-Caveat Lector- Leftist rebels unwilling to restart Colombia peace talks By CESAR GARCIA The Associated Press 12/9/00 5:53 PM SAN VICENTE DEL CAGUAN, Colombia (AP) -- Colombian rebels on Saturday refused to resume peace talks, despite the government's move this week to appease the group by extending the time it can stay in its stronghold. The leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, said a freeze in peace talks it declared last month would remain in effect until the government produces a plan to curb violence by rival rightist paramilitaries. "We hope the government will tell all Colombians and the international community what its strategy is to fight the paramilitaries," FARC spokesman Raul Reyes told reporters from this southern town in the zone. There was no immediate reaction from the government, which had hoped its extension through January of FARC rule over the area would bring the rebels back to the table, where a sweeping negotiating agenda awaits. The area is a swath of land the size of New Jersey that the government ceded to FARC two years ago to host peace talks. If talks remain frozen past Jan. 31, there's a strong possibility the government could send in troops. While giving no indication his group would restart the talks, Reyes confirmed it was preparing to exchange a group of ill prisoners with the government. The government announced Thursday that a swap deal was in the works, but gave no timetable or details. The rebels hold more than 500 police officers and soldiers captive, and have hundreds of their fighters in government jails. A prisoner swap would be the most tangible result to date of peace talks to end the 36-year internal conflict began nearly two years ago inside the zone. The paramilitary United Self Defense Forces of Colombia has committed widespread massacres of unarmed peasants they accuse of sympathizing with the rebels. In a report this week, Human Rights Watch said the paramilitary group continued to operate with military support, and was responsible for 78 percent of the human rights violations in Colombia. The conflict claims some 3,000 lives a year, mostly unarmed civilians caught in the cross fire. Colombia is receiving $1.3 billion in mostly military aid from the United States to battle the cocaine trade that inflames the conflict. Copyright 2000 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
