Colombia: No more war! Yes to life, yes to peace

"President Juan Manuel Santos, who backed the march, is facing increased pressure from Colombians to seek an end to the conflict that has killed tens of thousands over the decades. Responsible for some of the harshest blows against the FARC, including killing the group's leader Alfonso Cano last month, Santos has expressed willing to hold peace talks if the Marxist rebels stop kidnapping, lay down their weapons and cease attacks on civilians and the military. While the FARC has refused, Cano had hinted before his death that dialogue was the only way forward. "It's not just the government calling for peace, it's all of Colombia," Santos said at the start of the demonstration. "The people are sick of violence." More than a decade of U.S.-backed strikes against the FARC has severely weakened the rebels and limited their ability to launch attacks on the nation's economic infrastructure, attracting billions of dollars in foreign investment. But the group remains a formidable part of the conflict, which strips as much as 1 percent from the economy each year."

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