Colombia's FARC rebels to soon hold final conference, peace vote

Colombia's main rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces, said in a statement on Saturday they will hold their final conference on Sept.ember13-19 to ratify a peace accord with the government.

The deal between the leaders of the leftist guerilla group, referred to as FARC, and the government was announced Wednesday in Havana, after almost four years of talks. The rebels have agreed to lay down arms after half a century of war.

Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos has sent the text of the accord to Congress, where legislators have 30 days to go over it before a national referendum on October 2.

The historic accord foresees the demobilisation of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), whose cocaine-funded rebels fought the government in a war that killed at least 220,000 people. Tens of thousands disappeared and millions fled their homes because of the violence.

The deal, opposed by two former Colombian presidents, still needs to be voted on in a referendum before it becomes law. Most opinion polls suggest Colombians will back it. Still, Santos, who has staked his legacy on peace, will have to fight hard for a "yes" given fierce opposition from powerful sectors of the country who think the only solution is to crush the FARC militarily.