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DATE=7/12/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251690
TITLE=COLOMBIA/GUERRILLAS MONDAY (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=STEVEN DUDLEY
DATELINE=BOGOTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:   THE COLOMBIAN ARMY CLAIMS IT HAS THWARTED A WEEKEND 
OFFENSIVE BY LEFTIST GUERRILLAS IN ITS ENTIRETY. AS PROOF THE 
ARMY TOOK THE LOCAL AND FOREIGN PRESS TO SEE THE CORPSES OF DEAD 
GUERRILLAS.  FROM BOGOTA, STEVEN DUDLEY REPORTS.
TEXT :   THE ARMY LEFT THE BODIES OF THE 30 GUERRILLAS FROM THE 
COUNTRY'S LARGEST REBEL GROUP, THE FARC,  UNCOVERED FOR ALL THE 
JOURNALISTS TO SEE. THE DEAD LAY IN THEIR OWN POOL OF BLOOD AND 
FLIES ENTERED AND EXITED THE FATAL WOUNDS. 
ACCORDING TO THE ARMY, THESE PARTICULAR REBELS LAUNCHED BOTH 
EXPLOSIVE GAS CYLINDERS AND HAND GRENADES IN A BID TO OVERRUN THE
POLICE STATION IN PUERTO LLERAS IN SOUTHEASTERN COLOMBIA. BUT THE
ATTACK THAT LEFT BUILDINGS ALL AROUND THE POLICE STATION 
DESTROYED FAILED AND THE FLEEING GUERRILLAS WERE GUNNED DOWN BY 
THE ARMY. 
COLONEL PAULINO CORONADO IS A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE ARMY:
                     ( CORONADO IN SPANISH) 
COLONEL CORONADO SAYS THESE ARE ONLY A FEW OF THE CORPSES. THERE 
ARE MORE, BUT WE COULD NOT FIND THEM. THE ARMY ORGANIZED THE TRIP
TO SEE THE BATTLE SITES AMIDST QUESTIONS THAT IT HAD EXAGGERATED 
THE REBEL BODY COUNT. BOTH SIDES CLAIM TO HAVE KILLED MORE THAN 
THE OTHER DURING THE THREE-DAY OFFENSIVE. HOWEVER, NO INDEPENDENT
SOURCE HAS CONFIRMED THE COUNTS, AND IT IS UNLIKELY THE TRUE 
NUMBER WILL COME OUT.
NEITHER THE FARC NOR THE GOVERNMENT HAS SAID WHETHER THE FIGHTING
WILL AFFECT PEACE NEGOTIATIONS THE TWO SIDES ARE EXPECTED TO 
REINITIATE ON JULY 20TH.  LATE LAST YEAR THE GOVERNMENT GRANTED A
PIECE OF TERRITORY THE SIZE OF SWITZERLAND TO THE REBELS TO 
JUMP-START THE TALKS. MANY OF THE ATTACKS THIS WEEKEND WERE 
LAUNCHED FROM AGUERRILLA-CONTROLLED ZONE. THE ZONE HAS BEEN 
CONSTANT SOURCE OF CONTROVERSY ESPECIALLY AMONGST THE MILITARY. 
ARMY COMMANDER GENERAL JORGE ENRIQUE MORA SAYS THE 
GUERRILLA-CONTROLLED TERRITORY MAY BE BEING USED  TO LUANCH 
ATTACK AGAINST THE MILITARY. 
                     ( MORA ACT  IN SPANISH)
THE MAJORITY OF THE FARC TROOPS CAME FROM THE DEMILITARIZED ZONE,
GENERAL MORA SAID. THE COUNTRY SHOULD MAKE THEIR OWN CONCLUSIONS 
AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT IS A LABORATORY OF PEACE OR ALABORATORY 
OF WAR. I CANNOT TELL THEM.
MEANWHILE THE GUERRILLA OFFENSIVE CONTINUES. THE FARC ATTACKED 
THREE DIFFERENT TOWNS MONDAY AND HAVE STRANDED OVER 300 PEOPLE AT
ROADBLOCKS ALONG SEVERAL MAJOR HIGHWAYS. THE REBELS SAID THEY 
WILL SUSTAIN THE ROADBLOCKS UNTIL NEGOTIATIONS BEGIN ANEW LATER 
THIS MONTH WHILE THE GOVERNMENT HAS YET TO LIFT  THE NIGHTTIME 
CURFEW IT IMPOSED ON TEN STATES SINCE SATURDAY. (SIGNED) 
NEB/SD/PT
12-Jul-99 11:56 PM EDT (0356 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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