DATE=7/16/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43891
TITLE=REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: THE FARC
BYLINE=MICHAEL BOWMAN
DATELINE=SAN VICENTE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: IN COLUMBIA, PEACE TALKS ARE TO BEGIN MONDAY BETWEEN THE
GOVERNMENT AND THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST REBEL GROUP -- THE
REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF COLUMBIA, OR FARC. THURSDAY,
V-O-A'S MICHAEL BOWMAN TRAVELED TO A GUERRILLA STRONGHOLD
SOUTHEAST OF BOGOTA. HE DESCRIBES HIS FIRST CONTACT WITH ONE OF
COLUMBIA'S MOST-FEARED EXTRA-LEGAL ORGANIZATIONS.
TEXT: FOR YEARS I HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT THE FARC'S COUNTLESS,
BLOODY ATTACKS -- THEIR KIDNAPPINGS OF SOLDIERS AND INNOCENT
CIVILIANS AND THEIR ALLEGED TIES TO THE DRUG TRADE. STILL, I HAD
NEVER MET A REBEL, FACE-TO-FACE UNTIL I ARRIVED IN SAN VICENTE
DEL CAUGUAN: A HOT, DUSTY TOWN WHERE ONE HEARS LATIN AMERICAN
COUNTRY MUSIC, CALLED RANCHERA, ON ALMOST EVERY STREET CORNER.
SIMPLY PUT, THE FARC RUNS SAN VICENTE. THE TOWN LIES IN A ZONE
THE ARMY ABANDONED, LAST YEAR, TO SATISFY A REBEL PRE-CONDITION
FOR STARTING THE PEACE PROCESS. THE REBELS MAINTAIN STRICT
CONTROL OF ALL POINTS OF ENTRY TO THE TOWN, INCLUDING THE TINY
AIRPORT WHERE I WAS FRISKED UPON ARRIVAL. ONCE IN SAN VICENTE, I
WAS DIRECTED TO AN OFFICE NEAR THE CENTRAL PLAZA, WHERE I WAS
TOLD ALL MEMBERS OF THE NEWS MEDIA MUST REGISTER WITH THE FARC.
I WALKED IN WITH CONFLICTING SENSATIONS OF APPREHENSION AND
CURIOSITY. A STOUT, UNSHAVEN MAN IN GREEN MILITARY FATIGUES
STARED AT ME IMPASSIVELY, AND SAID NOTHING. AFTER A MOMENTARY
HESITATION, I FORCED A SMILE AND INTRODUCED MYSELF.
THE REBEL APPEARED SATISFIED.
HE WELCOMED ME AND INSTRUCTED ME TO WAIT. LOOKING AROUND THE
OFFICE, I SAW PICTURES OF LENIN, CHE GUEVARA AND AN ASSORTMENT OF
MEN I PRESUMED TO BE FARC LEADERS. A MACHINE GUN LAY ON A DESK,
AND AN AMAZON PARROT STOOD ON A METAL TABLE. MOMENTS LATER, AN
ELDERLY COUPLE ENTERED THE OFFICE. WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES.
THEY TOLD THE REBEL THEIR ONLY SON HAD BEEN PICKED UP BY A FARC
PATROL AND HELD ON SUSPICION OF BELONGING TO ONE OF COLUMBIA'S
ANTI-REBEL PARAMILITARY GROUPS. THE COUPLE SAID THEIR SON HAD
NEVER SO MUCH AS LIFTED A FINGER AGAINST THE FARC AND THAT THEY
HAD COME TO PLEAD FOR HIS LIFE. THE REBEL LISTENED BUT SAID HE
COULD OFFER NO ASSURANCES.
THE REBEL ADMITTED INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE SOMETIMES EFFECTED BY
GUERRILLA OPERATIONS, BUT SAID THE FARC HAS TO BE WARY OF ITS
ENEMIES. HE SAID THE ORGANIZATION HAS A PROCESS FOR DEALING WITH
THOSE SUSPECTED OF PLOTTING AGAINST IT. HE DID NOT ELABORATE.
THE ELDERLY LEFT SILENTLY, WITH THEIR HEADS BOWED, LEANING
AGAINST EACH OTHER FOR SUPPORT.
A FEMALE REBEL ENTERED THE OFFICE FROM A BACK DOOR. SHE SAID HER
NAME WAS NORA AND ASKED ME FOR IDENTIFICATION. I HANDED HER MY
CREDENTIALS AND TOLD HER I HOPED TO SPEAK WITH A FARC COMMANDER
ABOUT NEXT WEEK'S PEACE TALKS. USING A HAND-HELD RADIO, NORA
RELAYED MY NAME, TITLE, AND OTHER INFORMATION TO AN UNKNOWN
PERSON. ONCE AGAIN, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO WAIT.
ANOTHER FEMALE WALKED IN. SHE REGARDED ME, SMILED, AND THEN SHED
THE BASEBALL CAP SHE WAS WEARING. FROM A BAG, SHE PRODUCED
SEVERAL CURLERS AND GEL -- AND BEGAN TO STYLE HER HAIR WHILE
SINGING SOFTLY TO HERSELF. THEN SHE APPLIED (PINKISH) LIPSTICK
AND POSED FOR HERSELF IN FRONT OF A SMALL MIRROR. APPARENTLY
SATISFIED, SHE GINGERLY REPLACED THE BASEBALL CAP OVER HER
NEWLY-STYLED HAIR, GRABBED A MILITARY BELT FROM A HOOK FROM WHICH
TWO GUNS AND A MACHETE WERE DANGLING, AND WALKED OUT.
SHORTLY THEREAFTER, NORA INFORMED ME A DECISION REGARDING MY
INTERVIEW REQUEST WOULD BE MADE THE NEXT DAY AND THAT I SHOULD
RETURN THEN. I LEFT THE OFFICE AND WALKED TOWARD A NEARBY HOTEL,
STOPPING ON THE WAY TO BUY SOME CANDLES. SAN VICENTE HAS BEEN
WITHOUT ELECTRICITY FOR TWO DAYS. WITHOUT CANDLES, I FEARED I
WOULD BE WRITING THIS REPORT IN COMPLETE DARKNESS. (SIGNED).
NEB / MB / DWJ-T / WD
16-Jul-99 9:52 AM EDT (1352 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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