007CA has left 54 comments

007CA comments on Colombia hunts for rebels' hostages

Betancourt's mother and husband strongly oppose military rescue President vows to free Betancourt
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has ordered the army to step up efforts to rescue former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt from rebel captors.
Ms Betancourt, a dual Colombian-French national, was seized by the rebel Farc guerrilla group in February 2002.

Mr Uribe pledged to release her and three Americans after a fellow hostage fled and detailed the harsh conditions they were kept in.

But Ms Betancourt's mother and husband both strongly oppose such action.

"It means death for Ingrid," said her mother, Yolanda Pulecio.

"We're sure that this order immediately means death for Ingrid and for everyone who's being held with her."

President Uribe spoke by telephone with France's new President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday, after he had heard details of the conditions in which Ms Betancourt is being held from escaped hostage Jhon Frank Pinchao.

"Generals, we are going to rescue Ingrid Betancourt!" the president announced.

"I urge you, let's rescue her! There'll be no more games with the Farc."

However, Mr Sarkozy reportedly favoured a negotiated solution.

'Treated like an animal'

Jhon Frank Pinchao said he spent 17 days lost in the jungle before he was found by an army patrol on Wednesday.

The policeman had been held hostage for nearly nine years.

He said he was held in a camp with three US intelligence agents and Ms Betancourt.

She had attempted to escape several times and had been "severely punished", Mr Pinchao said.

He met relatives of some of Farc's hostages from a hospital bed, where he was recovering from his ordeal.

Ms Betancourt's husband, Juan Carlos Lecompte, was among them, and told the Associated Press that Mr Pinchao said she was chained by the neck every night to prevent her from escaping.


"They're treating her like an animal," Mr Lecompte said.

"The guerrillas lie when they say they're treating women and prisoners humanely."

Mr Uribe, at a military ceremony, said Mr Pinchao's testimony "demonstrates that the Farc's concentration camps are more cruel than the concentration camps of the Nazis".

'Media show'

Relatives of the hostages have urged the army not to launch a rescue operation, fearing it could end in a bloodbath.

Some of Ms Betancourt's family met new French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday, after which the French government repeated that it was opposed to military action.

"That could put the lives of the hostages in danger," said a French foreign ministry spokesman.

Ingrid Betancourt's daughter, Melanie, said President Uribe's statement was a mere "media show".

"If you want to free someone by force, will you announce to the whole world?" she said.

"The first thing they will do is to execute their hostages."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/6671667.stm

Published: 2007/05/19 01:59:54 GMT

© BBC MMVII

007CA comments on Mamita/papito/mama/papa

que chistoso! ahora lo comprendo muy bien

007CA comments on Meaning of mama/papa and diminutives

Gracias! No, I get it. Para mi, Juanes es papacito:) jejeje

007CA comments on Meaning of mama/papa and diminutives

Que bueno, podborski! que bueno :)

007CA comments on Meaning of mama/papa and diminutives

Thanks, Desi I don't mind at all. Thanks for your input.

I gather I was confusing mamita and mamacita. Is mamacita more for physical appearances and mamita more for teams of endearment?

Thanks for everyone's input:)

007CA comments on Mamita/papito/mama/papa

Muchas gracias, Sandra Me has aclarado las dudas. O sea, creo que me confundia mamita y mamacita, pero ahora entiendo. que estes bien

007CA comments on Meaning of mama/papa and diminutives

thanks, utopiacowboy that's helpful.

007CA comments on Another BBC article: Colombia probe names Uribe allies

No, I don't think this is new. I never said that. I doubted that this is "rocking the establishment" which is why I opened the question to others.

So, is "benefitting" from paramilitary activities ok then?

Like you, I also think those who are guilty should pay for their crimes. It would be nice to not see total impunity.

In my opinion this looks bad for the Uribe admin, even if he was not directly involved.

007CA comments on Another BBC article: Colombia probe names Uribe allies

his cousin? unbelievable.

How is this affecting how Uribe is seen within colombia? Has it really "rocked the establishment"?

I wonder if these losers will actually have to pay for their crimes. I hope so.

007CA comments on VP Santos going to Europe to campaign against cocaine consumption

I agree with you, Mr. Hollywood.
Why NOT try and educate Europeans, Americans, or whoever, that if they buy cocaine, they're supporting the armed groups in Colombia who commit terrible human rights atrocities. Some people would not care, but some would. At least some might make a connection that they had not thought of before.

What are the laws in Colombia regarding cocaine? I didn't realize that personal use is not illegal. Also, is consumption worse in Europe or in the U.S?

007CA comments on Colombianos en Chicago?

gracias Gomezman y airetupal I swear that I am not your friend monopirri or the mexican woman you're talking about. I teach in a northern suburb, not for CPS. I live in the city though, Ravenswood, and my sister is in Evanston. The "007CA" actually comes from the license plate number I had when I lived in CA. But, I do love james bond movies!

Soy gringa, but speak Spanish, lived in Spain for two years, Ecuador for a few months, and have traveled to Cuba, Colombia, Mexico...I love Latin America. I've been to Colombia 3 times. I spent the last two summers there, visiting friends, conociendo el pais, and doing some volunteer work with displaced populations.
I'm also an obsessed Juanes fan!

GM- Hablas espanol? Donde naciste?

Anyway, voy a ir a los sitios que mencionaste, aireputal. De hecho, ya conozco Las Tablas y me encanta. Gracias de nuevo por la info.

Chao!!!!

007CA comments on Colombianos en Chicago?

I'm a SHE and no, i'm not an agent, but rather a high school teacher!

007CA comments on foreign student beaten by Armed forces

gracias, silvia exacto.
no matter what happened, beating was not justified.

007CA comments on foreign student beaten by Armed forces

wasteland what are you suggesting happened then?
Yes, he really does exist, a great guy.

007CA comments on foreign student beaten by Armed forces

Yes, he's a personal friend of mine. I haven't spoken directly to him yet, but from the article it sounds like it was a routine check, probably a military checkpoint. He ended up in the barracks because they brought him there and enclosed him in a cuartel. (Did you read the article?)
It sounds like they would have tried to rob him if they had continued.
Yes, he has many friends in the area since that is where he frequents while doing his cultural, ethnomusicology research. (When he's out of the city and in rural areas, he interviews local musicians)
Don't know what else to tell you at this point.

007CA comments on foreign student beaten by Armed forces

GIB just don't go around making assumptions from out of nowhere. Also, are you saying that senseless beatings don't happen in Colombia, even if from the military? if so, that is quite ignorant.

007CA comments on foreign student beaten by Armed forces

GIB What protest? Did you read the article?
My friend was not protesting, nor did he stop traffic, nor did he create a "heck of a mess". Where are you getting that info from? And by the way, he's not a "kid".

007CA comments on Afro-Colombians Driven Off Land in Cocaine War

My experience has been the same as juancegomez. I know a good numbers of Colombians who refer to themselves as Afro-colombianos or just afros.

007CA comments on Afro-Colombians Driven Off Land in Cocaine War

cali373 You're right about African Palm growing in the region as well as forestry resources in Choco. In fact, there is an Afro-Colombian a community (called Cacarica) who was displaced by a joint military (17th brigade) and paramilitary operation called Operacion Genesis in 1997. 87 community members were killled and the others were displaced and lived in "el coliseo" in Turbo for 4 years. While the community lived in Turbo, a company called "Maderas del Darien" started clearcutting the forest of the community's land and a company called "Unipalma" started planting African Palm on their land. The community has since moved back to their land, they were granted collective titles to it in 2001, and the two companies are still there. The thing is, CAVIDA (Cacarica communities of self-determination and life) do not want these companies on their land as the planting of african palm creates imbalance in the ecosystem, using up too much water, the clearcutting is leaving the forest with no trees for the future, and they do not want the presence of armed actors in the region.

What's more,
CAVIDA has delcared themselves a "peace community", refusing to bear arms themselves or support any armed actor. They live with the 17th brigade and paras still around, harrassing, and guerrillas pass through on occasion. In fact, the FARC kidnapped 5 human rights workers that were living with the community last year (2004). They have evidence that the paras and the 17th brigade of the army protect/allow the two companies to remain on their land and continue the planting of African Palm and clearcutting the forest.
The community contributes the fact that have been able to stay on their land and live relatively peacefully to national and international HR volunteers living with them, acting as observers, reporters, and accompaniers.
Very interesting history.

007CA comments on (BBC) Colombia rebels kill 24 soldiers

GIB "The AUC had it's chance ot kick the shit out of me and didn't."

Of course they didn't, you're not a target for them. I too have spent time in para-contolled areas in Choco and I was fine. But you can't deny that AUC have committed terrible hr atrocities.

"FARC would have done it in a heart beat"
yes, you( foreigners) are a target for the FARC.

"Human rights organizations have shown their hand in supporting the FARC"

I'm sorry, but that is just not true. HR Orgs stand for nonviolence. They support NO illegal armed group.

Why does one side have to be worse than the other? They both suck.

007CA comments on COLOMBIA: Civil War Isn't Our War, Blacks and Other Groups Say

Platano Thanks for posting this article. I have visited an Afro-Colombian "community living in resistance" (they support no armed group) in Choco and these are the issues they face. They are incredibly strong and articulate people.

007CA comments on Security and Corruption under Uribe: Facts and Fiction

A wikipedia website This seems to represent some different points of view regarding Uribe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvaro_Uribe

007CA comments on Esto me preocupa

no, I didn't make a typo I have heard 3, 4, and even 5 million displaced, so I picked the middle number (and/or I explain what I am explaining now). As I understand, many displaced don't officially register as displaced, because they don't want the stigma attached and more importantly they feel discrimination and/or fear, thus the range of numbers. I'm sure the official count IS different than the actual.
Statistics are tricky I know, but even 2 million is a lot.

007CA comments on Can Anyone Report on This Weekend's International Conference on Colombia?

I was there It was interesting. There were about 20 Colombians there representing different Colombian HR orgs, leaders of different peace communities, and a former afro-colombian congressman. There were also U.S. HR orgs that have long standing relationships with Colombian cities, peace communities, or send delegations and/or have accompaniment programs. I can send you the agenda with the names of the workshops and plenaries if interested, Platano. It was bascially the Colombian communities saying what we could do here at home to support them.

007CA comments on warnings about CO

Colombiche I assume you are directing your comments at me. Like I said before, if I were a FARC supporter, I WOULD come right out and say it.

Human rights organizations support peace, non-violence, and those innocently caught in the middle. I respect what you're saying about the orgs you know of in Canada. I personally don't know any like that.

And, I would have more respect for you if you weren't so quick to judge people's intentions and personal experiences. Cuidate.

007CA comments on warnings about CO

Thanks, Caslug ...for your honesty and insight and your points are valid and well taken. Thanks also for saying you admire the humanitarian work i/we do. I love Colombia, its people, its beauty, it's culture, etc. I guess I am idealistic, and I enjoy helping people who desperately need it. Cuidate

007CA comments on warnings about CO

well said, platano.

funny how easily some label others "farc sympathizers". Are we not ALL trying to UNITE and do what we can to bring peace to colombia? some people are just too angry and close-mined to listen to different viewpoints and experiences; a very scary combination if you ask me.
I've been labeled Farc sympathizer and even member! Geez! If I were, I would come right out and say it.

007CA comments on U.S. hostages forgotten in Colombian jungle

GIB How dare you call me and, like you said, "my people" names when YOU HAVE NO IDEA who I am. You are king of making assumptions. So, just because I haven't come down hard on the FARC makes me a sympathizer? And the people that the human rights orgs. accompany are the FARC themselves? That is BULLSHIT. Again, YOU HAVE NO IDEA AND ARE MAKING ASSUMPTIONS. I invite you to go to a peace community and talk to the people and see for yourself. We all speak from our experiences and I speak from mine. Yes, more people I have spent time with and have interviewed, talked to/met have had para horror stories, so that is what I talk about. A human rights worker friend of mine WAS KIDNAPPED BY THE FARC as I said in another thread so there blows your stupid-ass theory that they are a bunch of FARCs.
Again, BOTH the Farc and the AUC recruit young boys with glim futures, both commit atocities, both work as mafiosos, both are involved in the cocaine trade, both are illegal, and both suck.
I hope you have a swell day, GIB. PEACE AND LOVE.

007CA comments on U.S. hostages forgotten in Colombian jungle

GIB You said,

"As far as the PARA's go I know they are not the favorites of the human rights organizations but then what have those people ever done for anybody?"

I'll tell you what the human rights people have done and do for others. THEY SAVE LIVES.
Do some research on Peace Brigdes Int'l, Fellowhip of Reconciliation, Witness for Peace, Chicagoans for a Peaceful Colombia, Colombia Support Network, etc. Some of these organizations provide "accompaniment programs" to Colombian communities and people under threat of paras/military AND NOT because they are guerrillas or guerrilla supporters but rather because they are NON-VIOLENTLY fighting for justice and peace and revelaing the TRUTH about what is happening in their communities. You are wrong by saying that the paras ONLY objective is to fight guerrillas and that they do not have a political one. Many young paras are brainwashed into thinking that Colombian human rights workers are guerrilla supporters so they will kill them. I have given specific examples on PBH where SECTORS of the Army work together with the paras to kill or "disappear" those communities of either Colombian human rights workers, or communities that have very rich land that is very desirable for economic interests. and Don't say human rights workers are guerrilla members/supporters. That is simply not true. Human rights workers are for PEACE AND FOR PROTECTING ONE'S RIGHTS TO LIFE. They do not support any armed group.

I accompanied an afro-colombian village in Choco who were violently displaced in 1997 by a joint paramilitary/military operation called "operacion genesis" in which 87 members of the communitry were killed and the other 2,000 people were forced to live in a gymnasium of the nearest town for 4 years. With the help of international human rights lawyers, they miracously got their land back in 2001. (I say miraculously because most of the 3 million + displaced in CO never see their land again and end up in urban shantytowns.) They are now back on their land, trying to be the farming community they once were, but the army (17th brigade) and paras are still right across the river from them. Why don' t they kill them? Because there are international human rights workers living with them. The state knows they're there and cannot afford to have internaional scandal caused by the army/paras so they back off. This saves those in the community's lives.

Why is their land so desirable? Because it is a money maker. There are two Colombian companies, UNIPALMA and MADERAS DEL DARIEN, that are ILLEGALLY planting african palm which produces a cooking oil, and M.Del.D is logging by clear-cutting the forest.
Problems 1) this land belongs to the community (by law, under Law 70) and it is illegal to be there 2) the planting of African Palm - which is not a native plant to the area - soaks up too much water, creating not enough h2o for their food crops. and the clear-cutting method of logging does not leave room for other trees to grow, devastating the forest.

This community has asked the GOV'T for help MANY TIMES with these companies and has tried legally to get them to leave. They have been ignored by the gov't.

So, the h.r workers are too weak to stand up for themselves? I'd say they are f-ing ballsy to be putting their lives at stake for others!

007CA comments on U.S. hostages forgotten in Colombian jungle

i don't know... it doesn't really matter, because they are both committing them, BUT these reports from human rights orgs. are recent, current in fact. i also know that different groups will have different statistics, so quoting statistics can be tricky. and of course it all depends on whose perception it is.

007CA comments on U.S. hostages forgotten in Colombian jungle

caslug and GIB caslug- yes, I see what you mean about media. There are documentaries out there that do show atrocities commited by both paras and guerrillas, but it can be difficult to get a lot of public attention. check out a clip from this documentary at www.lasierrafilm.com

GIB- I was reading your posts and felt I had to reply to some things you said. You are unbelievable by admitting you favor the paras. You clearly have not seen or talked to people who have had INNOCENT family members cut up into pieces (including children), poured gasoline on and set on fire, gang-raped, cut out a baby of a pregnant girl's stomach while she is alive, sent pieces of a child to his father in a box, wrongly interrogated at knifepoint, decapitated and then played soccer with that person's head in front of his family and neighbors. These are all acts commited by "your guys". According to human rights organizations, paras commit 70-80% of human rights atrociites and the guerrillas about 20-30% - and don't respond with "you're a guerrilla supporter", that's just plain ignorant to say, as the most human thing to do is NOT SUPPORT EITHER SIDE. Both groups are horrible and commit inhumane acts, both groups are involved in the cocaine production and trade, and both are ILLEGAL. And, some sectors of the army work hand in hand with the paras.

007CA comments on U.S. hostages forgotten in Colombian jungle

one thing, caslug I think your post was very thoughtful, but when you said...

"If the AUC or gov't forces resort to violence against NON-violence protest, the tide of public opinion will change 180 degree."

Maybe you were referring to the FARC protesting non-violence, but if talking about civilian communities, many completely out of the conflict have and do protest the violence around them in a peaceful way, and the AUC and certain sectors of the Army still attack these communities. Many young paras are being brainwashed to believe that these "peace communities" are guerrilla supporters and they then commit atrocious acts towards them. The larger issue here is wanting their land that's very rich in natural resources.
Economic interests!

There are about 50-55 "peace communities" or communities living in resistance, meaning they have been attacked/violently displaced/tortured/or killed by guerrillas, paras, or the army itself and have declared themselves neutral and want to be left alone. This is not a passive or easy thing to do as the philospoohy of the armed groups is "you're either with us or against us". Many of these communities have international volunteers living with them as a means of protection. (vols from Peace Brigades Int'l, Fellowhip of Reconciliation, etc)

sorry if this is off topic, but I guess my point is that the AUC and certain sectors of the Army (18th Brigade for example) go after civilians for their land /economic interests too. and not just to fight the rebels.

I can give more examples of these communities as I have visited many, but I now have to run.

007CA comments on U.S. hostages forgotten in Colombian jungle

a friend of mine was also kidnapped by the FARC last Spring and held for over a week. The following was the experience of her and the other 4 Colombian human rights workers. They walked up to 15 hours a day through the jungle, and were allowed to bathe and they fed them. The reason for their kidnapping was unclear as they kept asking why they were being held and the FARC kept saying a commander needed to talk to them. The commander never came and they were then allowed to call the Red Cross and were released.

I am only sharing my friend's experience here, I'm not making any political statement. I'm not a supporter of either armed group.

007CA comments on Research Paper Help

cowboy what are you so angry about? don't you think muerto para los gringos is a little strong!?
are you not a gringo yourself?
Besides, in other countries there ARE newpapers written in English for ex-pats so it's not so far-fetched.

007CA comments on advice to american 1st time visitor

Just tell him that I went alone as a gringa woman and was fine! That should make him and his family feel better, especially if he is going with you and be with natives the whole time. And, tell him that Bogota is safer than most parts of the country. Have fun!!

007CA comments on Research Paper Help

Kevin and gringodeL. Glad to be of help. It's too bad that people from the site advised you to stay away from these communities; it sounds like they know nothing about them. There is no doubt that Colombia can be dangerous, but not one international volunteer has ever been killed in all the years they have been accompanying these communities. Many see only the FARC and no others as killers; not true. While the FARC for sure commit human rights atrocities, the paras and certain sectors of the army do too. In fact, human rights orgs will say that the paras commit about 70-80% of atrocities and the guerrillas about 20-30%. Just saying this will make some people say you are a guerrilla supporter/sympathizer. This is simply NOT true as human rights orgs support PEACE, Non-violence, and a negotiated solution to the conflict. Maybe it's easier said that done, but that's the philosophy.
For more info on Cacarica, go to the Chicagoans for a Peaceful Colombia website
www.chicagoans.net
Good luck with your research.

007CA comments on Pros and Cons of US aid to Colombia

you go, platano! 100% agreed!

007CA comments on Research Paper Help

gringoDeLouisian Apartado is a small city in the Antioquia department, (area called Uraba) and San Jose de Apartado is a small community about 30 minutes from Apartado. This area is in the northwest part of the country, near the Bay of Turbo and close-ish to the Panama border.
This area and its people have been devastated over the years by guerrillas, paramilitaries and the army (specifically the 17th brigade that works hand in hand with the paras) - it is a very desirable area because it is rich in natural resources and near both the Caribbean and the Pacific. (so strategically important)

The SJA community declared itself neutral a few years back (10 maybe?) meaning it would support NO armed group - not even the army - as around 130 or so of its members have been killed by the 3 armed groups. They want to farm their land and be left alone essentially.

8 members of the community -including three children -were brutally murdered in February one day when they were not accompanied by FOR. and as Kevin said, Uribe claimed they were guerrilla supporters and also denied that the army did it. He responded to the massacre by sending in more army. The community has no reason to trust the army and so packed up and moved.

Under Uribe's democratic security policy, he wants no corner of the country to be left without army presence.

I accompanied a community called Cacarica, which is also a peace community, in the Choco department. Their principles are the same as that of SJA. They support NO armed group and bear no arms. The Choco region is largely afro-colombian, and situated also in the northwest of the country. Choco borders Panama, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.
This particular farming, rural, community was kicked off their land in 1997 by a joint military and paramilitary operation called "operacion genesis". Their land is also extremely rich in natural resources) Members were brutally murdered (they decapitated one man's head and then played soccer with it in front of the community) and they (around 2,000 people) were then forced to live in a gymnasium of the closest city, Turbo, for four years. With the help of international human rights lawyers, they were able to get their land back in 2001. They are living on their land now and, like FOR in SJA, there are working volunteers from the organization Peace Brigades International that "accompany" or live with the community to ensure their protection. The PBI volunteers are either Canadian, American or European. The paras and army are still very present in the area though and harass the community. However, the cost would be too great if they starting killing again as the state knows the international volunteers have to be protected. They do not want an int'l scandal.

I have visited other peace communities or as they sometimes call themselves "communities living in resistance" in neighborhoods of displaced people (or internal refugees) in Bogota and Medellin. There are a lot of human rights organizations that support these communities both in Colombia and abroad. The problem is that the Colombian human rights orgs are falsely lumped in the category of being guerrilla supporters and their work is very dangerous as they can receive death threats and some have been murdered.
I don't know exactly how many communities in resistence there are in all of the country.

Sorry this was so long-winded! I hope I kept your attention and I have more info if you are interested!
Cheers

007CA comments on Research Paper Help

san jose de apartado it sounds like you have a lot of information about the communities principles and history, but if you don't let me know. I stayed with a "peace comunity" in Choco similar to SJA that my Colombian friends had never heard of . My guess is that not many Colombians know of this community. This massacre did bring some attention to what these peace communities are and what they stand for though.

007CA comments on For those interested in seeing a cut in US military aid to Colombia

mr. h My opinion:

"an end to hostilities? and the other option being further mayhem?"

I wouldn't hold my breath. I wouldn't be surprised if they joined up again, picked up arms, and starting smuggling drugs again (if they ever stop).

Terms of peace deals in other places may be even more lenient than this one, but that doesn't make it right. (I'm not saying you think this)

Are the benefits availabe to guerrillas as well?

007CA comments on Pros and Cons of US aid to Colombia

No, FARC are definitely not defenders of the poor and powerless. That ideology changed with the drug trade. Both guerrillas and paras are very well funded with the cocaine trade. It seems to be a greed based war now, not a political one.

Returning to the subject:

PRO:
With U.S. helicopters, the army has been able to fly in and out of the mountains easier to find the rebels.

CON:
The aeriel fumigations have not decreased the amount of cocaine coming into the United States.
Some of the military aid has indirecly gone to the paramilitaries since they work hand in hand with certain sectors of the Colombian Army (the 17th Brigade for example). Paras commit unthinkable human rights atrocities.

And, yes, most of the aid is military, there is very little aid in social programs.

007CA comments on For those interested in seeing a cut in US military aid to Colombia

June 23, 2005
New Colombia Law Grants Concessions to Paramilitaries

By JUAN FORERO
BOGOTÃ?, Colombia, June 22 - Colombia's Congress on Wednesday approved a law governing the disarmament of the country's death squads, which permits the demobilization of thousands of fighters but grants generous concessions to paramilitary commanders accused of atrocities and cocaine trafficking.

The Justice and Peace Law, an underpinning of President Ã?lvaro Uribe's goal of pacifying Colombia, was hailed by government officials as a way to lay the groundwork for removing one of the three illegal armed groups battling in Colombia. "We are proud of this instrument," said Luis Carlos Restrepo, the country's peace commissioner.

But congressional leaders say that in exchange for disarming up to 20,000 fighters, paramilitary commanders are shielded from serious punishment or extradition on drug charges to the United States. The law, passed by Congress on Tuesday and by bicameral committees on Wednesday, will be signed into law by Mr. Uribe within days.

"This is a law that brings no justice, no peace," said Senator Jimmy Chamorro. "It should be called what it really is, a law of impunity and immunity."

Washington has listed 18 paramilitary commanders as among Colombia's top cocaine kingpins, and American counternarcotics officials say the paramilitary group, the United Self-Defense Forces, is responsible for trafficking most of the cocaine reaching American cities. The group, founded by landowners and drug traffickers to battle Marxist rebels, is also blacklisted by the State Department as a terrorist organization accused of assassinating politicians and killing thousands of peasants.

"This gives benefits to people who have committed the worst crimes, and we get nothing in return," said Gina Parody, a leading congresswoman and ally of Mr. Uribe who nevertheless proposed much tougher legislation. "The message we are sending to Colombian society is that crime does pay."

The law highlights the contradictory nature of United States policy in Colombia, which has received more than $3 billion in mostly military aid since 2000 to destroy drug crops and weaken guerrillas.

The law shields the paramilitary commanders from extradition on drug charges by allowing them to confess to trafficking, giving them double-jeopardy protection. It also categorizes "paramilitarism" and related crimes as political crimes, which under the Constitution would safeguard the commanders from extradition on the related crime of trafficking.

The Bush administration and its representative in Colombia, Ambassador William Wood, have strongly supported the law and Mr. Uribe, who has made disarming the paramilitaries a cornerstone in his campaign to win re-election.

But some influential members of the United States Congress have raised dire warnings.

"We want to see the armed groups demobilize, but this law rewards some of Colombia's worst terrorists and drug traffickers without any assurance that their criminal organizations will be dismantled," said Senator Patrick J. Leahy, a Vermont Democrat who is the ranking member on the foreign operations subcommittee and works on Colombia policy.

In a letter to Mr. Uribe last month, Senator Richard G. Lugar, the Republican who is chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said he was concerned that the law "would leave intact the complex mafia-like structures" by failing to require commanders to disclose knowledge of the organization's operations or financing.

The law contrasts sharply with how other South American nations are now dealing with rights violators in the aftermath of civil conflicts.

In Argentina, the Supreme Court last week ruled that 19-year-old laws granting amnesty to military officers who committed atrocities during that country's so-called dirty war are unconstitutional. In Chile, hundreds of former military officers have been charged with crimes committed during Gen. Augusto Pinochet's rule.

Here, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights in Colombia, Michael Frühling, as well as human rights groups and members of Colombia's Congress, said Mr. Uribe had settled on disarmament at too high a price after a year of official negotiations in a 142-square-mile safe haven where paramilitary commanders operated freely. Critics say the law would do little to compensate victims, recoup land under paramilitary control or disclose the truth about atrocities.

"If you do not clear up what happened and reveal the illegal structures that exist, you not only do not have justice or offer reparations for victims, but you also do not have the elements to dismantle these illegal structures," Mr. Frühling said.

The biggest concern in Washington is that commanders who are, in essence, drug traffickers will remain largely free to continue moving cocaine. The United States has issued extradition orders on at least six commanders, including the most powerful leader, Diego Fernando Murillo, a former underworld hit man wanted by federal prosecutors in New York.

"They are very much involved in drug trafficking activities," an American counternarcotics official said. "If you ask me whether we have heard of a reduction of drug trafficking by those very people who were sitting at the negotiating table, I would say, 'No.' "

The government says that with the negotiations, hundreds of lives have been saved as more than 5,200 paramilitaries have disarmed since late 2003.

But under the law, commanders do not have to guarantee that all their fighters will disarm, or that those fighters adhere to a cease-fire. Critics also say the law does not require a complete and honest confession from commanders in return for sentencing-reduction benefits.

Commanders can, in theory, be charged with crimes, but investigations are restricted and punishment is light - as little as 22 months and possibly on farms, not in prisons.

"This law tries to simulate truth, justice and reparations, but what it really offers is impunity," said Iván Cepeda, whose father, Senator Manuel Cepeda, was killed by paramilitary gunmen in 1994.

Victims' families outraged by the law included Leonel Sánchez, whose son, Jairo Hernando Sánchez, 29, was kidnapped and killed by paramilitaries in 2003.

"It is grave that this law protects them from war crimes, crimes where so many poor people died," said Mr. Sánchez, 57.

Monica Trujillo contributed reporting for this article.

007CA comments on For those interested in seeing a cut in US military aid to Colombia

mr. hollywood Thanks for your reply.
I see your point with regards to israel and egypt and am not as familiar with those situations. I guess the question I pose is, shouldn't a bad human rights record be taken into consideration when giving military aid? Part of the deal when issuing aid to the Colombian army is that they are certified with regards to passing all "human rights tests".
I don't believe they have nor do many human rights organizations. There are documented records of atrocities commited as well.
Call me idealistic, but I think that even though it is/can be an emotional issue, it seems very legitimate, especially when crimes are left in impunity. Isn't that what there is a justice system for?

I see the relevance with greed in the administrations as - those in power not necessarily wanting the military aid for the betterment of the people, but rather for selfish reasons and using rhetoric that says otherwise.

I feel compelled to help the many poor and powerless people not involved in any armed group, that I have interviewed and spent time with, by spreading the word on how the Plan Colombia, directly or indirectly, has made their situation worse.

There is an article you may find interesting in today's New York Times about the negotiations with the paras. I'll post it.

007CA comments on For those interested in seeing a cut in US military aid to Colombia

I thought I had just given you two specific examples and I think you missed my point. If the PBI members were not there to accompany this community, their bodies WOULD be cut into pieces! Like the 8 people, 3 of whom were children, in San Jose de Apartado. That is also a peace community and the one day they leave camp without their international accompaniers, is the day the massacre is commited. And while it is not proved with evidence that the army absolutely did it, the commision that went to the community, including the United Nations High Commissioner, said all evidence pointed to the army.

Shall I give you more examples? A friend of mine's nephew was tied to a tree, had gasoline poured onto him, and set fire becuase he wouldn't join the para/army operation at the time of the displacement in Choco. Then there this is a woman I met in Medellin who teaches young girls and boys in her neighborhood to not join any armed group. She was arrested and accused of being a guerrilla supporter, interrogated at knifepoint, forced to strip naked and photographed, spent 9 days in jail but had nothing to confess. She got out with the help of a human rights lawyer on a second appeal and is afraid to go back home b/c she is now on a hit list.

"Would problems be better or worse w/out U.S. aid to Colombia"

By many people's accounts, including those in all displaced communities I visited, it would be better, not perfect by any means, but better w/out military aid in the sense that it wouldn't fuel an already existing war. And, the amount of cocaine coming into this country has not decreased so that part of the Plan Co has been a failure. Maybe the Plan Co has helped with holding off guerrillas, but the paras and sectors of the army continue to commit horrible atrocities. How can millions of dollars then be justified? what about a CHANGE in foreign policy...

"I don't think anyone, not even the most rabid pro-plan colombia, pro-uribe US congressman, would tell you there are NO problems in Colombia. But that's not their calculation. Their calculation is "would problems be better or worse without US aid to Colombia?"

I never said that the most pro-plan-co. congressman would say there are no problems in CO. and, How do you know that's not their calculation?? You don't think that there is perhaps some corruption/greed in this administration? Corruption has always been in many of Colombia's politicians. Maybe that's not a fair statement of me to make since I don't have hard core proof, as you like.

Lastly, how would you know that this political expression is ineffective? Some members of the House and Senate are slowly starting to take note as I said before with Senator Obama and the Rep. McGovern who is proposing an amendement to cut military aid. Of course they will not all agree, but attention is at least being paid to the issue.

007CA comments on For those interested in seeing a cut in US military aid to Colombia

mr hollywood The 17th brigade of army is CURRently across the river from the community I visited last summer. (2004) There are constant PBI (Peace Brigades Internaitonal)and Justicia y Vida volunteers that accompany this community as a means of protection. The PBI volunteers can be either Canadian, American or European. How does it work? The gov't does not want int'l scandal and word gets passed down to the paras/army in the area to back off. So, with internationals there, there have been no KILLINGS, but the community is still harassed. For example, soldiers try and entice the young men to joining them with promises of money, motorcyles, guns, girls and they tell the young women they will pay them if they sleep with them. The members of the community refuse to cooperate with any armed actor - guerrillas, paras, or army. They have no reason to trust any of them and just want to be left alone.

This community was displaced off their land in 97', and lived in Turbo for 4 years, and with the help of international human rights lawyers, got their land back in 2001. (Law 70 allows them their land) But as I said before the army and paras are still there harrassing.

There are also two Colombian companies that are illegally exploiting their land. The are Maderas del Darien and Unipalma. Maderas illegally clear cuts tress on their land, making profits, and by clearcutting, it leaves no room for new trees to grow. When the community asks the gov't for help and representation, they are ignored.

Unipalma plants African PAlm, which produces a cooking oil. The problem is 1)it's illegal to plant on their land and 2) it's very damaging to the rainforest because the plant is not native to the area and takes up too much water, leaving little for the other plants, crops. Again, no gov't help.


I'm sure you're right with the roads being more secure and kidnappings decreasing.

As far a "peace negotiations" with the AUC, this has been criticized, even in Colombia. It is seen as top-commander drug smugglers responsible for many, many innocent deaths, getting away with very lenient sentences (8 years max). Senator Barack Obama (IL) along with 5 other U.S. senators wrote Presidnet Uribe a letter stating their concerns of leniency and in fact, some of the AUC commanders are wanted for extradiction in the U.S. and Uribe and said no to that.

007CA comments on For those interested in seeing a cut in US military aid to Colombia

wow gringoinbogota - calm down. don't psychoanalyze me and don't patronize me. i happen to love my country but disagree with U.S. military aid to Colombia.

mr.hollywood - thanks for yor comments.
i actuall just wrote out a really long explanation and it didn't post, so here goes another, shorter version.

"The old "The Colombian Army is a bunch of rapists and paras" argument isn't going to hold a lot of water with them."

Actually, I think this is a legit reason. The massacre in San Jose de Apartado is just one example of the Army's less than stellar human rights record. I stayed with a peace community in Choco as an accompanier. They were violently displaced off their land in 97' in a joint paramilitary and 17th brigade of the army,operation called operacion genesis. 100 or so of their members were killed and the rest of the community (2000 people) had to live in a gymnasium in Turbo.

When I went to the U.S. Embassy in Bogota to speak with two official sof the human rights dep't, they did not deny that there are links with the army and paras. Even they know. So, yes, I think my tax dollars going to the corrupt army is wrong and a waste of money.

Also, the aerial fumigation is a failure. One point of the Plan Colombia is to fight the war on drugs and reduce the amount of cocaine coming into the U.S. The amount has not decrease, the State dep't even wrote a report stating as such. The coca fields that have been sprayed have also killed food crops and has been harmful to farmers and the environment.

I understand Congress will not likely cut aid, especially under this administration, but I also disagree with you when you say that they are well informed of the security progress. The Co gov't is not eager to show how torture, arbitrary mass detentions, and forced displacement have skyrocketed. I also understand that this is a very complex war and good solutions are difficult to work, but I do not think Plan Colombia is working.

007CA comments on For those interested in seeing a cut in US military aid to Colombia

wow going to reply

007CA comments on COLOMBIA PASSES PEACE BILL

I agree, ColomBuenazo. It is a discouraging time to say the least.

007CA comments on For those interested in seeing a cut in US military aid to Colombia

P.S. Careful with who you call a marxist and assume I know nothing of ColOmbia, Michael B. That was a really ignorant and quick-to-make-a-judgment response.

007CA comments on For those interested in seeing a cut in US military aid to Colombia

Actually, I am a she and no, I'm not a FARC member or supporter. I have seen for myself the devastation the US military aid and aerial fumigation have caused. Did you hear about the San Jose de Apartado massacre in February? Well, that was commited by the Colombian Army. Yes, there are sectors of the army that are totally corrupt and work hand in hand with paramilitaries. Although the Plan Colombia may have had good intentions, military aid is fueling the flames. I have talked to and interviewed many displaced people who have had family tortured, killed, raped, and kicked off their land by the paramilitary and guerrillas. While the Plan Colombia may be helping a bit keeping the guerrillas calm, paras have increased in numbers huge amounts and now have control of many rural parts of the country (especially in the north - like Uraba and Choco) as well as the cities. Medellin is very controlled by paras. Remember that this is a two sided war. I repeat though, I am in no way a guerrilla supporter. Torture and arbitrary mass detentions in the country have risen huge amounts as well.