From: Red Palante <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Mon, 01 Oct 2001 00:29:58 -0500
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Weekly News Update on Colombia #609, 9/30/01
WEEKLY NEWS UPDATE ON THE AMERICAS
ISSUE #609, SEPTEMBER 30, 2001
NICARAGUA SOLIDARITY NETWORK OF GREATER NEW YORK
339 LAFAYETTE ST., NEW YORK, NY 10012
(212) 674-9499 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
*11. COLOMBIA: REBELS STOP CANDIDATE'S CONVOY
Using roadblocks and metal spikes laid on the road, guerrillas
from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) blocked a
convoy led by Liberal Party presidential candidate Horacio Serpa
Uribe from entering the demilitarized rebel-controlled zone in
the south of the country. Armed rebels from the FARC-People's
Army (FARC-EP) turned away Serpa and several hundred of his
supporters at a rebel roadblock on the edge of the zone, saying
they had orders not to let the caravan pass. Serpa was planning
to hold a campaign rally at which he would draw attention to what
he calls rebel abuses inside the zone. Though government troops
are banned from the haven, it is supposedly open to any ordinary
citizen.
President Andres Pastrana Arango, of the Conservative Party,
strongly condemned the rebel action and called an emergency
meeting of top political leaders for Sept. 30 in San Vicente.
"Today's incidents are, with out a doubt, grave for the peace
process," he said in a forcefully worded communique released on
Sept. 29.
The FARC warned it had closed off the road leading into the zone
after skirmishes on Sept. 28 between rebel and government troops
near the same spot where Serpa's caravan was turned around. Three
rebels and one soldier died in the fighting, according to the
army. [Miami Herald 9/30/01]
In an undated communique sent via email on Sept. 14, the FARC had
criticized Serpa's plan to come to the zone, and accused him of
"systematically, with strictly demagogic and electoral goals,
torpedoing the accords signed between the FARC-EP and the
government of President Pastrana, and slandering the activities
of the FARC in the demilitarized zone...." [FARC Communique]
According to former peace envoy Daniel Garcia-Pena, the FARC's
blocking of Serpa's convoy "will undoubtedly hurt the peace
process," despite a recent ceasefire proposal that both the FARC
and government are said to be studying seriously. Garcia-Pena
noted that Pastrana must decide by Oct. 6 whether or not to
extend authorization for the demilitarized zone, which has been
renewed several times since it was established in 1998. The FARC
has been accused of using the area as a holding pen for kidnap
victims and a springboard for attacks on surrounding towns, and
the incident with Serpa "will raise the political cost" for
Pastrana of renewing the zone, according to Garcia-Pena.
Serpa reportedly supports maintaining the demilitarized zone and
continuing the peace process with the FARC. "But I hope
[Pastrana] uses the talks to underscore that the safe haven is
meant to be a zone for peace," he said. [Miami Herald 9/30/01]
In another incident that could further endanger the peace
process, former minister of culture Consuelo Araujo, the wife of
current prosecutor general Edgardo Maya, was found shot to death
early on Sept. 30, six days after being kidnapped by the FARC.
Capt. Jose Espejo of the army's press office said the kidnappers
killed Araujo as the army closed in on them, and that another
hostage was thrown over a cliff and is in serious condition. [CNN
en Espanol 9/30/01 from AP]
*12. COLOMBIA: BREWERY LAYS OFF WORKERS
The president of Colombia's largest brewing company announced on
Sept. 18 that the company will seek to save some $52 million by
laying off about 12% (1,134) of its 9,450 employees and closing
seven of its 14 plants. Bavaria president Ricardo Obregon told a
news conference the move was forced by a slowing national
economy, which has hurt beer sales; Colombian beer consumption
had dropped 30% in the past five years, he said. The company now
plans to spend about $32 million to streamline operations by
transferring production from less efficient to more efficient
plants, Obregon explained.
Colombia's largest private-sector company, Bavaria controls 95%
of the country's beer market. The market is Latin America's
fourth-largest; 40 million Colombians drink an annual average of
36 liters each. Unemployment in Colombia is almost 18%. [Reuters
9/18/01]
Bavaria is part of a group of firms controlled by Colombian
businessperson Julio Mario Santo Domingo. Several of Santo
Domingo's companies have experienced difficulties recently,
including the country's oldest daily newspaper, El Espectador,
which cut back from a daily to weekly publication schedule on
Sept. 1 because of falling advertising revenue. The airline
Avianca, also controlled by Santo Domingo, is having trouble
getting government approval for its merger with rival Aces.
Earlier this year the government took over a failed Santo
Domingo-controlled financial company, Corporacion Financiera del
Norte. [Reuters 9/18/01; Miami Herald 8/30/01 from AP]
=======================================================================
Weekly News Update on the Americas * Nicaragua Solidarity Network of NY
339 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012 * 212-674-9499 fax: 212-674-9139
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