Colombia Prepares List of Those Who Will Receive War Amnesty

Colombia’s Defense Minister Luis Carlos Villegas confirmed Wednesday that authorities are already compiling a list of those who could benefit from the amnesty law, which is currently being discussed at Congress following the passing of a peace agreement earlier this month.

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"Within the deadliness established in the agreements is the need to begin the preparation of the lists of FARC members who will benefit from the law and at the same time the list of those who will be beneficiaries of the renunciation of criminal actions, "Villegas said.

The amnesty bill seeks to pardon guerrillas from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, for political crimes — not human rights crimes — and pave the way for further implementation of the country's historic peace agreement. The bill would also pardon Colombian troops involved in minor offenses.

The list is the first issue to be discussed by lawmakers. The amnesty bill is expected to be voted on next week in the Senate as well as the lower house of Congress.

The amnesty law is part of the deal that looks to bring an end to 52 years of armed conflict that has claimed the lives of more than 220,000 people, along with 45,000 disappeared and nearly 7 million displaced.

The move follows the ruling by the Constitutional Court to approve a fast-track procedure for Congress to speed up the process of approving bills needed to implement the peace deal between the government of President Juan Manuel Santos and the country's largest guerrilla army.

The urgency for the approval of this bill stems from the fact that it is seen as key in spurring the disarmament process by shielding rebels as they transition back to civilian life with the confidence that the guarantees outlined in the peace deal will be respected.