Colombia: The End Game (Part One)

[bemildred]

How do you end a civil war that has dragged on for 50 years, killed or wounded at least half a million people and displaced millions more? It is a question all those attending the Colombian peace talks in Havana, Cuba are trying to answer.

Since late 2012 the Colombian government of President Manuel Santos has been in negotiation with FARC (the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia).

Separate talks with another, smaller insurgent group, the ELN (National Liberation Army) are also now underway. But finding a solution to one of the most destructive and divisive civil conflicts in modern times is not easy.

Although both of the guerrilla groups have come under sustained pressure in recent years from an increasingly sophisticated Colombian Army - and have seen their numbers dwindle as a consequence of successive crackdowns - neither has yet been comprehensively defeated.

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/peopleandpower/2014/12/colombia-end-game-part-one-20141223103849555774.html

[Peace Patriot]

1. the "increasingly sophisticated Colombian Army." Hm-m-m.

The U.S. government/military has greatly prolonged this civil war with the infusion of (at least) SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS--our tax dollars--in military aid, to a military that is notorious for its corruption, its close ties to rightwing death squads and drug traffickers, its brutal massive displacement of peasant farmers (the worse human displacement crisis on earth), and its heinous practice of attracting young people with offers of jobs, then murdering them and dressing their bodies up like FARC fighters, to up their 'body counts," to earn bonuses and impress U.S. senators!

The U.S. is why this civil war did not end long ago. It is in the interest of U.S. "free trade for the rich" to support fascists and thugs who murder and displace peasant farmers, and also murder union leaders, community activists and others.

Yes, Obama seems to be supporting the peace talks, but Colombia is still riddled with U.S. military bases and U.S. arms, and it is still ground zero of the corrupt, murderous, failed U.S. "war on drugs." And, very like our own situation, Colombia's slow advance toward peace and justice is extremely fragile, and the entire country could revert, tomorrow, to the Alvaro Uribe's and Bush Jr.'s of this world, because NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE in either country to democratize politics and the voting system. Alvaro Uribe was Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld's mafia boss (um, president) in Colombia, and Uribe is still running around, protected by the CIA, trying to sabotage the peace talks and regain power; if Jeb gets installed here, we'll see Uribe back in place in Colombia.

End. Of. Peace.

[Bacchus4.0]

2. Colombia is the second oldest democracy and one of the most stable in Latin America

http://www.colombia-eu.org/en_GB/colombia/democracy

The Republic of Colombia is one of Latin America’s oldest and most stable democracies. Democratic rule has endured political and economic turmoil and today goes from strength to strength.

Modeled on its European counterparts, the 1991 Colombian constitution continues to underpin the ethos and shape the development of Colombian society. This constitution of rights protects the human rights, political participation and labour rights of all Colombian citizens.

Universal suffrage was introduced in Colombia in 1954 - just six years after Belgium. Women have an important role in society and are frequently appointed to positions of political power and influence.

Colombia is a multiparty democracy. The three most popular parties include the Social Party of National Unity, the Colombian Liberal Party and the Colombia Conservative Party. There are five other major political parties who hold seats in the Colombian House and Senate, as well as a number of other legally recognised parties.