>Date: Fri, 12 May 2000 13:07:44 -0700 (PDT) >From: "UTOPIA UNARMED THE MODERN LEFT.IN LATIN AMERICA" ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: US/Colombia looking dangerous > >The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) issued a communiqu� >warning the government that >the US aid of $1.6 billion dollars,and the offensive weapons are considered >act of aggression .FARC does not accept the US explanation that the weapons >are needed to fight the drug cartel.The drug problems are the >"responsibility" of the police and a special task force along with the DEA. >The weapons ,which include "surface to air rockets, "attack helicopters" and >US training of three battalion of Colombian soldiers .The > "peace talks" apparently is an attempt to lure FARC into a false sense >of progress , when in reality the Colombian military is obviously being >prepared for an all strike against FARC strongholds. Therefore all peace >negotiations are indefinitely government.. The announcement by FARC was in >response to President Andres Pastrana message that "restart negotiations >with the rebels". > >Only a plan that� address FARC demands would even be considered. Chances >are that Pastrana won�t make significant progress with the FARC until he >finds a way to allay its distrust of U.S. involvement in the plan and >begins immediately to put an >end to Paramilitary operations,deathsquads,and stops the military from >terrorizing people in rural areas,only when these conditions are met can >peace talk > >Pastrana�s plan is an expensive one. It will cost $7.5 billion over the next >three years. Colombia will provide the first $4 billion, and hopes the >United States will provide an additional $1.5 billion, with the remainder >coming from other international donors. The cornerstone of the plan is a >concerted effort to combat drug trafficking by boosting the failing economy >and increasing financial and technological support to rural communities. The >plan also calls for modernizing the army and police, and for desperately >needed judicial and criminal justice reform.Pastrana plan is absolutely >nonsense,how is the economy better off by modernizing the military?money is >not the answer to ending corruption in the judicial system.if any thing >money will lead to more corruption. The international community cannot be >counted on,when a disaster is looming with the possibility of Colombia >turning into "the killing fields"of South America once the weapons and >America soldiers arrive. > >In order to implement the plan, Pastrana has called for the establishment of >three commissions. The first, an "accompaniment commission," is basically a >recycled version of the verification commission, which the government >proposed to oversee the demilitarized zone (DMZ) created by Pastrana last >year. The second is a collection of friendly countries that would observe >the negotiations between the government and the rebels. The third commission >would be established after a peace accord is reached and would verify >compliance with the treaty. The peace plan previously agreed to between >the Colombian government and the rebel turned into a slaughter,The plan >called for a truce and a signed tready with the government offering the >rebels >amnesty and the right to become part of the government and judicial system >through a democratic process if they would lay down their weapons ,The >rebels agreed to the conditions then proceeded in trying to make changes >through election and appointment process,however all the rebel leaders who >had surrender their weapons and sign the tready were systematically >eliminated by being murdered,Every one the rebel were murdered by >"paramilitary","deathsquad hitman"of course the government claimed that >their was no government involvement,Their was no doubt that these killings >were ok'ed by the government ,and more than likely had US approval > > > >Pastrana billing this as a new plan is absurd the only thing really new >about Pastrana�s plan is the price tag >The military has undergone reform and modernization since Pastrana was >inaugurated last year.Now they will be receiving offensive weapons US >training , US advisors and technicians from the US military >Counter-narcotics programs have been around for decades,but now the army >will become the drug agents Even the plan to increase support to rural >communities has been talked about for years, as has crop substitution and >increased funding to peasant communities.Who believes that the farmers, who >are making top money with coca crops.will stop growing the coca and plant a >potato instead for less money > >The real problem with Pastrana�s plan is-�-is the rebels is that the >government has still not addressed the FARC agenda at all,instead they are >stalling for time until the US feels the Colombian military is prepared. . >and properly trained for the offensive. > >The FARC does not believe the government� and rightfully so,.Its painfully >obvious that for the rebels to be satisfied they will need to take the armed >struggle into every corner of Colombia and administer enough pain and >suffering that the government will have virtually have no other choice then >to meet the demands of the FARC,unless of course the US decides a military >invasion would be the best way to address the issue of the FARC.The US does >not want the Colombian to capitulate to the demands of the rebels,because of >their Castro/Cuba parnoidia.concerning the nationalizing of US business >interest and limiting access to raw material and cheap labor > > >The scenario for "war" increases each day . Pastrana must take control of >his government and get out from under the US thumb. The first significant >act would be to dismantle and arrest the leader of the paramilitary armies, >he must cut any government ties with paramilitary armies, primarily by >responding to paramilitary violence the way the government responds to >guerrilla violence: by sending in the armed forces. Alleged government and >military sponsorship of the paramilitaries has been a crucial sticking point >in negotiations. The FARC since the beginning has been very firm in this >position if the paramilitary issue is not settled, it will their will never >be a peace process. Pastrana has the opportunity to do something great! what >kind of Country lets a group of murders calling themselves paramilitary >units anywa > >FARC concern over U.S.-Colombian alliance in the drug war.is not to be taken >lightly.US is a menace to the people of Colombia and creates an appearance >to the world that Colombia is a us colony/ Pastrana >will be more respected and accomplish more for the people of Colombia by >being a" LEADER" and not Americans bitch .The next move for Pastrana to >prove he really is serious about peace,would be a prisoner exchange followed >by a join effort to create a DMZ without the presents of any foreign >soldiers,especially US > > >. > >Pastrana needs to try to divorce the drug war from the anti-guerrilla war. >This will be a difficult chore, especially given that current U.S. efforts >tend to blur those lines.As long as the US can create a NARCO GUERILLAS" >image to masked their real objectives the fighting will not stop. For >instance, much of the counter-narcotics (CN) funding and training the United >States provides to Colombia could just as easily be applied to >counter-insurgency (COIN) operations,and the reality is thats exactly whats >taking place FARC often point to this fact when criticizing U.S. >involvement in Colombia�s civil war . > >This year the United States plans to gave Colombia $1.6 billion dollars in >aid. That figure could rise to $500 million per each year over the next >three years.on top of the $1.6 billion Pastrana must do something to allay >FARC concern over U.S. involvement. However, his hands appear to be tied, >given the beating of U.S. government drums over the drug issue and accepting >US advisors solders.. it appears on the surface that the US makes all >Colombia policy decision. > >The FARC has stated its commitment to eradicating drug trafficking in >Colombia. However, nobody believes them. Even if the leadership is committed >to such a policy, there is evidence that individual FARC fronts raise their >money in the drug trade. Some fronts reap huge profits from the drug trade >either by participating in it directly or extorting drug dealers by >providing "protection."This will need to be address,as will the Colombia >officials who are involved in the drug trade > >The increasing U.S. involvement in Colombia has added a difficult dimension >in the attempts to reach peace. To a great extent, the conflict has >transformed from a government-guerrilla problem to a >guerrilla-government-U.S. problem, complicating the process exponentially. >In order to get closer to peace, Pastrana needs to find a way to mediate >this issue. However, reconciling the U.S. and FARC positions appears to us >to be virtually impossible, suggesting Colombia is no closer to peace than >it was when Pastrana took office last year. This is why eventually the >"civil war" in Colombia will become the first of many little Vietnams in >South America with US instigating the nesscessity to preserve "democratic >values. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Utopiaunarmed.com/the modern left in Latin America &Cuba >VERCERIMOS > > > > > >_______________________________________________________ >Get 100% FREE Internet Access powered by Excite >Visit http://freelane.excite.com/freeisp > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
