Colombian War Victims Demand Declassification of Secret Documents

The 37th round of peace talks between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) will end today in Havana. In the five-point negotiation agenda between the two sides, the most extensively discussed issue has been the multiple demands of the millions of victims of the conflict. In a year of discussions on the question an agreement has still not been reached. Uncovering the truth about the conflict and its human rights violations is the starting point in addressing victims' demands. As a first step, the Victims Commission in the talks is demanding the declassification of documents on the conflict, including CIA, FBI, and U.S. military files held in the United States. Uncovering the truth of what occurred during the armed conflict is related to victims' compensations, guarantees that human rights violations not reoccur, and determining individual and institutional responsibilities for what transpired, and access to classified documents is key in this regard. Natalia Margarita reports from Bogota. teleSUR