The Regional Committee of the Magdalena for Permanent Work for Peace is a petition committee created by the dynamics of Exodo Campesino, which has existed in this region since July of 1998 and will continue to exist during the pursuit of agreements, such as valid discussions between the government and Exodo Campesino. Exodo Campesino has the responsibility of the coordination and orientation of the plan for development and the integral protection of the human rights of the people of the Magdalena.
Over the course of 45 days the Regional Committee studied, debated and organized the demands and needs of this region and pinpointed the principle issues in need of immediate discussed with government representatives the urgent and indispensable actions needed for the protection of life, the respect of human rights, the right to international humanitarian aid and the development of the farming, fishing and mining sectors in this region.
The Program for Development and Peace for the Magdalena Region, according to the nature of the program centers its mission and objectives around the process of peace and development, contributing to the activities of the Regional Committee by the narration and moderation of the sessions, the review of technical aspects for discussion and management, and facilitating emergency actions related to the needs of the families presently living in refuges and shelters of Barrancabermeja, San Pablo and Arenal.
As a result of this process, on the 4th of October an agreement between the national government and MRMMTPP was strengthened. As part of this agreement it was established that, for the immediate future, the main necessity is the completion of a plan for "the Development and integral protection of the human rights for those in the region of the Magdalena", in which during the first two-month phase, a series of preliminary studies will be done in regard to the economic, social and human rights development of this region, and to set a course for the execution of programs and projects with social investment as a priority. During this first phase, the plan will also call for the gathering of agreements signed previously during the march of the campesinos in 1996 and records of promises established by the Public Compromise Act of May 28, 1998.
The coordination and implementation of the serious and urgent parts of this plan will be the responsibility of the Regional Committee. The Program for Development and Peace for the Magdalena has been assigned to initiate the first two month phase of the plan.
The initiation of the plan is set to take place over the course of next week. The government has pledged an amount of $250.000.000 (Ps ?) and has agreed to define and verify the guarantees for the protection of life and other fundamental rights in regard to the return and continuance of the settlements of the region.
In order to coordinate and orientate the management of the resources, a three-party agreement has been come to by the Regional Committee, the Consortium for the Development and Peace for the Magdalena and the government.
In addition, the Program for Development and Peace for the Magdalena will initiate other complementary activities to the process derived from the agreements, such as the fulfillment of the resources assigned by the Minister of Agriculture to help advance projects integral to the assurance of support of the communities involved in the Exodo Campesino (exodus of the people).