Appealing smoke screen?

In cities around the world today, demonstrations were held against the FARC guerrilla forces. This mass mobilization gathered millions of supporters, mostly in Colombia but also in cities throughout Europe, Latin America, and the United States. While this collective moment to stand for peace and speak out against the violence that has plagued Colombia for generations is in a sense a positive sign, it has been denounced by numerous human rights groups for its unfortunately one-sided focus.

Those who stand for peace must denounce all forms of violence. This includes not only the tactics of the FARC, but also the paramilitaries, the rapacious multinational corporations, the narcotraffickers, and the members of government who collude with these various purveyors of violence. To organize a demonstration only against one armed faction turns a blind eye to the complex web of violence and contributes to the impunity of the other actors by focusing the call for correction on just one.

In order for peace to become a reality, the call must be without exception: no more violence. Period.