Military

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=COLUMBIA ELECTIONS (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=LOURDES NAVARRO

DATELINE=BOGOTA

INTERNET=YES

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Local elections took place peacefully across Colombia on Sunday,

despite violence that had marred the run-up to the elections. Colombians

voted for candidates for governors, mayors and town council members, many of them independents challenging the two traditional political parties. Lourdes Navarro reports from Colombia's capital, Bogota.

TEXT: The voting comes after several weeks of increased tensions, with

21 candidates killed and more than 100 withdrawing from the elections, citing intimidation.

During the past week alone, both rebel and paramilitary groups kidnapped eight political officials or candidates. The two rivals use

kidnapping and political assassinations to influence the democratic process.

The government launched a massive security operation to counter the

violence. Some 150-thousand soldiers and police were deployed across the

country to stop any possible disruptions. ///OPT/// Voters were being

checked before being allowed to enter the voting areas and police were

patrolling around polling stations.///END OPT///

The security measures seem to have worked. Polls closed with few incidents of trouble reported.

For the first time ever, some Colombians voted in a zone under the control of the leftist insurgents, waging a 36-year-old war on the state. The Colombian rebels consider the political system illegitimate, but the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, allowed the elections to proceed nevertheless.

However, charges that the leftist rebels stole ballots caused election

officials to void voting in one of the five FARC controlled areas. And the mayoral candidate openly backed by the FARC in the rebel stronghold of San Vicente del Caguan lost to an independent candidate.

The nation-wide local elections are a test for Colombias two traditional parties the Liberals and the Conservatives. They are increasingly blamed for Colombias woes and many of the candidates who won in major areas are independent of those political parties.

But beyond the thousands of seats up for grabs, leaders say that Colombias embattled democratic system is at stake.

Colombia has one of Latin America's strongest electoral traditions and

little history of military coups. But, fighting between rival paramilitary groups, government troops and rebel groups has left thousands dead, and forced millions to flee their homes. (signed)

NEB/LGN/FC