A long way for justice

Colombia has been waiting for peace for more than half a century. While waiting, generations of Colombians have had their lives spoilt by war, violence, and tragedy. The history of Colombia is the history of a country trying to come to terms with itself as a nation. Thus the drive for the consolidation of statehood, incurring numerous setbacks or limitations in this regard has been central to the country’s development in the last seven decades. One could view the current peace process as the result of a quest for peace sought peace for more than three decades, with multiple attempts involving different actors, approaches, and negotiation schemes, with differing degrees of success. Colombia’s modern history is one of peace in the making in the middle of war, an example of state building emerging from the midst of war. The case of Colombia and the promise of peace and justice now emerging with the FARC-EP government agreements illuminate the fragility of the contexts in which transitional justice attempts are made, and the challenges these fulfilment of these promises are to face.