Pope Francis News: Pontiff Urges Colombians to Move Past the Pains of Civil War
Pope Francis has called for truth and justice for the victims of Colombia's civil war.
Presiding in an emotional act of reconciliation between the victims and perpetrators of the Colombian civil war, which went on for more than half a century, the highest leader of the Vatican and the Catholic Church urged the country to put the conflict behind them. Despite this, the pontiff still stressed that it is important for truth and justice to prevail so that true peace can be achieved.
"Throughout this long, difficult, but hopeful process of reconciliation, it is indispensable to come to terms with the truth. Truth is an inseparable companion of justice and mercy. Together, they are essential to building peace," the Pope said in the central town of Villavicencio.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The Pope's call for truth, justice, and reconciliation happened on the third day of his Colombian tour, where he led a mass that was followed by a prayer for national reconciliation. In the said prayer event, the pontiff was visibly moved by the testimonies of several Colombians who claim that they have already forgiven their tormentors.
"Now I place this pain and the suffering of thousands of Colombian victims at the feet of the crucified Christ, so that it may be transformed into a blessing and forgiveness to break the cycle of violence," declared Pastora Mira Garcia, who lost her father, husband, and two children as they were killed by armed groups in the northwestern Antioquia region.
In line with his call for truth, justice, and reconciliation, the Pope also supports the controversial peace process that led to Colombia's biggest rebel group, the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) to become a political party after it disarmed itself.
While FARC achieved its political party status through the Colombian Congress, critics claim that the amnesty and alternative sentences given to the rebels were too light as compared to their atrocities.
FARC's leader, Rodrigo Londono, penned an open letter to the Pope on Thursday last week, asking forgiveness for the pain and suffering his group had caused to the people of Colombia.
Colombia's civil war started in 1964 and gave rise to the formation of leftist guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries, and drug gangs.
