Rebels hold sway in Colombia
By Dara MacNeil
After a gap of eight years Colombia's Conservative Party has
regained control of the country's presidential office. The
party's candidate - Andres Pastrana - defeated Liberal Party
nominee Horacio Serpa, in a second round run-off. Pastrana won
close to 51% of the vote, while Serpa could only manage 46%. The
turnout was just over 50%.
Both candidates emphasised their alleged abilities as
`peacemakers'. However, the primacy now being accorded the
necessity for a negotiated solution with the country's powerful
insurgent movement, probably derives less from a desire for peace
than from the major advances made by Colombia's guerrillas in
recent times.
Earlier this year, the army launched a major offensive against
the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). A confident
government was certain of a successful outcome.
Instead, the rebels inflicted a serious and humiliating defeat
upon the government forces, causing the latter to beat a hasty
retreat.
Almost immediately, there was speculation that the US might
intervene militarily - in the guise of a regional `peacekeeping'
force. As if to concentrate the minds of Colombia's near
neighbours and win over the doubters, a secret US intelligence
report was leaked. This claimed that Colombia's guerrillas posed
a serious threat to the `stability' of the region and pointed to
the alleged vulnerability of oil reserves in neighbouring
Venezuela. It is estimated that the guerillas already control
some 50% of Colombia, with de facto control probably running to a
far larger area.
Thus, `peacemaking' became a necessary component of the recent
presidential election.
However, even in advance of Andres Pastrana's victory, elements
within the insurgency movement made it clear that neither
Pastrana, nor his opponent, offered credible options for peace.
A spokesman for the smaller of Colombia's rebel groups - the
National Liberation Army (ELN) - said neither candidate
represented the popular will. Milton Hernandez also accused both
of cynically ``nourishing false expectations'' of a negotiated
solution.
That radical change is required in the country was emphasised in
the weeks leading to the election, with the publication of
Amnesty International's annual report which reserved trenchant
criticism for the governments of both Mexico and Colombia. The US
was also implicated.
According to Amnesty, the United States has used the pretext of
the `war on drugs' to increase financial aid, assistance and
training to the military in both countries. And in both
countries, human rights abuses have increased significantly.
Torture, death threats, disappearances, executions and
assassinations are on the increase in Mexico and Colombia. Those
responsible, Amnesty has made clear, are closely linked to the
security forces in both countries - the same forces that have
become increasingly dependent on the United States.
In Colombia death squads linked to the military continue to kill
with impunity. Local human rights' organisations suffer constant
harassment from the same source, including death threats and
assassinations.
It is doubtful whether a simple change of personalities in the
presidential palace will have much impact on this deteriorating
situation.
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