Colombia's ELN rebels also willing to talk peace: Reuters<http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/25741-colombias-eln-rebels-willing-talk-peace-reuters.html>
Colombia <http://colombiareports.com/>'s second-largest guerrilla group ELN<http://colombiareports.com/component/tag/eln.html>says that it is willing to hold unconditional peace talks, but refuses to end criminal activity before starting negotiations, reports newswire Reuters. http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/25738-colombia-farc-sign-deal-to-start-peace-talks-telesur.html Colombia, FARC sign deal to start peace talks: Telesur <http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/25738-colombia-farc-sign-deal-to-start-peace-talks-telesur.html> Monday, 27 August 2012 12:06 Joey O'Gorman Tags: <http://digg.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcolombiareports.com%2Fcolombia-news%2Fnews%2F25738-colombia-farc-sign-deal-to-start-peace-talks-telesur.html&title=Colombia,%20FARC%20sign%20deal%20to%20start%20peace%20talks:%20Telesur> [image: FARC] The Colombian government has signed a formal agreement with the FARC<http://colombiareports.com/component/tag/farc.html>to start a peace process to end the armed conflict which has devastated the country since 1964, reported Venezuelan news network Telesur on Monday. According to Telesur, "high level sources within the government of Juan Manuel Santos<http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/profiles/9075-profile-juan-manuel-santos.html>and the FARC have just signed an agreement to begin a formal peace dialogue." The Venezuelan news network confirmed a report by Colombian television station RCN<http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/25736-farc-peace-talks-to-be-held-in-norway-in-october-rcn.html>that the formal peace talks are planned in the Norwegian capital of Oslo in October. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs would not confirm this for Colombia <http://colombiareports.com/> Reports. Telesur reported that the Colombian president is soon to make the official announcement of the deal and the upcoming talks. Newspaper El Espectador on Sunday reported that senior security adviser Sergio Jaramillo has been leading the government commission in Cuba<http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/25727-colombias-health-minister-presidential-adviser-involved-in-preliminary-peace-talks-with-farc.html>that has been trying to prepare formal peace talks between the government and the guerrilla group that has been at war with the state since its foundation in 1964. Jaramillo is reportedly being assisted by Environment Minister Frank Pearl who, according to U.S. diplomatic cables began seeking contact with the FARC when serving as peace commissioner under former President Alvaro Uribe<http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/profiles/20404-alvaro-uribe.html> . - Peace talks news archive<http://colombiareports.com/component/tag/peace-talks.html> Colombia's ambassador to Cuba, Gustavo Bell, reportedly is also involved in the talks. According to RCN, Santos' brother Enrique has also been attending the meetings. The Venezuelan government, while not directly involved in the preliminary, has been called on as mediator when talks turned sour, reported the newspaper. According to both El Espectador and Telesur, the FARC's spokesperson in Cuba is Mauricio Jaramillo, alias "El Medico," one of the members of the guerrillas' political leadership who "according to rumors" was accompanied by guerrilla commander "Ivan Marquez<http://colombiareports.com/component/tag/ivan-marquez.html>" on at least one occasion. RCN reported that the government's agenda has six basic themes which include FARC demobilization, ceasefire and the decommissioning of arms, all issues which have limited past efforts at negotiations. The guerrilla group's conditions consist of agricultural reform, renegotiation of multinational involvement in oil and mining industries, environmental issues and the involvement of social organizations in the eventual peace talks, reported radio station W last week<http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/25687-colombia-is-negotiating-peace-with-farc-w-radio.html> . While rumors of preliminary peace talks first surged in January<http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/21641-rumours-emerge-of-colombian-peace-talks-in-cub.html>, the still-unconfirmed negotiations were set high on the Colombian public and political agenda by Uribe a week ago. Uribe's rejection of peace talks caused the opposite reaction from Colombian congress, whose majority of political parties voiced its support for a negotiated end to the 48-year old armed conflict<http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/25685-colombias-congress-military-support-peace-talks-with-farc.html>, leaving the former president and his allies isolated. According to a report by newspaper El Tiempo<http://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/CMS-12164132>, the Uribe government was seeking talks with the FARC between 2005 and April 2010. -------------- http://ourlatinamerica.blogspot.com/2012/08/colombian-government-and-guerillas.html Colombian Government and Guerillas Agree to Dialogue? The Colombian government and the FARC rebels have reportedly agreed to start a peace process that could lead to the end of a very violent chapter in the South American countrys history. Venezuelanbased news network teleSUR claimed today that government representatives including the Colombian security minister and an ex-peace commissioner met with several guerilla commanders in Havana, Cuba. There they signed a pact<http://www.telesurtv.net/articulos/2012/08/27/santos-y-las-farc-firman-acuerdo-de-paz-en-la-habana-5250.html>agreeing to formally commence a dialogue in October in Oslo, Norway and subsequently continue discussions in Havana. teleSURs news director, Jorge Enrique Botero, further alleged that todays agreement comes after months of secret negotiations brokered by the Venezuelan, Cuban and Norwegian governments. That mayve been corroborated by an article yesterday in Colombias El Espectador that, according to the Colombia Reports website<http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/25727-colombias-health-minister-presidential-adviser-involved-in-preliminary-peace-talks-with-farc.html>, claimed that the Venezuelan government has been called on as mediator when talks turned sour. Few details are none about the supposed deal though Reuters reports, the government has agreed that leaders of the FARC would not be extradited<http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/08/27/colombia-rebels-farc-idINL1E8JRAJQ20120827>to another country to stand trial. Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos or senior government officials have thus far refused to publicly confirm or deny that a deal was reached. According to the BBC, Santos will provide an official reply at the governments convenience<http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/ultimas_noticias/2012/08/120827_ultnot_colombia_farc_acuerdo_cch.shtml> . Several former government officials interviewed by RCN including ex-president Ernesto Samper and ex-foreign relations minister Julio Londoño have given their approval<http://www.rcnradio.com/noticias/el-pais-respalda-dialogos-de-paz-entre-el-gobierno-y-las-farc-17816>of a possible peace process. Former president Alvaro Uribe, who Santos served under as Minster of Defense, blasted the potential dialogue as an offense against democracy<http://www.caracol.com.co/noticias/actualidad/lo-unico-que-hay-que-negociar-con-la-guerrilla-es-su-sometimiento-a-la-justicia-uribe/20120827/nota/1750936.aspx>. (Despite Uribes heavy criticism of Santos and his security policies, his government allegedly pursued secret negotiations<http://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/CMS-12164132>with the FARC and the ELN rebels). Over the past several months the FARC have hinted at seeking a peace process including the freeing of all kidnapped uniformed personnel<http://ourlatinamerica.blogspot.com/2012/04/global-pressure-for-release-of-all-farc.html>. Nevertheless, the militarily weakened guerillas have continued their offensive against the state that has reportedly included a deadly taxibomb<http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2012/08/27/Six-dead-in-Colombian-taxicab-blast/UPI-35381346083529/?spt=hs&or=tn>explosion yesterday. *Video Source YouTube via user Elespectadorcom<http://youtu.be/EvXvxpSVE18> * --------------- http://nsarchive.wordpress.com/2012/08/27/colombian-ex-general-sentenced-in-death-squad-case/ Colombian Ex-General Sentenced in Death Squad Case August 27, 2012 tags: Colombia <http://nsarchive.wordpress.com/tag/colombia/>, Rito Alejo Del Rio <http://nsarchive.wordpress.com/tag/rito-alejo-del-rio/>, united self-defense forces of colombia<http://nsarchive.wordpress.com/tag/united-self-defense-forces-of-colombia/> by Michael Evans <http://nsarchive.wordpress.com/author/mxvans/> <http://nsarchive.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/rito_marino.jpg> Former general Rito Alejo del Río was sentenced for the killing of Marino López Mena (Photo: Semana.com) In a huge step forward for justice in Colombia, a former army general accused by prosecutors of forming a macabre alliance with illegal paramilitary death squads was *sentenced to 25 years in prison<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/world/americas/retired-colombian-general-sentenced-for-death-squad-killing.html> * Friday in connection with the 1997 murder of a Colombian peasant leader. The sentencing of former general Rito Alejo del Río Rojas brings closure to a case that has long languished in the Colombian justice system and focuses renewed attention on the long-alleged collaboration between senior Colombian military officers like Del Río and paramilitary groups affiliated with the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC). The United States cut ties with Del Río more than 14 years ago, cancelling his visa after finding convincing evidence of his ties to paramilitary groups. One *declassified U.S. Embassy cable*<http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB327/doc01_19980813.pdf>previously published by the National Security Archive said that Del Ríos systematic arming and equipping of aggressive regional paramilitaries was pivotal to his military success as commander of the 17th Brigade in Urabá. Follow the links below for more on the Del Río case and his paramilitary ties. - *The United States vs. Rito Alejo del Río<http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB327/index.htm> *(National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book) - *Estados Unidos vs. Rito Alejo del Río<http://verdadabierta.com/nunca-mas/2751-estados-unidos-vs-del-rio> * (VerdadAbierta) - *Colombian Gen. Rito Alejo del Río: New Evidence of Paramilitary Ties Declassified*<http://nsarchive.wordpress.com/2011/01/06/colombian-gen-rito-alejo-del-rio-new-evidence-on-paramilitary-ties-declassified/>(Unredacted) - *WikiLeaks on Colombia Uribes Informants Network Employed Ex-Paramilitaries; More Trouble for Former Army Commanders<https://nsarchive.wordpress.com/2011/03/07/wikileaks-on-colombia-%E2%80%93-uribe%E2%80%99s-informants-network-employed-ex-paramilitaries-more-trouble-for-former-army-commanders/> * (Unredacted) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:[email protected]?subject=laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! 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