Coca Farmers Elude Black Hawks

juancegomez says on Dec 9, 2007, 08:28:

Even when there is some amount of help, as other examples in this same article point out, the whole strategy as it stands isn't going to work anytime soon.

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Waterdawg says on Dec 9, 2007, 08:30:

Bottom line - You don't kill a rattle snake by cutting it'd tail off ...

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goin_south says on Dec 9, 2007, 18:33:

Nariño!

Maybe this is the sense behind my gf saying that ''generally speaking"... things aren't quite as secure in and around Pasto, as they were 2, ... 3 years ago.

Some say: All things are better in...Medellin! ....Oscar Lopez just says it's better.....LATE!!! (WHERE EVER YOU ARE)

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Lowell says on Dec 10, 2007, 06:51:

I don't like it either. However, when you have to feed, clothe and house your family, what are you going to do? Let them starve and die or make money anyway that you can. Right now I we're (wife, myself and one neighbor) are helping an older jent who has fallen through the cracks. 6 years ago his leg was burned in an accident. He has no address, so he can't apply for public health care. He lives on the floor of a tire repair shop and survives on tips. His leg still hasn't healed. He's one of the few down and out people who doesn't use his wounds to beg for money. I respect that.

So far we've bought him antibotics, treatment for the wound, about 10 mil pesos and food twice a day. He cried when my wife brought him the medical goodies. Last night when my wife and her sister brought him some food he was so happy because he said with some food in his stomach he would sleep better. He was cleaning himself in the river (loaded with who knows what). The owner of the tire shop made a place for him to bathe with clean water.

We plan to buy him some clothing and sandals for xmas. I wish I had the money to pay for the repair of his leg. In 3 days of helping him, his leg has shown improvenment. I've helped others in my area before and have seen that much of my time and money was wasted on them. This time I beleive that I've found a truely deserving person.

Alfred E. Newman. "What. Me Worry?"

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Lowell says on Dec 10, 2007, 07:09:

guess i'm just a sucker then.

Alfred E. Newman. "What. Me Worry?"

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Dec 10, 2007, 07:33:

The 'poor farmer' excuses coming out of Colombia do get old. Some of them have way more babies than they can afford and some of them moved to Putumayo for the sole purpose of growing coca. They don't get any sympathy from me and I wish they didn't get my tax dollars.

I imagine the Colombian army has combat engineers and some group analogous to the US Army Corps of Engineers. Put some armor on the earth-moving equipment and then get busy building and securing roads that will bring produce to market. I was in the grocery store over the weekend and can buy fresh mangos from Brazil, Mexico and Peru but not from Colombia. Same with packaged foods - asparagus, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm ($6 USD for a soup-sized can!) - are from Peru, Costa Rica and Brazil. Nothing from Colombia. And the gourmet, single origin chocolates? From Ecuador, Venezuela and a couple of African countries but nothing from Colombia.

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hongo_joe says on Dec 10, 2007, 08:09:

If you read the article there is an example a guy that has one hectare coca AND works as a hired hand and makes around 550K per month. That doesn't buy much of a 'lifestyle'

And yes, they say if they had a way to get a fruit crop out, that's what they would grow (lulo).

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hongo_joe says on Dec 10, 2007, 08:38:

I know there are people working hard and making 300 -400k in Bogota and I think it is pretty bad, especially when you look at the prices of things.. I wouldn't mind if someone visited some of these guys to see how the workers are being treated.

Farm jobs are tough. And 550 K a month for two farm jobs is not what I would call a 'lifestyle'. OK it is cheaper in the boonies, but 275USD per month is not a lot anywhere. It's not these guys that are making the big bucks from coke.

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Mr. Hollywood says on Dec 10, 2007, 10:21:

Tinto, I knew a guy trying to export fresh exotic fruits from Colombia to the US and he was having a hell of a time with getting visas, import licenses, etc. I think it was because any new industry is suspected as being a front for something else. But he had a hell of a time. Which is too bad for all the reasons you noted.

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Robert Jorge says on Dec 16, 2007, 21:40:

Maybe to get Colombian fruit into the US, they need to package it labeled as roses and carnations. Those seem to have no problem getting to the US. My gut tells me there is money at the root of why we don't have Colombian fruit in the US. I can't even buy a decent avocado here. They are the size of large eggs, but harder, and cost over a dollar for one.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

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vicshere says on Dec 17, 2007, 05:52:

listo

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Lowell says on Dec 17, 2007, 07:15:

Is Car1 related to La Camp? Trippy writting.

Alfred E. Newman. "What. Me Worry?"

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vicshere says on Dec 17, 2007, 07:17:

humm was wondering that myself lowell

listo

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