CPTnet
5 March 2008
COLOMBIA: Interpreting recent events

by Stewart Vriesinga

In 2005, the Uribe government implemented the Peace and Justice Law, which resulted in the demobilization of thousands of right-wing paramilitaries, responsible for most human rights abuses in Colombia. In February 2008, the largest anti-FARC march in the history of Colombia took place in cities across the nation, involving hundreds of thousands. One could believe that these events show that significant efforts are underway to end the decades-long conflict in Colombia. But people can interpret these events in more than one way.

The Uribe government—embroiled in an investigation of numerous government, civil service, and military officials for their links to paramilitaries—has interpreted the display of public opposition to the FARC as evidence of support for President Uribe.

The victims of right-wing violence in Colombia, however, are alarmed by the narrow focus of the anti-FARC march. They continue to suffer from paramilitary and military violence, and fear that those in power are manipulating the public into taking sides in an armed struggle rather than opposing all forms of violence. They fear that this focus on the FARC could result in a form of McCarthyism; as critics of the current government, they would face accusations of support for FARC terrorists. Once labeled "FARC allies" any prospects of justice and reparation for past abuses committed against them would diminish. Furthermore, they would garner little public sympathy if afflicted with new human rights abuses.

Brief descriptions of armed actors in the news

The FARC
Few dispute that the FARC continues to pose a threat to the well being of Colombians. Nor are the FARC's victims limited to social and economic elites. Just ask anyone in the land-mine capital of Colombia—Ricaurte, a primarily Awa indigenous community in the province of Nariño. Few condone or justify the conduct of this left-wing insurgency group, which often shows complete disregard for the lives of Colombians, including people for whom they claim to be fighting.

The paramilitaries and the state
Right-wing armed actors–former members of the AUC (Self-defence Forces of Colombia) paramilitary groups, their various reincarnations, and state security forces—also terrorize segments of the Colombian population. These actors target peasants, workers, small-scale miners, and their advocates. Paramilitaries, in the service of drug cartels and/or national and international business interests, are responsible for death threats, massacres of unarmed civilians, forced displacement of millions, extrajudicial killings, and torture. Many of these human rights abuses happen with the support and collaboration of the Colombian military, including senior military officials. Recent testimonies of demobilized AUC paramilitaries corroborate these claims, implicating military commanders, civil servants, and elected government representatives at municipal, provincial, and national levels in a scandal that has become known as Para-politics.

CPT Colombia's interpretation of current events
The Colombia team continues to stand with the civilian victims of violence, and remains opposed to all violence, regardless of which armed actor is responsible. It will continue to work with organizations and communities who are promoting the socio-economic conditions for peace and nonviolently promoting truth, justice, reparation, and reconciliation.