Disarmed, Colombia's FARC seek to debut political party

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Colombia's leftist FARC rebels are looking for political rebirth on Sunday as they move to transform into a party to seek elected office after disarming to end a half-century war.

The six-day meeting in Bogota of FARC members, who have handed in more than 8,000 weapons to the United Nations during their demobilization, is expected to conclude Friday with a platform that the party, still officially un-named, will campaign on in elections next year.

About 1,000 delegates from the freshly demobilized Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia will launch a founding congress to choose their political representatives.

FARC commanders Carlos Lozada (L) and Ivan Marquez (2-L) speaking with journalists after a press conference announcing the launch of their political party in Bogota on July 24, 2017. /AFP Photo‍

Under its 2016 peace deal with the government to end its part in a war that killed more than 220,000, the majority of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) fighters were granted amnesty and allowed to participate in politics.

Whether Colombians, many of whom revile the rebels, will be inspired to back them remains to be seen.

What's in a name?

Another former commander of the force, Ivan Marquez, said he expected the movement to call itself the Alternative Revolutionary Force of Colombia.

However, the overall FARC leader Rodrigo Londono canvassed opinion on Twitter and many respondents said they favored the name "New Colombia."

FARC rebel leader Rodrigo Londono Echeverri, known as "Timochenko" (R), Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos (L) and the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Colombia and Head of the UN Mission to Colombia, Jean Arnault (C) attend the final act of abandonment of arms and its end as an armed group at Transitional Standardization Zone Mariana Paez, Buena Vista, Mesetas municipality, Colombia on June 27, 2017. /AFP Photo

Conflict analyst Frederic Masse of Bogota's Externado University said the debate reflected a "dilemma" in the movement.

"Some want to keep the word 'revolutionary' while others want to change that to show that this is a new start," Masse said.

Seeking votes

Regardless of how many votes they may win, the peace deal guarantees the new party five seats in each of the two legislative chambers for two terms.

"We hope to get enough votes not only to justify those five senate and five lower house representatives, but also we aspire hopefully to achieve an even greater representation," Lozada said.

Londono has ruled out the new party fielding a presidential candidate. But he said it will support a candidate who guarantees the peace deal the FARC signed with center-right President Juan Manuel Santos.

Members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) attend a ceremony as part of the peace process in Buenos Aires, Cauca Department, Colombia on June 13, 2017. /AFP Photo

'Liberal democracy'

The communist FARC was formed in 1964 from a peasant uprising for rural land rights.

Its members have avoided publicly framing their current discussions on their political future with terms such as "socialist" and "communist" however.

Another former FARC commander, Pastor Alape, said they were looking for a broader "liberal democracy" movement.

Some ex-FARC leaders have said it will be "anti-imperialist" and "anti-patriarchal" in spirit.

Lozada said it would focus on promoting free health and education and environmental protection.

Challenges ahead

After 53 years of attacks and kidnappings, the FARC in its new form faces a struggle for acceptance.

Recent polls indicate that more than 80 percent of Colombians are opposed to it.

"There is a long history of grievances weighing against the FARC," said analyst Angelika Rettberg.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos (L) shaking hands with a UN observer before closing the last container with weapons surrendered by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), at a Transitional Standardization Zone in Pondores, Guajira department, Colombia on August 15, 2017. /AFP Photo

Voters narrowly rejected the peace deal in a referendum last year. Santos and the FARC tweaked it and the government pushed it through congress.

"The FARC will face a number of challenges. The first is not to betray their support base. The second is to enlarge their electorate," said Masse.

"The third is to show that they are capable of doing politics differently and not letting themselves get sucked into traditional patronage politics."

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Source(s): AFP ,Reuters