In early November the Colombian army killed Alfonso Cano, the head of Farc (the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia). While many argue this is another significant step towards ending the bloodshed and instability caused by almost five decades of armed conflict, in reality nobody knows for sure what will follow. Responding to recent developments, Kristian Herbolzheimer of Conciliation Resources makes the case – originally published in a Guardian article – that Colombia needs to fundamentally rethink its approach and design a participatory peace process. While, “there are no ready recipes for building peace,” he writes, there is a need, “to keep trying innovative and inclusive approaches.”
