Colombian Government Pardons 30 FARC Guerrillas to Build Confidence in Peace Talk With The Rebel Group

In a move to boost confidence in the country's peace talks the rebel group, the government of Colombia announced that it plans to pardon 30 Farc guerrillas currently serving jail time in various prisons in the country.

BBC noted in its report that none of these guerrillas "had been sentenced for major crimes." This move is also reportedly in line with the peace talks in Cuba for the past three years that aimed to end the armed conflict in Colombia.

"As part of the confidence-building gestures between the national government and the FARC, the national government has decided, based on its consitutional and legal authorities, to grant pardons ... to 30 guerrillas," read the presidential statement as quoted by Yahoo Sports.

It was also noted that the individuals who will be pardoned are not those charged with heinous crimes. The government also noted that they will exert effort to help these fighters find jobs and provide them social support.

After the government released its statement, BBC indicated that Farc negotiators bargained with the present administration to let go of those fighters who are sick inside the jails.

According to Ricardo Tellez, a Farc negotiator, a number of detention facilities in the country have been doing protests and hunger strikes to slam "mistreatment from guards and a need for medical attention."

"9,500 inmates are adrift, without medical attention, confined in 350 prisons ... and at times resisting repression by the guards," Tellez stold Yahoo Sports.

In response, Deutsche Welle said the government has made the assurance that they would check the physical condition of the 106 Farc members currently in the custody of the government.

It added that the country has been trying to cope with a long 50-year insurgency that is lead by the Farc.

"Both sides say that they hope to reach a consensus on compensation for victims, surrendering arms and a mechanism to ratify the peace deal in the next six months," noted Deutsche Welle.

Meanwhile, Fox News said that the guerrilla fighters and the Colombian government started the peace process in November 2012 in Havana, Cuba and the two are already touching on the "two final points of the peace accord which deal with the victims of the conflict and the disarmament and demobilization of the rebels."

It was highlighted in the BBC report that among the important things discussed in the peace talks was the agreement not to recruit children under 17 years old.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos reportedly requested for the speedy negotiations of the talks last week.