This document summarizes President Alvaro Uribe's presentation at a Google ideas panel on leveraging formers and turning the tide against violent extremism. Uribe argues that violent extremism is the greatest threat to human liberty and undermines democracy, peace, and stability. He outlines Colombia's experience with violent extremist groups that nearly made it a failed state. Colombia restored order through democratic security, effective justice against extremists, and an inclusive reconciliation process that demobilized over 50,000 former combatants. The presentation includes a panel discussion with three former extremist group members who reintegrated into society. Uribe concludes that Colombia shows reconciliation is possible and calls for global cooperation to build a world free of violent extremism

1. The case against violent extremism:
a lesson from Colombia
Remarks by Alvaro Uribe in the Google ideas Panel:
Colombia, Leveraging Formers and Turning the Tide Against Violent Extremism
Dublin June 2011

2. President Uribe 10 Minute Presentation
(ENGLISH)

3. Introductory Remarks
It is a great honor for me to be here in this event and to moderate a Panel where all of you will
witness how Colombia has built successful experiences of reconciliation, eliminating what I call
the most dangerous threat to human liberty: VIOLENT EXTREMISM
• Violent Extremism is the opposite of Tolerance, of moderation, of understanding and most
importantly, the contrary of peaceful order.
• Where Violent Extremism reigns there will never be peace, order, stability, security and Democracy. In
a DEMOCRACY VIOLENT EXTREMISM CONSTITUTES THE MOST BRUTAL EXPRESSION OF TERRORISM.
• Violent Extremism has many dangerous components: Prejudice + Fanaticism + totalitarianism
•Violent Extremism endangers the most essential human rights:
•Life: In name of extremism people have been killed
• Liberty of speech
• Liberty of thought
• Religious liberty
• Liberty of Sexual orientation
• Liberty of movement
• Private initiative
• Liberty of association

4. How to eliminate Violent Extremism
How can we eliminate violent extremism? The answer must be based in three
Security as a
Democratic Value
Security for all to guarantee the full
protection to individual freedoms
Combat with determination and
effective justice any form of Violent
Extremism.
Without Democratic Security
Extremists have an open ground to
threat institutional order.
Reconciliation as
a Estate Policy
Demobilization
Reconciliation among different
groups.
Reparation
Justice
Non Repetition
Reinsertion to society
Social Cohesion
(Closing the gaps)
Education is the way to eliminate the
extremism founded in ignorance
Access to health, credit, food,
employment and housing is the way
to eliminate the extremism based on
social hatred.
Culture, Sports and Public Space are
mechanism of social interaction that
unite societies.
The promotion of entrepreneurship is
an effective way to dinamize talent
and create a societal environment of
respect and self endeavor.
essential pillars….

5. The Colombian experience
Violent Extremism had put Colombia on the brink of becoming a failed state:
1. Illegal Armed Groups: Extremist from the left and the right controlled territory
and represented a threat to society.
2. The power of Extremist Armed Groups destroyed confidence
3. Lack of Security = Distrust = lack of investment = unemployment = weakening of
public finances = weakening of social investment = failed state
Restore Democratic
Order 5 parameters
Democratic Security
Freedoms
Independent Institutions
Private initiative
People participation
Effective Reintegration
process
53.000 Members of Extremist Groups
demobilized between 2002 and 2010
31846 Collective demobilizations.
21.176 Individual demobilizations
89% Men and 11% women
78% between 26 and 50 years old, 13%
between 18 and 25, 9% older than 50 years.
Results
26.420 Member have received educational
assistance.
32.224 Members have received psychological
treatment.
9699 members have received work training.
39.829 Members have access to banking.
Social
Cohesion
Investment with
social
responsibility
Democratic Security
CONFIDENCE
Communitary State

6. A world free of violent extremism
Colombia has shown the world that there is a successful way to regain CONFIDENCE and build
reconciliation. We still have many challenges before us: a) We need more support form the
private sector to provide job opportunities, b) We need to continuously plant the pardon seed in
the hearts and minds of our citizens and c) we must continue to enforce authority and justice
while calling members of violent extremist groups to reintegrate to society.
Today in this panel you have and example that change can be possible. We have three
former members of violent extremist groups who have experienced a tipping point in
their lives and have reinserted themselves to society. In their testimonies you will find
their motivations and lessons learned.
We all must work jointly in building a world free of violent extremism. In a true
Democracy every individual can exercise their rights without fear and can express their
ideas persuading others peacefully of their vision. Colombia is not in a paradise but I
can express today that we are a society where everyone’s voice can be heard through
democratic means and were extremist violence is not an option.
Thank you very much and I know proceed to open this panel with some questions and
answers.

7. Inicio del diálogo con Vera Grave (Ex-M-19), Ricardo Ramirez (Ex-
FARC) y Benildo Tijeras (Ex- FARC)
(Presidente Uribe modera. 20 Minutos en Español)

8. Preguntas posibles sugeridas por Google
1. Que hizo posible en el caso de ustedes la desmovilización y la
reconciliación?
2. Que temores y dificultades enfrentaron ustedes? Y cuales cree que fue el
desafío más importante que lograron superar?
3. Como se dió en ustedes el proceso de cambio mental y de actitud que les
perimitió la reconciliación? Cuales eran sus percepciones antes y después
del proceso de reconciliación? Cuales fueron sus lecciones aprendidas?
4. Como puede un grupo de extremismo violento cambiar hacia la
reconciliación?
5. Cual creen ustedes que puede ser la lección que otros países pueden
aprender de Colombia para lograr la reconciliación?

9. Segunda Parte del diálogo con Vera Grave (Ex-M-19), Ricardo Ramírez (Ex- FARC) y Benildo
Tijeras (Ex- FARC). Participa Mark Henderson (Ex Secuestrado del ELN)
(Presidente Uribe modera. 20 Minutos en Inglés habrá traductor para Benildo y Ricardo)

10. Preguntas posibles sugeridas por Google
Did you experience times of empathy in regards to your kidnappers, either during the
experience or after your release?
Describe your relationship with your kidnappers. How did it evolve?
In any conflict, uninvolved people may get caught in the crossfires. When this
happens, what resources do we give them to cope and grow?
What is the impact of combat on non-combatants? How does it affect a society?Are
there ways to prevent it from happening?
What role does forgiveness play in healing?On a personal level?
For a community? How do we obtain forgiveness? How can we move past conflict in a
positive direction?

11. PRESIDENTE URIBE PREPARA
CONCLUSIONES (3 MINUTOS)