> >from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >subject: Cuba -Colombia peace talks, crisis. NGO's in Havana >� Copyright GRANMA INTERNATIONAL DIGITAL EDITION. La Havana. Cuba > >COLOMBIA > >Ready for the peace talks > > BOGOTA (PL).- On February 29, the government and the Revolutionary >Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) announced the formal opening of the >decisive phase of dialogue, consisting of debates on >the socioeconomic model. > >V�ctor Ricardo, high commissioner for peace, termed the start of the >negotiations next week as historic, based on the desire that has been >expressed for reconciliation and the trust built during the recent >tour by the joint commission to seven European countries. > >In declarations made to the press in Bogot�, Ricardo forecast a long >and complex but promising road, leading to the possibility of >achieving a cease-fire prior and eventually an end to the bloody >fratricidal war. > >The high commissioner's declaration underlined the consensus on the >need to end the use of weapons that have caused so many deaths on >both sides. > >In the meantime, Ra�l Reyes, FARC commander and spokesperson, >insisted on the need for widespread participation in the scheduled >public hearings to debate the main problems facing the majority of >Colombians. > >From San Vicente del Cagu�n, capital of the demilitarized zone in the >south, Reyes said that from next week onward, President Pastrana's >determination to find political solutions to the social problems >at the root of the violent conflict will be put to the test. > >The government and the FARC are prepared to start negotiations on the >theme of the socioeconomic model, focusing on the questions of >unemployment, integral agrarian reform, education, housing >and medical services, among others. > >The specialized commissions will renew sessions, after having >recessed for the trip to Europe, with the aim of holding the first >public debate with public participation by mail, e-mail or fax, all >free of charge, or by personally attending the meetings. " JC > > ************ > � Copyright GRANMA INTERNATIONAL DIGITAL EDITION. La Havana. Cuba >NGOS OF THE SOUTH MEET IN HAVANA > Reversing inequality >BY RAISA PAGES (Granma International staff writer) > >THE contemporary world is like a cage where foxes abound and devour >vulnerable and unprotected prey. > >Can the defenseless free themselves from these beasts? The ancestral >and wise advice of strength in unity, in the face of evil, continues >to be valid on the threshold of the third millennium. > >If the weak stick together, cooperate, exchange and search for >authentic solutions which expose the adversary�s weak spot, there >will be hope for a better world. > >These arguments rallied, from different parts of the world, about a >hundred delegates from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from >almost 30 countries of the South who, for three days in Havana, >highlighted the need to increase civil society�s ability to reverse >the mechanisms responsible for the unequal distribution of wealth. > >There are abundant macro-economic figures demonstrating the ill-fated >consequences of the neoliberal model for the underdeveloped world. > >Neoliberal globalization is portrayed as the last train which the >South must immediately board. If it does not reach the platform >quickly, it will not even be able to get on the last car and will >plunge into development apartheid, sinking deeper and deeper into >poverty, according to those who support this perspective. > >This unique line of thinking which portrays the majority of the world >as being in the hands of large companies engaged in global >operations, necessarily sweeping away the national dimension, was >analyzed during the conference by Osvaldo Mart'nez, director of the >Center for Research on the World Economy (CIEM); Roberto Verrier, >president of the Economists� Union of Cuba (ANEC); and Dr. Ram-n Pez >Ferro, director of the Organization of Solidarity of the Peoples of >Africa, Asia and Latin America (OSPAAAL), which hosted the event >together with other Cuban NGOs such as the Economic Society of >Friends of the Country. > >The attempt to eliminate borders is a consequence of a spider�s web >which has been woven over five centuries, since the beginnings of >capitalism. Only now this globalization, neoliberal in name, is not >the same as that which began two or three centuries ago. Other >features characterize it, such as the search for new markets, that >are not the classic ones of goods and services, but rather currency >and financial capital, which operate on a round-the-clock basis and >are interconnected to an international network. > >Not only commercial organizations and financial institutions figure >among the new actors promoted by neoliberal tendencies; there are >also other actors on the international scene which struggle for >social justice: NGOs, a growing phenomenon, the presence of which has >been apparent on several occasions, such as the Seattle protests, in >the face of the failure of the World Trade Organization meeting. > >The proposals that rich countries put to the South as their main >arguments for development are arguments which they themselves have >not put into practice. The case outlined by the CIEM director during >the conference provided proof of this. > >With the suspension of protective tariffs for the internal market and >their opening up to international trade, these neoliberal recipes >were not applied by the main developed countries of Europe and Japan >during the 1913-1993 period. > >On the contrary, they closed off their economies, which is evident >from the total sum of their trade and gross domestic products (GDP). >The only country with some degree of openness during that period was >Germany. > >The reduction of the state�s role to that of guardian is a policy >not applied by the majority of developed countries, as public >expenditure and the GDP continued to grow between 1970 and 1995, >according to research. > >PASSPORT TO A GLOBAL VILLAGE > >Until now, humanity has never had such scientific and technical >potential at its disposal, capable of transforming the world into a >global village. There is enough accumulated knowledge to allow >humanity to enjoy widespread equitable welfare, but the singular >paradox is that inequality is increasingly immense. > > Can the 300 million people in the world >without running water consider themselves >inhabitants of this alleged global village? Or >the 35 million unemployed, not counting the >other ten million who have lost hope of >finding a job and therefore do not even figure >in official figures? > > Do the 235 million poor of Latin America, half > >the population of the region, have access to >this global village? Only finance capital, >highly qualified professionals of the first >world and those immigrants who are willing to >take on work rejected by comfortable citizens >in wealthy nations have passports giving them >access to this macro world. > > "NGOs of the South must exchange scientific >knowledge, we cannot lag behind in technology," >said Winston Mison, researcher at the Institute >of African Studies, based in South Africa. >The South African representative also went on to urge "restructuring >the North-South discourse to achieve greater transparency in the >International Monetary Fund and the World Bank." > >Unity among the representatives of civil society with regard to the >powerful appears in the text of the final document drawn up by the >conference, which was officially closed by Cuban Deputy Foreign >Minister Jorge Bola-os. > >Likewise, a declaration was made in favor of the immediate return of >Cuban child Eli�n Gonzalez, illegally retained for more than three >months by the corrupt ultra-right wing in Miami. > >Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque held a discussion with >delegates during the final session of the conference, which he >described as an excellent forum for debate on the problems faced by >the South, the conclusions of which would be very useful for the next >South Summit to be held in Havana in April." JC > > ************** >subject: Colombia in Crisis >X-From_: cubasi-return-3425- >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sat Mar 11 2000 >Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2000 From: Interhemispheric Resource Center ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >List-Help: <http://www.egroups.com/group/cubasi/info.html>, > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >List-Archive: <http://www.egroups.com/group/cubasi/> >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: [Cuba SI] Colombia in Crisis webpage > >Greetings! > >The following is an excerpt of two new policy briefs >published by Foreign Policy in Focus, a joint project >between the Interhemispheric Resource Center and >the Institute for Policy Studies. To access the full >text please visit the attached urls. > >Note: The Colombia in Crisis page is now up at: >http://www.foreignpolicy-infocus.org/colombia.html > >Colombia in Crisis >by Carlos Salinas >http://www.foreignpolicy-infocus.org/briefs/vol5/v5n05col.html > >President Clinton declared in his 2000 State of the Union address >that his Colombia aid package was to help Colombia �win this fight.� >Yet what �this fight� is all about is not so clear. According to the >State Department�s Congressional Presentation Document for Foreign >Operations FY2000, �the fight against drugs remains the principal >U.S. national interest in Colombia.� Yet for the Colombian Army, the >principal fight is against leftist guerrillas. In recent years, the >misleading but politically expedient term, �narcoguerrilla� has been >coined to merge these two fights. Yet the Army�s allies, >paramilitary leaders, are identified as narcotraffickers in their own >right, and even Washington contends that former President Samper >received financial support from narcotraffickers. Moreover, in >January 2000, the wife of the U.S. military group commander in Bogot� >pleaded guilty to heroin trafficking. The reality is that drug >traffickers work with anyone willing to advance their interests. > >Multilateral Debt Burden >by Soren Ambrose >http://www.foreignpolicy-infocus.org/briefs/vol5/v5n04debt.html > >For countries that have endured decades of severe indebtedness, >poverty, and subordination to the IMF and World Bank's economic >policies, comprehensive cancellation of their outstanding >debts�without the added burden of crippling, externally imposed >conditions�is necessary if their resources are ever to become >available for development, and if their people are ever to control >their own economic destiny. > >Washington should ideally take the lead in such a program of >cancellation, first by canceling the bilateral debt of the most >impoverished countries without credit-imposed conditions, and then by >strongly urging similar cancellation of multilateral debt. Even if >that were to occur, a system for treating national debts independent >of the IFIs is still necessary, particularly for the debts of >countries like Brazil and Indonesia, which are not deemed to be among >�the poorest� but which have huge populations living in abject >poverty. " JC > > ************ >X-From_: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tue Mar 14 02:35:27 2000 >Delivered-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >From: "PRENSA NUEVO AMANECER<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "NAP ENGLISH-A" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 07:36:23 -0800 >Subject: McCaffrey on air support -- plus commentary >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Commentary by Wilson Powell follows news article. >Wilson Powell is a Veteran of the Korean War and >member of VETERANS FOR PEACE. He has been >visitng Mexico and Colombia and making the public >aware of the situation down there. NAP strongly recommends >the reading of his commentary on the following news article. >NAP >------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date sent: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 09:46:36 EST > >Lack of U.S. air support hindering drug war- Post > >WASHINGTON, March 12 (Reuters) - A key element of the drug war in >Colombia is faltering because U.S. surveillance flights over major >cocaine-producing regions have declined by two-thirds over the past >year, the Washington Post reported Monday, quoting U.S. officials. > >The near disappearance of U.S. radar planes from Andean skies >severely erodes the ability of U.S. forces to spot smugglers flying >low over the jungle and direct intercept missions by South American >warplanes, the Post said. > >In Peru those intercepts proved highly successful, helping drive down > Peruvian coca production by two-thirds between 1995 and 1999, >according to Barry McCaffrey, director of the Office of National >Drug Control Policy. > >The Post said lack of simple equipment such as fire trucks and >navigational beacons was impeding the interdiction effort over an >area of southwestern Colombia, which took up the slack from Peru. >Colombia doubled its coca production during the same 1995-99 period >to an estimated 520 tons (tonnes) last year. > >Colombia supplies 80 percent of the cocaine consumed in the United >States each year. In the last five years, it has become a major >heroine producer as well. > >U.S. and Latin American officials also told the Post drug trafficking >was on the rise in Peru because of a decline in surveillance and >interdiction resulting from friction between Congress and the >Clinton administration, Pentagon infighting, and the competing >demands of other military operations. > >Marine Gen. Charles Wilhelm, commander-in-chief of the U.S. Southern >Command (SouthCom), recently told Congress that restoring aerial >surveillance was ``absolutely critical'' to U.S. anti-drug >initiatives in South America. > >Republicans on a House panel voted last Thursday to provide $1.7 >billion to help Colombia, the world's leading cocaine producer, to >combat drug trafficking. > >But the package, which must still be approved by the Senate, includes >only minor provisions to boost surveillance flights and does nothing >to deliver what Wilhelm says he needs most: E-3 AWACS, the Air >Force's largest and most sophisticated radar plane, the Post >reported. > >The nation's 30 AWACS, or airborne warning and control system >aircraft, are in such heavy demand elsewhere that none are >permanently assigned to SouthCom and temporary tours have become >increasingly rare since the air campaign in Kosovo last spring. > >Concerned that the Pentagon underestimates the importance of the drug >war, McCaffrey wrote Defence Secretary William Cohen last month >warning that weakened capabilities in Latin America could jeopardise >the Colombia effort. > >The retired army general asked for a commitment to rebuild >surveillance capacities, the Post quoted senior officials as saying. > >While declining to discuss the letter, McCaffrey told the Post in an > interview that ``our ability to get into the Andean ridge has >dwindled to about zero.'' > >The White House drug official said he had made it known throughout >the administration that ``I think we have to get going on this, and >if we don't, we face a potential disaster within three or four >years.'' > >00:37 03-13-00 > > Comment: Exactly what is the "potential disaster" of General >McCaffrey's warning? And how could it be any worse than the one we >already face with drugs in our country? > >Everyone knows that cocaine and heroin are extremely cheap and >available everywhere right now. Responsible warriors in the "war >against drugs", warriors with long track records like the National >Council on Alcoholism and Drug abuse, know that money spent on >interdiction in foreign countries is ten times less effective in >reducing addiction rates than domestic programs of treatment and >prevention. The General is describing a situation that is already >hopeless. Drugs will be produced so long as the market demands them. > It really is that simple. > >His equations would have us believe that drug production increased >only because the U.S. ability to watch from the skies decreased. >Sorry. That's not very well thought out. Too simplistic and >unaccountable of the opportunities for corruption in bankrupt >economies and the great "suck from the North". > >Meanwhile, the surveillance he desires undermines the sovereignty of >the countries he would over-fly. Venezuela, for instance, absolutely >refused to let us do that. How can we justify sending spy planes >over sovereign countries when we would never permit them to do the >same to us? His attitude amounts to a gigantic discounting of the >viability of the rights of those nations he would penetrate with his >air power. Insulting, demeaning, disempowering and not at all >helpful in countries, like Colombia, where internal conflicts rip >apart their social fabric. > >In my opinion, based on interviews with many people at many levels of >society in Mexico and Colombia, we would be ever so much more >helpful to ourselves and to our neighbors if we offered help to >rebuild social structure, put in farm-to-market roads, for instance, >not to convey military convoys but to bring products to market from >remote, under-developed areas. What could we do to restore respect >for law in lawless areas like the Magdalena Medio in Colombia? Our >state department once had a very visionary program of assisting > civil [police departments in developing themselves into effective, > citizen-responsive organizations as an antidote to militarism. The >best example of that is Costa Rica, where my brother, David Powell, >administered the program in the sixties. Most stable country in that >part of the world. Why can't that program be re-vitalized? Costs far >less than Blackhawk helicopters and a system of foreign airbases and >surveillance aircraft like the AWACS the general is calling for. > >What about encouraging real land reform -- which certainly appears to >be one major source of conflict in Latin America? Use economic >incentives, persistent persuasion, prevail with all the leverage we >have, to get the privileged classes to give a little in order to >earn, not co-opt, participation in the rewards of a stable economy >working within the framework of a stable society. > >What the general is asking for, in my opinion, is the further >emasculation of our Latin American neighbors. If I were Peru or >Ecuador or Colombia, I would be insulted. I would say, as I have >heard it said many times, "Take care of your own appetite for drugs >and the producers will lose incentive." > >Wilson (Woody) Powell Veteran For Peace " JC > > > > > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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