Colombian conflict facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Colombian conflict |
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| Part of the Cold War (1964–1991) and the War on Drugs (1971–present) | |||||||||
 Millions of Colombians marching for the freedom of the people kidnapped by the FARC and the ELN. We want peace. |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
 Army and Police:4,908 killed since 2004 20,001 injured since 2004 |
 AUC:2,200 killed 35,000 demobilized BACRIM: 222 killed 18,506 captured Medellín Cartel: 2,100 killed |
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 FARC, ELN and other irregular military groups:11,484 killed since 2004 26,648 demobilized since 2002 34,065 captured since 2004 |
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The Colombian conflict (Spanish: Conflicto armado interno de Colombia) is a long-lasting struggle in Colombia. It started on May 27, 1964. This conflict involves the government of Colombia, groups that support right-wing ideas, and left-wing guerrilla groups. They have been fighting to gain more power and control in Colombia.
This conflict has deep roots in an earlier period of violence known as La Violencia. That time of trouble began after a political leader, Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, was killed in 1948. Also, in the 1960s, efforts to stop communism in rural areas led to groups like the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) forming.
Each group has different reasons for fighting. The FARC and other guerrilla groups say they are fighting for the rights of poor people. They claim to protect them from government violence and want to bring social justice through communism. The Colombian government says it fights to keep order and protect its citizens. Right-wing groups say they are fighting against the guerrilla movements.
Sadly, this conflict has caused many deaths and forced people to leave their homes. Between 1958 and 2013, about 220,000 people died. Most of them were civilians, meaning they were not fighters. More than five million civilians had to leave their homes between 1985 and 2012. This made Colombia have one of the largest numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the world. About 2.3 million children have been forced from their homes.
The United Nations has looked at the deaths in the conflict. They estimate that 12% of civilian deaths were caused by the FARC and the National Liberation Army (ELN). About 80% were caused by right-wing groups. The remaining 8% were caused by Colombian security forces.
On June 23, 2016, the Colombian government and the FARC signed a historic ceasefire agreement. This brought them closer to ending over 50 years of fighting. Even though people voted against the deal in a public vote later that year, President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos won the Nobel Peace Prize. He received it for his efforts to end the war. A new peace deal was signed the next month and approved by the Congress.
Why the Conflict Started
The roots of the conflict in Colombia go back to the 1920s. At that time, there were many arguments over land ownership. A big part of the conflict's history comes from La Violencia. This was a time when liberal and leftist groups fought against a dictator named Gustavo Rojas Pinilla.
Colombia was a country where foreign companies had a lot of power. One of these was the United Fruit Company. This company bought farm products in Latin America for very low prices. Then, they sold them in other countries for much higher prices. Local farmers often became very poor. They were forced to grow specific crops, which meant they depended on the company for everything.
The United Fruit Company often paid its workers with special coupons. These coupons could only be used at company stores, where prices were very high. Farmers often had to sell their land to the company and then work for them to pay off debts. The company also hired private security groups. These groups were meant to stop workers from asking for better conditions or forming unions.
Workers often went on strike to protest these unfair conditions. They also formed local groups to protect themselves. This led to many clashes between the company and the workers. A major strike happened in November 1928 in Ciénaga. Farmers wanted better working conditions, fair pay, and legal rights. Many socialists and leftists joined the strike, making it the biggest in Colombia's history.
The United Fruit Company demanded that the workers stop their strike. After weeks of failed talks, the Colombian government sent the Colombian Army to Ciénaga. The army fired into the crowd of strikers. This event, known as the Banana massacre, caused many deaths.
This event made many Colombians very angry. It led to a rise in leftist groups. In Bogota, students protested against the government. In 1948, when the socialist leader Jorge Eliécer Gaitán was killed, many poor workers believed it was a political murder by the rich. This led to riots in Bogota, where thousands died. When news reached the countryside, local groups started a civil war called La Violencia. This war lasted over 10 years and caused many deaths and destruction. It ended with a peace agreement in 1958.
As La Violencia ended, most groups of Liberal Party supporters stopped fighting. However, some former Liberals and Communist groups continued their activities in rural areas. One of these groups was the "Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia" (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), or FARC. It was formed in 1964 by Pedro Antonio Marin. The FARC wanted to redistribute land to help poor farmers. They also wanted to create a communist state.
In 1958, the Liberal and Conservative parties made an agreement called the National Front. This system allowed the two parties to take turns in power. They hoped this would end the violence between them. This agreement lasted until 1974.
How the Conflict Grew
The conflict in Colombia grew because of many reasons. These include economic problems, political issues, and social unfairness. Experts say the conflict is linked to a long history of violence and a big gap between rich and poor. Also, the government was not always strong enough to help all its citizens, especially in rural areas. Different political ideas, like capitalism and communism, also caused fighting. The unfair distribution of land, power, and wealth was a major cause.
In the early years (1970s), guerrilla groups like the FARC and the ELN promised greater equality through communism. Many people, especially in poor and rural areas, supported them. During this time, the violence was not very intense and mostly happened in remote parts of the country.
However, things changed in the mid-1980s. Colombia gave more power to local governments. This made the Colombian Government stronger in distant regions. In 1985, during peace talks, the FARC helped create a political party called the Patriotic Union (UP). This was a way for them to move from violence to politics. But between 1985 and 2002, right-wing groups, sometimes with government support, caused harm to many UP members and supporters. This weakened the party and made the conflict worse.
In the 1980s, the level of violence increased across the country. Organized crime groups in Colombia became very powerful. They used money from illegal activities to fund both right-wing groups and guerrillas.
During the time Álvaro Uribe was president, the government put more military pressure on the FARC and other left-wing groups. After these efforts, many security problems improved. As part of a peace process, the AUC (right-wing groups) stopped operating as a formal organization.
In February 2008, millions of Colombians protested against the FARC and other outlawed groups. Many fighters left the FARC between 2002 and 2017. During these years, Colombia's military forces became stronger.
The peace process in Colombia began in 2012. The Colombian government and the FARC held talks in Havana, Cuba. Their goal was to find a political solution to the conflict. After nearly four years of talks, they agreed on a plan for peace. The government also started helping and supporting victims of the conflict. Recently, supporters of the U.P. party have reformed it as part of the reconciliation process. Colombia's congress approved the revised peace agreement.
See also
In Spanish: Conflicto armado interno de Colombia para niños
- Central American crisis
- Colombian peace process
- National Liberation Army (Colombia)
- Plan Colombia
- Internal conflict in Peru
Images for kids
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Millions of Colombians marching for the freedom of the people kidnapped by the FARC and the ELN. We want peace.
