THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary- October 4, 2016- Topic 2
Colombia has missed, narrowly, an opportunity to end its five-decade-long
civil war. Had a majority of the electorate voted ‘yes’ in Sunday’s referendum
on a peace agreement reached between the government of President Juan Manuel
Santos and the guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC),
it would have immediately set in motion the process of disarming the rebels.
But the accord was rejected by a razor-thin majority, throwing the future of
peace — and war as well, which both the government and the rebels had declared
over — into uncertainty. It is not difficult to understand popular anger
against FARC. The rebel group is accused of massacres, trading in illegal drugs
and running extortion rackets. Over 52 years, the conflict has claimed 220,000
lives and displaced about six million people. A dominant section of Colombia’s
political class, led by former President Álvaro Uribe, was actively campaigning
for a ‘no’ vote. Mr. Uribe had charged President Santos with handing Colombia
over to FARC. The main criticism is that “justice” is being sacrificed for
achieving “peace”. Under the terms of the current agreement, most of FARC’s
rank and file would be allowed to lead civilian lives. The leadership will be
judged in special tribunals with reduced sentences.
With all its imperfections, this was the best opportunity in decades to end
a war in which both sides have committed terrible crimes. While the atrocities
committed by FARC are well-documented, government troops and the army-backed
right-wing paramilitaries stand accused of excessive use of force, turning the
Colombian countryside into a war zone. Where President Santos differed from his
predecessors was in the realisation that there was no military solution to this
conflict, leading to negotiations with the rebels four years ago with Cuba’s
mediation. The ‘no’ vote doesn’t necessarily mean that the country will be
pushed back into war. Both President Santos and FARC chief ‘Timochenko’ have
said they would continue efforts to make peace. But it is not clear what
options they have but to renegotiate a fresh deal and put it to another
referendum. That means the government and the rebels may have to go through
another round of tortuous talks. While reaching a new agreement has its own
challenges, it is plausible for both sides, having established goodwill and
trust over the past four years of negotiations, to look for creative diplomatic
solutions to end the war for good. The Colombian government should also try to
win over the opposition, which would strengthen its appeal to the public for a
deal. The alternative to peace is to send FARC back to the jungles and risk a
potential resumption of the war.
Vocabulary
Referendum: a general vote by the
electorate on a single political question that has been referred to them for a
direct decision.
Example: He could also claim a legitimacy built on a succession of victories in
irreproachably clean popular votes in referendums and multi-party elections.
Synonyms: popular vote, vote, public vote, plebiscite, ballot, poll
Disarming: take a weapon or weapons away from a person, force, or country.
Example: Guerrillas had completely disarmed and demobilized their forces
Synonyms: demilitarize, demobilize; lay down one's arms, demilitarize
Razor-Thin: extremely thin.
Example: Razor-thin slices of salmon
Uncertainty: the state of being uncertain.
Example: Times of uncertainty and danger
Synonyms: unpredictability, unreliability, riskiness, chanciness, precariousness
Extortion: the practice of obtaining something, especially money,
through force or threats.
Example: Brute force, extortion , and bribery are not a policy, they are the last
refuge of a mafioso.
Synonyms: blackmail, shakedown, exaction
Excessive: more than is necessary, normal, or desirable; immoderate.
Example: He was drinking excessive amounts of brandy
Synonyms: immoderate, intemperate, imprudent, overindulgent, unrestrained
Predecessor: a person who held a job or
office before the current holder.
Example: The new president's foreign policy is very similar to that of his
predecessor
Synonyms: forerunner, precursor, antecedent
Mediation: intervention in a dispute in order to resolve it; arbitration.
Example: The parties have sought mediation and it has failed
Synonyms: arbitration, conciliation, reconciliation, intervention, intercession
Negotiate: try to reach an agreement or compromise by discussion
with others.
Example: His government's willingness to negotiate
Synonyms: discuss terms, talk, consult, parley, confer, debate
Tortuous: full of twists and turns.
Example: The route is remote and tortuous
Synonyms: twisting, twisty, winding, windy, zigzag, sinuous
Resumption: the action of beginning
something again after a pause or interruption.
Example: A resumption of meaningful negotiation
Synonyms: restart to/of, restarting of, recommencement of, reopening
of
