EL MUNDO FELIZ
More peace, more war
293116VD
1913 exercise a real counter-power to the
Each group is negotiating separately with the government. The ELN started in July 1998, the FARC began its discussions with President Pastrama in January of this year. Both groups refused to negotiate in
Both of Colombia's main rebel groups have opened negotiations with the government. But 60% of the population expects the armed conflict to continue. Ernesto Herrera introduces this report on Latin America's strongest guerillas, and their peace plans.
More than 20,000 people died, and
"displaced"
over one million were between 1985 and 1997, in this country's 36 year-old civil war.
Human rights groups generally blame the guerrillas for 3,000 of the deaths. The rest were the work of the army and the country's numerous paramilitary groups.
The Pastrama government, and significant sectors of the capitalist class have decided to accelerate the negotiations with the guerrillas, recognising the high cost of the war.
The government estimates that the war cost US$3.7bn. in 1997, and at least $8bn in 1998 (Colombia's gross domestic product was about $94bn.
in 1997, but fell at least 3% in 1998 because of the conflict.) The nationalised oil company Ecopetrol lost at least $100m. last year, as the result of attacks by the ELN, the smaller of the two rebel groups.
6 International Viewpoint #309 March 1999
For years we have been told that the guerrillas were linked to the drugs trade, and degenerating into a
In fact, well organised rebel groups have continued to expand their activities. The FARC and ELN were active in 173 municipalities in 1985, 473 in 1991, 622 in 1995, and 622 when negotiations began in 1998. The guerrillas are now present over 60-70% of the country.
Quite simply, there are two Colombias. One controlled by the government troops, the multinationals, the druglords and the paramilitaries, and the other in the hands of the guerrillas.
The FARC control 42,000 km', with 12,000 fighters organised on 62 fronts. The ELN operates in 19 of Colombia's 32 departments, with 5,000 fighters organised on 35 fronts. In their zones, the guerrillas secret, and invited a range of social and church groups to participate in their talks with the government.
The talks are extraordinarily complicated. Among other things, the FARC met with US representatives and agreed that, when the appropriate moment comes, it will participate in efforts to eradicate "illegal" coca production and drug
Another central question is the disbanding of the paramilitary groups which terrorise much of the country The guerrillas refuse the paramilitaries' demand of recognition as a political participant in negotiations about the country's future.
Unlike "peace talks" in some other countries, Colombia's guerrillas, particularly the FARC, are dominating the talks, rather than being swept along by stronger forces.
The government is committed to the talks. It has withdrawn its troops from more than 100 municipalities, now entirely controlled by the FARC If President Pastrama backs down, the public will blame hime for yet another failure to end the 36-year old civil war.
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Colombia