DATE=8/25/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=COLOMBIA REBELS / CLINTON
NUMBER=5-46914
BYLINE=BILL RODGERS
DATELINE=RIO DE JANEIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
/// EDS: SPANISH ACT IN BUBBLE ///
INTRO: Colombia's largest rebel group is denouncing
the upcoming visit of President Clinton -- warning the
trip is aimed at promoting the Colombian government's
war against the guerrillas. But as VOA's Bill Rodgers
reports from our South America bureau, it is the
rebels' ties to the drug trade that has made them the
focus of a multimillion dollar U-S assistance package.
TEXT: Colombia's largest rebel group, the
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, has
issued several statements in recent days denouncing
President Clinton's upcoming visit. In a commmunique
Thursday entitled "Clinton Go Home," the FARC accused
the U-S leader of promoting war, not peace, by
providing the Colombian government with a one-three
billion dollar anti-narcotics aid package. The FARC
communique went on to declare President Clinton
"persona non grata".
The U-S assistance is part of a wider Colombian
strategy called Plan Colombia, which aims to stem the
country's booming cocaine and heroin trade -- and also
promote economic development. However, most of the
American money will be used to train and equip the
Colombian military and police to eradicate drug
production and trafficking. The aid package calls for
the delivery of 60 American helicopters, including 18
of the advanced Black Hawk helicopters.
Much of the coca cultivation and processing is located
in areas controlled by the FARC - and to a lesser
extent by the other main leftist guerrilla group, the
E-L-N. Both guerrilla movements, along with rightwing
paramilitary groups, receive money in exchange for
protecting the drug trade.
But FARC commanders argue they too want to eliminate
drug trafficking. They say they only offer protection
to coca cultivators because these peasant farmers have
no alternative ways to make a living.
FARC spokesman Raul Reyes told VOA recently the victims
of the U-S military aid will be the poor peasant
farmers.
/// REYES SPANISH ACT ///
He said - we are not opposed to fighting drug
trafficking, we recognize the trade is a cancer that
has to be fought by everyone. But, he went on to say,
because the drug traffickers have no armies, the
military aid will be used against the coca farmers.
Why, he asks, are helicopters and advanced planes
needed against these farmers.
But the Colombian government says the FARC and other
armed groups do act, in effect, as the armies
protecting the drug smugglers. Colombian drug
specialist, Sergio Uribe, agrees.
/// URIBE ACT ///
We all know, from being in the field, the
guerrillas may not be traffickers - that is an
individual who buys coca base, processes it into
cocaine, and ships it out to the U-S. But (the
guerrillas) are making a good part of the 600 to
700 million dollars a year (they use) to wage war
on the Colombian state from ... drug traffickers.
/// END ACT ///
Colombian President Andres Pastrana has said those
rebels not involved in drug trafficking have nothing to
fear from Plan Colombia. Other officials in his
government describe the strategy as a peace plan -
aimed also at promoting alternative economic
development to wean the peasant farmers away from
cultivating coca and opium poppies.
But it is the military component of Plan Colombia that
is drawing the most attention, and controversy. It
also is causing concern among leaders in neighboring
South American countries about the dangers of a
widening war in Colombia. President Clinton is
expected to address these concerns when he meets with
President Pastrana next Wednesday in Cartagena.
(Signed)
NEB/WFR/
25-Aug-2000 15:00 PM EDT (25-Aug-2000 1900 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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