There is a renewed sense of hope in Colombia with regard to attaining lasting peace in the country, which has been very elusive in the last several decades.

Not only are the Colombian government officials and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the country's foremost insurgency group, are confident in coming up with a comprehensive agreement, but there is also a welcome development in the peace process.

ELN is Entering the Peace Process

The National Liberation Army (ELN), which is the second main guerrilla group in the country, will now be joining the negotiations with the government, according to Colombia's High Commission for Peace. And, no less than Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos shared the news of the peace talk to his people.

"After intense discussions, today we have begun conversations of peace with the ELN," he said. "We have confronted the ELN on the battlefield ... at they have been part of the armed conflict, but with the step we take today, we recognize that this is the moment to search for peace."

This was also confirmed by the ELN camp through its Twitter account ELN-Paz (ELN-Peace) where the group has stated that they have the inclination and right attitude towards dealing with the others in achieving peace.

Laying Out the Framework for Lasting Peace

Both the government and the ELN side, which are two opposing forces that have been in a longstanding hostile relationship with each other, have expressed their openness to create a dialogue to foster peace.

"The objective is to put an end to the armed conflict, eradicate political violence, center on the treatment of victims and advance toward a national reconciliation with active societal participation and a stable, enduring peace," according to Frank Pearl, who leads the Colombian government in the peace talks with the rebels.

"Society will require fair and balanced information regarding the process, so we will be fostering participatory dialogue," said Pearl's counterpart and ELN's chief delegate Antonio García. "Recommendations from civil society will be given particular relevance."

The ELN Peace Talk is Met With Skepticism

There are others who expressed their doubts, especially in the will of the government to compromise without making too many concessions to these rebels.

According to Federico Hoyos, a conservative lawmaker, the peace talk could lead to these rebels, who have committed war crimes, to eventually escape conviction and may even hold public office in the future.

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