After nearly 60 years of conflict, the Basque separatist group ETA has announced its decision to lay down its weapons by April 8. This information comes five years after the organisation renounced violence.
Conciliation Resources’ Colombia Programme Director Kristian Herbolzheimer has been attending a forum in Biarritz (Northern Basque Country) focused on disarmament. During the conference, Kristian led discussions on the participation of civil society in the Colombian peace process and the principles of disarmament. Kristian also spoke with Al Jazeera about the disarmament of the ETA:
There is a consensus in Basque society that there are three groups of actors that need to be involved in addressing disarmament – the Basque institutions, Basque political parties, and civil society. While there is no major experience in the world of civil society participation in disarmament, the way ETA may end up disarming suggests the Basque civil society will play the leading and very innovative role in unlocking this crucial step in the peace process.
Watch the video below to hear Kristian's full interview with Al Jazeera, and find out more about the conflict in the Basque Country in our 2014 Accord, Legitimacy and Peace Processes.