Colombia signs peace deal with the Farc rebels

More than 50 years of civil war and bloodshed are officially brought to an end with the signing of a peace deal between Colombia and Farc rebels.

Both men used a pen made from a bullet to illustrate the transition from weapons into education and the future.

What we have signed today, (…) goes beyond a simple agreement between a government and a guerilla to put an end to a conflict. What we have signed today is a declaration by the Colombian people in front of the world to say that we are tired of war and that we do not accept any more violence as a mean to defend ideas and that we say loud and clear NO MORE WAR, said Juan Manuel Santos.
. Farc leader Rodrigo Londono, known as “Timochenko” was the first to add his name to the historic document followed by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.

“In the name of the Farc I ask for forgiveness for all the pain that we have caused the victims of the conflict and for all the suffering that we could have caused during this war,appealed Rodrigo Londono.

¡El mundo aplaude que #LaPazGerminaYa en Colombia! Con apoyo generoso de comunidad internacional llegamos a este histórico día. pic.twitter.com/5bJrNnMW5S

— Juan Manuel Santos (@JuanManSantos) September 27, 2016

At one point the rebel leader was taken by surprise as a fighter jet flew over the crows. He quickly recovered saying “ Now planes fly to salute peace , not drop bombs.

More than a quarter of a million people died and thousands more were displaced by the years of violence. Now the rebels are to swap their guns for the ballot box.

The European Union is to remove the FARC group from its terror list. The US has pledged 390 million dollars to support the peace process.