Gurudev facilitated a meet between Dr Luis Moreno Ocampo and a peace delegation of FARC led by Alias Ivan Marquez
The ongoing peace process in Cuba that was initiated by the founder of the Art of Living, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, got a major boost with the spiritual leader facilitating a meeting between the first prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Dr. Luis Moreno Ocampo, and a peace delegation of FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) led by Alias Ivan Marquez.
The objective of the meeting was to analyze and address the issue of justice in the context of a peace agreement. The first prosecutor was invited by the Art of Living to advise the FARC leadership in his personal capacity, keeping in mind his expertise in the field of international justice. He indicated that the CPI prosecutor Fatou Bensouda will not become an obstacle and could help in the peace process by giving a clear road map to move ahead.
Ocampo explained that the ICC wouldn't be required to launch new investigations since the Colombian justice system had already investigated the conflict. He also hinted at the possibility of giving “alternative sanctions” as “transitional justice” as allowed in armed conflicts.
On his part, Marquez said that FARC wants to end the armed conflict and become a political party to serve the poor and underprivileged in Colombia. Marquez acknowledged an evolution in the Armed Forces in Colombia but insisted that they must tell the truth about excessive use of force during the guerrilla war.
Moved by Gurudevs advice of embracing non-violence, the FARC leadership is taking a step towards peace, truth and reconciliation. The meeting with Ocampo is also seen as a major step forward.
It may be recalled that during his three-day-visit to Cuba on June 28th 2015 ,Gurudev had several rounds of discussions with the FARC leadership and convinced them to embrace the Gandhian principle of non-violence. The FARC had then agreed to speed up the process.