Should we vote YES or NO?

I think we need to go for the YES, due to the fact that we can have the best of both worlds, analyzing that all this time we have been in war, and answering NO is continueing with the conflict and we won't get anywhere, answering NO is a synonym of death and more pain for Colombian population and even though we do not know all the information written in the 300 sheets of the agreement made by the government and the FARC, we as Colombians should know what is better for our country, and the best thing we can do right know for us is finishing the conflict and maybe the guerrilla is going to get some benefits they do not deserve, but we need to forgive and it is a worth "sacrifice" in order to achieve the goal we have being looking for about 50 years and it is peace, I'm not telling you or anyone to agree with these arguments, but everyone should think for one moment what is the best thing to do for our future, don't let the anger consume you and see the positive part of the agreement.

LauraVergara26 wrote:You should vote NO because it is really unfair that people who had made so much damage to our country are now receiving the money of our taxes to create parties to lead our country. I continue thinking how could the president make this horrible decision? The worst thing you can think of is to vote yes for the plebiscito, let's think of the future generations and what kind of country and society we are creating for them. I invite you to read the whole document and take your own decision. Is it fair for our country?

In my opinion you should vote yes because its time for people to stay calm and on peace, the negotiations with las FARC its the best thing since sliced bread because is the opportunity to stop not only the war but the victims and deaths of people which were innocent. The plebiscite most be yes because anybody want to live the war anymore. Its right that las Farc will not pay for their crimes but sometimes we must learn to forgive and take us away from the hate.

I think we need to go for the YES, due to the fact that we can have the best of both worlds, analyzing that all this time we have been in war, and answering NO is continueing with the conflict and we won't get anywhere, answering NO is a synonym of death and more pain for Colombian population and even though we do not know all the information written in the 300 sheets of the agreement made by the government and the FARC, we as Colombians should know what is better for our country, and the best thing we can do right know for us is finishing the conflict and maybe the guerrilla is going to get some benefits they do not deserve, but we need to forgive and it is a worth "sacrifice" in order to achieve the goal we have being looking for about 50 years and it is peace, I'm not telling you or anyone to agree with these arguments, but everyone should think for one moment what is the best thing to do for our future, don't let the anger consume you and see the positive part of the agreement.

I think people who really read the plebiscite are the ones who can vote because they know what is the pice process about, also people who have suffered the consequences of this conflict because they are the ones who really can forgive, in my opinion it doesn't matter if we are not directly involved in the problem because it's our country and we can't lay our hair down and see how people with less economical resources suffer everyday, it's really important to know the consequences or this war but also the positive things and depending of this build your own opinion.

I personally would vote yes to the plebiscit because in my case and many people in bogota dont live the conflict directly. Now i say, if many of the people that lived directly the conflict can forgive las farc that kill members of their family and displaced them by force from the place they lived, why we can not forgive them. Its true that the country gived many things to las Farc, but we cannot expect that to end one of the conflicts of the country by an agreement, the members would be in jail. If that happens they would not sign the agreement and this conflict would extend for many years. Now the important thing is do the same with the ELN and end definetely the guerrillas conflict in Colombia. Its better to sign now the agreement and not getting back to the drawing board.

9AIvanGuerrero wrote:I think that the only people that can vote for the plebiscit are the ones who read the 297 pages of what the plebiscite will do because by this they will know what they are gainig and what they are loosing, I wouldn't vote because the simple reason that I dont know really what I am wining or loosing and because we are no just talking about the economy of Colombia or the inflation but about the human lives that are affected really like the farmers or the militaries and nit just the militaries but also the families of them, I have a partner wich her parents are militaries and I consider them and know what the worriying in their lives mean, just thinking that their parents or family are in danger or can be shoot only because the conflict we live in for almost  20 years so the real people that have to decide are them and the ones who really know what the plebsicte is not just read a summary and vote, but vote responsable. I would vote Yes in the case I said previously if I read and kniw all the plebsicit in that case I would but at the same time I can vote No because I dont agree with some things of the plebiscit this will come a more personal opinion and vision.

You are right by saying that if we don't read all the document we won't know how are we affected, and we should not vote at the drop of a hat, we should think farder beyond, but from you point of view if all of the Colombians had to read the 297 pages in order to vote, not even the 10% of our population would have the right to vote, and the purpose of the plebiscite is having the opinion of every person in the country, and everyone has his/her opinion about the topic, and indeed if they don't read the whole document, most of the Colombian people won't know the solutions but they know about the conflict or they had been involved in some way, so they can have their personal point of view and can vote whatever they want. Even though your arguments are not completely wrong, there were some things that were correct, for example the fact that it is a personal point of view, and that is why non of our decisions should be influenced by nobody.

Admin wrote:Explain your reasons.

This topic is truly a hot potato. If I'd had the chance to vote, without doubting I would vote YES. Like Maria Jose Gomez said, forgiving and forgetting are two completely different things. 52 years of pain and suffer are not easy to forget, but we can forgive. Martin Luther King said: "We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies." A lot of people say that we are not directly affected by this war and is true. However, having a young soldier uncle constantly fighting against FARC and being all the time in Dangerous Zone and dodging bullets is something I would not wish to anyone. Continually worrying about his safety or if a bomb could explote and end my uncle's life , is truly heartbreaking, gruesome and exhausting. We need forgiveness in order to move on and having a more beautiful Colombia. Off course achieving an absolute peace is a harder fight, but at least we are one step closer to achieving what we've always wanted.

"You can't forgive without loving. And I don't mean sentimentality. I don't mean mush. I mean having enough courage to stand up and say, 'I forgive. I'm finished with it.'" Maya Angelou

Ana María wrote:I think we all should vote YES. I understand the pain, suffering and agony the victims of this 52 year conflict had to live, however this must not be an excuse to let it go. If we support the dialogues between FARC and the government we reduce the amount of horribles crimes may be commit in a brief future.

I totally disagree with you Ana María. First of all, you can't understand the pain a family had to pass through when they see their son or their brother without a leg, an arm, or without a life. As everybody, I want to have a country without violence, but in a fair way. They should pay for all the damage they had done to the society, so they need to go to jail because the supposed "fair" system we have say so. The government as part of its job, need to get together with FARC again to give them coherent options, for example, they should go to jail for at least 5 years, and then, they could enter to the society again with the support of the government to get a job and live a good life. Is moment to think in the future generations, what kind of country you want them to live in? I really do not think you want to be leadered by people who had killed thousands of people, including kids. 218.000 people killed. More than 80% were civilians. Is the moment for you to make the correct decision, I recommend you to vote NO, but at the end the ball is in your court. I already forgave, but I won't forget every tear each kidnapped, violated or killed kid shed. Here I leave you the statistics of the conflict.

LauraVergara26 wrote:You should vote NO because it is really unfair that people who had made so much damage to our country are now receiving the money of our taxes to create parties to lead our country. I continue thinking how could the president make this horrible decision? The worst thing you can think of is to vote yes for the plebiscito, let's think of the future generations and what kind of country and society we are creating for them. I invite you to read the whole document and take your own decision. Is it fair for our country?

As same I said quoting Carolina I will say the same opinion

I think that Juan Diego is correct we have to forgive and go further of this year and see us and our children in 10 year, do we want the to live the same story we live , an story where guns and deads where the only solution, a world where they see war is the only solution , or we want a better place for our families, in this time many families live a hard life where they worry about the war, where militaries have children and their children everyday ask themselves if they would see again their families. Although the plebiscit will cost an arm and a leg it will be the end of a period and the start of a new story a new world where we can begin to think about something that many people said it is imposible, peace, it begins with forgive and creating relationships between us and the Farc, I know it is hard to forgive people that have killed more than 500,000 but talking about the position of Carolina we have to do it if we want to close the cicle and create our own story and not be forced and force our families to live all our lifes on war but break these and instead become a better society, this will not only benefit militaries or farmers but also enconomicaly the country will stop inflation and narcotrafic will decrease, this is the first step to stop war and to create our new path a path that only can be designed and travelled by us, so think not only inthe today but in the tomorrow, I respect the two opinions and everyone's opinion because I know this topic is a hot potato and we have to be tolerant with everyone opinons and like I did in this intervention argument it with facts opinions and using the reality as an example. War can be stopped in Colombia with this, it is our oportunity to end 20 years of war.

LauraVergara26 wrote:You should vote NO because it is really unfair that people who had made so much damage to our country are now receiving the money of our taxes to create parties to lead our country. I continue thinking how could the president make this horrible decision? The worst thing you can think of is to vote yes for the plebiscito, let's think of the future generations and what kind of country and society we are creating for them. I invite you to read the whole document and take your own decision. Is it fair for our country?

Voting NO is just another way of limiting our way of thinking, as it is evident in your comment, but fortunately,  actions speak louder than words, it is clear that you don't want to give part of your taxes for ending the conflict, but instead you have a deep feeling of revenge against the people who have done this to our country, it is incredible how many people prefers to solve this war with murder, due to the fact that they don't want to negotiate. Additionally, have in mind that they have only been fifty two years of massacres and that during that we didn't had the chance to solve it by discussion, in a table with arguments, not with weapons, so my advise for you is to think that losing this chance is getting back to the drawing board. Furthermore, think that in this process every single failure was a success that is showing results today, those results were the singing of the ceasefire, for concluding, I already give you my point of view, if you want to cut corners and vote NO is up to you but the ball is in your court.

9AUrbinaJuan wrote:I think we need to go for the YES, due to the fact that we can have the best of both worlds, analyzing that all this time we have been in war, and answering NO is continueing with the conflict and we won't get anywhere, answering NO is a synonym of death and more pain for Colombian population and even though we do not know all the information written in the 300 sheets of the agreement made by the government and the FARC, we as Colombians should know what is better for our country, and the best thing we can do right know for us is finishing the conflict and maybe the guerrilla is going to get some benefits they do not deserve, but we need to forgive and it is a worth "sacrifice" in order to achieve the goal we have being looking for about 50 years and it is peace, I'm not telling you or anyone to agree with these arguments, but everyone should think for one moment what is the best thing to do for our future, don't let the anger consume you and see the positive part of the agreement.

In my opinion you hace a clear mind due to the fact that you, as I do, see that grass is greener at the other side and we both want peace in this country. Voting yes does not cost an arm and a leg but if you vote you need to do it with clear reasons.Conflict in colombia has been rising since the last decade. I was born in a country full of problems and my dream is to have my kids a good future without war. Though voting no is to deny peace,it is not incorrect because everyone has the right to do everything they want. I just wanted to convince people that we have to end war. "If we don't end war war will end us"-H.G

The process in which the Colombian country is passing right now must be admirable, not only other countries such as the United States of America , but also the United Nations are in favor and support Colombia in this amazing step, we saw how Ban Ki-moon, the general secretary of the UN was proud of the peace treaties and the sign of the peace in Cartagena de Indias after more than fifty years of war agains it, spending more than 12 billion COP every year in the war against "Las FARC", that's why we should vote YES for the plebiscite.

We need to learn to forgive, stop losing an arm of a leg in monetary resources for the war but instead invert that economical resources in infrastructure, new roads, advancements in the capital, Bogotá, and in the entire country. Is true that some parts of the contract between "LAS FARC" and the government are not so fair, but pitifully the real peace is not real. I'm not saying that the war in the country will stop because that's not true, what we can do is stop one of the problems of our country, that affects direct and indirectly every people in the country, what we can do now as Country is to vote for the approval of the plebiscite this second of October of 2.016, victims do not want more war with "LAS FARC", the agrarian industry will improve a lot and our country will finally start to progress.

carolinavm23 wrote:I think that we should vote NO because we simply cant forget all the terrorific and inhumane actions committed by FARC they killed thousands of people in our country, since little and innocent kids to grandparents, head of families, this is just insane so I think that the solution purpose by this plebisit is just silly and insufficient how can be possible that with our money they wil, receive lots of millions because they will stop killings, this is just stupid and I think that this punishment is not enough for the kind of criminal they are and I mean it will be just enequal for the people who suffered this war that the people who killed they family get money and no punishment and what is worse is that they will arrive to the politic of our country, and if yah happens finally destroy our poor country.

I think that Juan Diegos opinion down on this topic is correct we have to forgive and go further of this year and see us and our children in 10 year, do we want the to live the same story we live , an story where guns and deads where the only solution, a world where they see war is the only solution , or we want a better place for our families, in this time many families live a hard life where they worry about the war, where militaries have children and their children everyday ask themselves if they would see again their families. Although the plebiscit will cost an arm and a leg it will be the end of a period and the start of a new story a new world where we can begin to think about something that many people said it is imposible, peace, it begins with forgive and creating relationships between us and the Farc, I know it is hard to forgive people that have killed more than 500,000 but talking about the position of Carolina we have to do it if we want to close the cicle and create our own story and not be forced and force our families to live all our lifes on war but break these and instead become a better society, this will not only benefit militaries or farmers but also enconomicaly the country will stop inflation and narcotrafic will decrease, this is the first step to stop war and to create our new path a path that only can be designed and travelled by us, so think not only inthe today but in the tomorrow, I respect the two opinions and everyone's opinion because I know this topic is a hot potato and we have to be tolerant with everyone opinons and like I did in this intervention argument it with facts opinions and using the reality as an example. War can be stopped in Colombia with this, it is our oportunity to end 20 years of war.

La Xime wrote:We should vote NO, since it's illogical to say yes to a plebiscite that is not going to make justice. In the part of judges the idea is quite dumb, because if the "guerilleros" admit their crimes, they will have a freedom. When daily in Colombia are judges and the thief ends with a conviction of too many years. So why to vote yes when those terrorist have committed worts crime?

I strongly disagree with you, La Xime. You can't say the plebiscite will not give any justice if you don't give it a chance, is very easy for someone to say at the drop of a hat that something will not work when they don't even try it. Our government have been, since long time ago I must say, searching for peace by talking in a pacific way with the wars protagonists, they have tried hardly to give Colombia the peace they deserve, to assure their habitants that they can go out without fearing anything and they can live in peace. All this work, all this more than two hundred pages on a peace document, this effort must result to something, it can not be in vane. In life effort bring consequences, the positives ones, and this whole process is not a 'cutting corners' one it is something worth "Yes" voting for. It is not an excuse to say terrorists have made worst crimes, sure they have; actually, there will always be something worst than the previous but it is in our hands to reduce all the amount of illegal acts happening nowadays, step by step we can improve our lifestyle if we try to.

Let's not cry over spilt milk and read history books about what happened before us. We might understand what happened but even then, we are true ignorants. Wouldn't it be better that we discuss this topic understanding that we are a minors and can't vote? It could be better if we dealt with this by explaining the possible consequences and not acting as Temis. Leave justice to the pros.

Maria Jose Gomez wrote:I believe we should vote YES. There is a huge difference between forget and forgive. More than 50 years in war for a complete generation deserve a rest. Maybe not complete, but at least partial. One group less to fight with. If this decision turns to become positive, it is a "first step" to end this arduous conflict. It is clear, there could be many injustices, regarding to impunity, salary payments, or punishment terms, amongst others. However, there should be benefits for both parts or neither of them would´t accept. If the plebiscite wins for NO, the next step everyone will take is to hide again and resist while the war continues, and surely the armed forces will turn even stronger than before. This is not a decision to take lightly, because it is certainly skating on thin ice for both parts. But each part might have reasons for fight either for yes or for no.

I disagree with you because the government is giving peace, but with impunity which makes it even worse,it is not about crying on the spilt milk but for example the FARC, the ones who killed many people, kidnapped them, and even make suffer many families, and now we are voting for a yes to the plebiscite, in my personal opinion everybody should vote for NO because the damage they have made to society is unforgivable.

Maria Jose Gomez wrote:I believe we should vote YES. There is a huge difference between forget and forgive. More than 50 years in war for a complete generation deserve a rest. Maybe not complete, but at least partial. One group less to fight with. If this decision turns to become positive, it is a "first step" to end this arduous conflict. It is clear, there could be many injustices, regarding to impunity, salary payments, or punishment terms, amongst others. However, there should be benefits for both parts or neither of them would´t accept. If the plebiscite wins for NO, the next step everyone will take is to hide again and resist while the war continues, and surely the armed forces will turn even stronger than before. This is not a decision to take lightly, because it is certainly skating on thin ice for both parts. But each part might have reasons for fight either for yes or for no.

I disagree with you bease the government is giving peace, but with impunity which makes it even worse, the FARC, the ones who killed many people, kidnapped them, and even make suffer many families, and now we are voting for a yes to the plebiscite, in my personal opinion everybody should vote for NO because the damage they have made to society is unforgivable.

I believe we should vote in favor since it is the only way of going forward and turn this horrendous chapter in the history of Colombia. By voting no we are just returning to the same situation we've been in since more than 50 years ago. We are all Colombian, and the love for this country should unite us all. As Colombians, the ball is on your court.

carolinavm23 wrote:I think that we should vote NO because we simply cant forget all the terrorific and inhumane actions committed by FARC they killed thousands of people in our country, since little and innocent kids to grandparents, head of families, this is just insane so I think that the solution purpose by this plebisit is just silly and insufficient how can be possible that with our money they wil, receive lots of millions because they will stop killings, this is just stupid and I think that this punishment is not enough for the kind of criminal they are and I mean it will be just enequal for the people who suffered this war that the people who killed they family get money and no punishment and what is worse is that they will arrive to the politic of our country, and if yah happens finally destroy our poor country.

Voting NO in the plebiscite is voting no to the peace in Colombia. After 50 years of conflict, Colombia is tired of deaths and bad reputation and is ready to move on and begin again to fully fulfill the countries potential. Voting YES is the best way to assure a better country for our children and future generations, it's time to change bullets for votes and forgive to make a Colombia a peaceful country once again. Regarding to the money and tax issues, what would you prefer? Give money to education, medicine and to help those who left FARC to begin a new politic movement that will have the same requirements as the ones now existent or to profit a war in your own country? The government and FARC have done a correct and valid process trough out these years but the ball is in our court now, the future of Colombia is now in our hands and it will be a loss to let this opportunity pass just because we can't forgive people who already ask for forgiveness in front of the president, the UN General Secretary and the whole country.

Saarangom wrote:Let's not cry over spilt milk and read history books about what happened before us. We might understand what happened but even then, we are true ignorants. Wouldn't it be better that we discuss this topic understanding that we are a minors and can't vote? It could be better if we dealt with this by explaining the possible consequences and not acting as Temis. Leave justice to the pros.

Dear Sergio, it is evident your lack of domain over the topic. Quoting Aristotheles, "the man is a political animal". You should not overlook politics even if you can't take part of them right now. You are just trying to beat around the bush here. Maybe you should investigate more about this topic, because it will define your future as a Colombian and ours as a nation.

SEDelgado wrote:Many of the Replies under this topic are related with forgiveness, and many of you have stated it is almost impossible to forgive FARC for all their in humane acts. How come some of you reach to say it is impossible to forgive when people that have been victims of this conflict do. As one Choco's human rights activist said to the ex-president Alvaro Uribe Velez: " The siblings of the rich men don't go to war" then how we that have not been victims talk about forgive. Voting for Yes is the best option, this will generate a change of mentality of foreigners towards the country and this will increase foreign investment.

Dear Simon, I don't think that the best option is Yes, with the only reason that if you have read the 297 pages that explain the peace process said that the retired persons will lost the 10% of its pension and this is not fair with this pesorns that have work for more than 30 years. Also I don't agree with you in the part that said "this will generate a change of mentality" please mr Delgado don't count your chickens before the eggs have hatched.

oscar.rojas wrote:I considered we should vote NO, we have witnessed all the horribleness FARC have done in the last 50 years in Colombia. We need to change our minds and look for peace, off course, but not giving the country to this murderers. Unfortunately we live in a such corrupt country that even if the NO wins, the YES will 'win' because of Santos.

You are right saying that we have witnessed the horrible things FARC has done; however, we are not giving the country to those people . I think you are not playing with a full deck due to the fact that Santos's has no further authority on the answer of the plebiscite, if NO wins there is nothing that Santos could do to change that. If you are not disposed to forgive FARC you are nothing but the same as they are, forgiving makes you a better person but not forgiving makes you equal to them.

The arguments of the "No" are most of them incorrect and are full of hate and bad blood. They say FARC are not going to apologize, and in fact, they did it yerserday. They say FARC aren't going to give back the guns, and they will, it is supervised by the ONU. They say FARC will continue with the drug dealing but they will stop and use these lands to repair the victims. They say that they will not pay a single day of jail, and it is incorrect, the person that not confess crime will pay jail, the exception is if they confess and repair the victims. Also that they would receive $1'800.000 each month. No, they will receive 90% of the minimum salary for two years to reincorporate to the society. As we can see, the goverment is not giving the "country to FARC" I prefer to see them talking trash than shooting a gun. You can't judge a book by its cover and believe wrong information of the agreement.

carolinavm23 wrote:I think that we should vote NO because we simply cant forget all the terrorific and inhumane actions committed by FARC they killed thousands of people in our country, since little and innocent kids to grandparents, head of families, this is just insane so I think that the solution purpose by this plebisit is just silly and insufficient how can be possible that with our money they wil, receive lots of millions because they will stop killings, this is just stupid and I think that this punishment is not enough for the kind of criminal they are and I mean it will be just enequal for the people who suffered this war that the people who killed they family get money and no punishment and what is worse is that they will arrive to the politic of our country, and if yah happens finally destroy our poor country.

in my opinion we should vote YES to the referendum for ending the oldest conflict in the Western Hemisphere, also it is our duty as Colombians to build a decent future for all generations, and personally i want my children to know about war, death, violence; only in the history books. This war has let thousands of deaths how much war does this country need ps to open its eyes and see that peace is better than war, i prefer an inperfect peace than a perfect war

If i could vote i would vote yes because this peace is necessary for the country. Its true that this would not end the conflict in colombia but we need to delete from the list of active guerrillas in Colombia las farc. If people that leave in places that live directly the conflict, why can not we forgive them if many of us dont live the conflict directly. In this agreement we give things romlas farc, but in the furure we will receive a country with one problem less. Now we need to worry about the ELN and we would end definetly the problem of guerrillas in Colombia. The last thing the country wants is that the agreement goes back to the drawing board.