, despite recent attacks by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) hinder the negotiations", said His Exc. Mgr. Luis Augusto Castro Quiroga, Archbishop of Tunja and President of the Colombian Bishops' Conference, at the opening of the Plenary Assembly being held in Medellin. The Archbishop, speaking to the international press, highlighted that the peace process seems to have stopped because difficult points are being discussed: "There is little optimism, but we must revive the peace process so that all Colombian people support it and for the country to overcome this stage".
Four days ago the letter "Weapons are the failure of the word" was published, prepared by the religious leaders of the country, as demonstrated by the note sent from a local source of Fides: "26 leaders of the Catholic Church, Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Orthodox, Evangelical, Mennonite, and other institutions working for reconciliation, associated with different religions, such as some Islamic and indigenous communities, joined their voices in favor of peace in Colombia, and then signed a letter sent to the delegations of the Government and the guerrillas, that met in Havana (Cuba)".
Religious leaders "beyond the differences of creed, a unanimous and pluri-religious creed in favor of reconciliation and peace", highlight "the necessity and urgency of developing joint action in an ecumenical spirit, to close the wounds left by a long war".
"The unprecedented move comes at a time when uncertainties want to leave the peace process in darkness: for the first time in history they come together to warn the government and the guerrillas that weapons are an error, and the word is the right path" reports the magazine "Semana", one of the most popular in the country. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 09/07/2015)
