DATE=11/18/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=COLOMBIA REBELS (L-UPDATE)
NUMBER=2-256344
BYLINE=STEVEN DUDLEY
DATELINE=BOGOTA
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Colombia's Army says it has beat back a major
guerrilla offensive in the southern part of the
country. The Army claims it killed as many as 86
guerrillas in the counterattacks on Tuesday and
Wednesday, while nine police were killed. We have
details from Steven Dudley in Bogota.
TEXT: Autorities say rebels from the Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC used homemade bombs
made from gas cylinders to attack police stations and
government buildings in 13 towns. FARC's principal
target was the capital of the remote Department
(State) of Guainia, in the jungle near the Venezuelan
border. It was the FARC's largest offensive since
July, when rebels attacked 27 towns.
The Army says it successfully thwarted the offensive,
intercepting several rebel columns as they fled in
trucks to the so-called demilitarized zone in southern
Colombia. The government evacuated troops from the
zone in January to jump-start peace talks with FARC.
But the military says the rebels are simply using the
area to launch their attacks on nearby towns. The same
accusation was made after the rebel offensive in July,
and has led some members of the Colombian government
to call for an end to the demilitarized zone.
Government representatives remain in the 40-thousand
square kilometer area, but FARC polices the zone.
Human rights groups say the rebels have summarily
executed several people whom the guerrillas accuse of
collaborating with right-wing paramilitaries. The U-S
government says FARC is using the zone to process and
transport drugs, and the military says the rebels are
simply fortifying their war machine that includes 15-
thousand fighters.
The zone is scheduled to pass back to government hands
on December 26th, but the Senate is debating extending
the deadline. Advocates of keeping the area in FARC
hands say that any changes to the agreement with the
rebels might jeopardize peace talks the government and
the rebels have been carrying out sporadically since
January. The next round of negotiations is scheduled
for this weekend, during which the two sides are
expected to address this issue. (Signed)
NEB/sd/gm
18-Nov-1999 17:30 PM EDT (18-Nov-1999 2230 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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