DATE=8/5/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-236593
TITLE=COLOMBIA GUERRILLA VIOLENCE (L-O)
BYLINE=MICHAEL BOWMAN
DATELINE=RIO DE JANEIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: COLOMBIAN OFFICIALS SAY THE DEATH TOLL FROM TWO DAYS OF
REBEL ATTACKS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY HAS RISEN TO AT LEAST 130
PEOPLE. V-O-A'S MICHAEL BOWMAN REPORTS FROM OUR SOUTH AMERICA
BUREAU, THE GUERRILLA OFFENSIVE COMES JUST BEFORE FRIDAY'S
INAUGURATION OF NEW PRESIDENT ANDRES PASTRANA -- WHO HAS PROMISED
TO PURSUE EVERY AVENUE TOWARD PEACE.
TEXT: COLOMBIAN AUTHORITIES REPORTED THREE REBEL ATTACKS
WEDNESDAY-- ALL OF THEM IN THE COUNTRY'S SPARSELY-POPULATED,
GUERRILLA-DOMINATED SOUTHERN REGION. IN THE TOWN OF MIRAFLORES,
350-KILOMETERS SOUTHEAST OF (THE CAPITAL) BOGOTA, GUERRILLAS OF
THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF COLOMBIA (FARC) DEMOLISHED AN
ANTI-NARCOTICS BASE AS WELL AS AN ARMY CAMP. THIRTY SOLDIERS ARE
BELIEVED DEAD, DOZENS OF OTHERS WOUNDED, AND AN UNKNOWN NUMBER
CAPTURED BY THE REBELS.
MEANWHILE, OTHER GUERRILLA UNITS ATTACKED SECURITY FORCES IN THE
TOWN OF URIBE, 150-KILOMETERS SOUTH OF BOGOTA, KILLING MORE THAN
40 OFFICERS.
TUESDAY, OFFICIALS REPORTED A SERIES OF ATTACKS IN NUMEROUS
LOCATIONS, INCLUDING THE NORTHEASTERN CITY, CUCUTA, THE
NORTHWESTERN CITY, MEDELLIN, AND THE PORT CITY OF BUENAVENTURA.
SOME OF THE ACTIVITY WAS CARRIED OUT BY COLOMBIA'S NUMBER-TWO
REBEL GROUP, THE NATIONAL LIBERATION ARMY (E-L-N).
COLOMBIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE DESCRIBED THE SURGE IN GUERRILLA
VIOLENCE AS A "FAREWELL" MESSAGE TO OUTGOING PRESIDENT ERNESTO
SAMPER, WHO ON FRIDAY HANDS OVER THE REIGNS OF POWER TO HIS
SUCCESSOR, ANDRES PASTRANA.
MR. PASTRANA HAS ACTIVELY SOUGHT TO ADVANCE COLOMBIA'S PEACE
PROCESS EVEN BEFORE ASSUMING OFFICIAL DUTIES. LAST MONTH, HE
HELD A SECRETIVE MEETING WITH LEADERS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMED
FORCES OF COLOMBIA, AND HAS PROMISED TO ENGAGE IN PEACE TALKS
WITH THE GROUP WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF HIS INAUGURATION.
FOR THEIR PART, THE GUERRILLAS HAVE NOT RULED OUT THE
POSSIBILITY OF NEGOTIATING A PEACE PACT WITH THE INCOMING
GOVERNMENT. INDEED, SOME REBEL STATEMENTS IN RECENT WEEKS HAVE
EXPRESSED CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM ON THE PROSPECTS OF HOLDING FRUITFUL
TALKS. IN THE MEANTIME, HOWEVER, IN BOTH WORD AND DEED,
COLOMBIA'S REBEL GROUPS HAVE MADE CLEAR THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF
HALTING THEIR ATTACKS. (SIGNED)
NEB/MCB/TMD/JO
05-Aug-98 5:34 PM EDT (2134 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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