Colombia's perpetual quest for peace

Journal of Democracy

Volumn 12, Issue 2, 2001, Pages 32-45

  Hoskin, Gary ^a,b   Murillo, Gabriel ^c  

^a UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO   (United States)

^b UNIVERSIDAD DE LOS ANDES   (Colombia)

^c NONE

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0035626305     PISSN: 10455736     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1353/jod.2001.0027     Document Type: Review

References (23)

1. Gary Hoskin and Gabriel Murillo, "Can Colombia Cope?" Journal of Democracy 10 (January 1999): 36-50.
2. See Mats Berdal, Disarmament and Demobilization After Civil Wars (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996); and Hernando Roa and Johan Galtung, Cómo Construir la Paz en Colombia? (Bogota: Escuela Superior de la Administración Pública, 1998).
3. See Mats Bcrdal, Disarmament and Demobilization After Civil Wars (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996); and Hernando Roa and Johan Galtung, Cómo Construir la Paz en Colombia? (Bogota: Escuela Superior de la Administración Pública, 1998).
4. Not surprisingly, the paramilitaries derive fewer financial resources from the drug traffic (approximately $24 million in 2000) than the guerrillas (around $400 million in 2000), in part a reflection of their smaller number: 8,000 paras in comparison with 18,000 guerrillas. However, the number of paramilitary recruits has increased dramatically since 1992, when there were only 850 in their ranks. Paramilitary groups are active in 25 of 33 Colombian states. Data from the Colombian Ministry of Defense, as reported in El Tiempo (Bogota), 28 January 2001, 1-16, 17.
5. Between 1986 and November 2000, there were 1,110 guerrilla assaults upon petroleum installations, resulting in the loss of 2.3 million barrels of crude oil (more than eight times the Exxon Valdez spill), and requiring $40 million in reparations. From January 1999 through November 2000, 442 electrical towers were dynamited and 312 repaired at a cost of approximately $18 million. See Fernando Uricocchea, "Guerrillas Luddititas," El Tiempo (Bogota), 14 January 2001, 1-20.
6. The Centro Nacional de Consultoría conducted a survey for Colombia's largest newspaper, El Tiempo, to ascertain the public's perceptions of the peace process. It consisted of a sample of 800 adults in the five largest cities of Colombia. See El Tiempo (Bogota), 3 December 2000, 1-4. Eighty-three percent of those interviewed did not believe that the guerrillas were interested in reaching a peace accord; 56 percent thought that FARC dominated the negotiation process; 83 percent agreed that negotiations are not on the right track; 60 percent rejected the granting of a demilitarized zone to ELN; 66 percent argued that the paramilitaries should be included in the peace process; 57 percent did not believe that the military forces were prepared for war; and finally, 90 percent were convinced that the guerrillas are committing criminal actions in the demilitarized zone of El Caguán.
7. Patricia Buirette, Le droit international humanitaire (Paris: La Découvert, 1996).
8. Quoc Dinh Nguyen, Patrick Daillier, and Alain Pellet, Droit International Public (Paris: LGDJ, 1992).
9. Between January 1995 and December 2000, subversive groups committed 19,503 severe violations of international humanitarian law - civilian assassinations, massacres, kidnappings, attacks on cities, terrorist acts, and sentences handed down against members of the armed forces and police. Of these infractions, 79.39 percent were committed by guerrillas, 3.76 percent by paramilitary groups, and 1.65 percent by state forces. In 2000, guerrilla groups were responsible for 1,625 kidnappings and paramilitary groups for 261; however, the number of civilans assassinated by paramilitary forces has been mounting dramatically during the past two years, reaching 983 in 2000, in comparison with 880 killings by guerrillas. Informe Anual Derechos Humanos y DIH 2000 (Bogota: Ministerio de Defensa Nacional, January, 2001): 74. It is estimated that there are more than 150,000 land mines in Colombia, with the bulk of them having been manufactured by the FARC and ELN. Semana (Bogota), "Asesinos Ocultos," 25 September 2000, 67.
10. Between January 1995 and December 2000, subversive groups committed 19,503 severe violations of international humanitarian law - civilian assassinations, massacres, kidnappings, attacks on cities, terrorist acts, and sentences handed down against members of the armed forces and police. Of these infractions, 79.39 percent were committed by guerrillas, 3.76 percent by paramilitary groups, and 1.65 percent by state forces. In 2000, guerrilla groups were responsible for 1,625 kidnappings and paramilitary groups for 261; however, the number of civilans assassinated by paramilitary forces has been mounting dramatically during the past two years, reaching 983 in 2000, in comparison with 880 killings by guerrillas. Informe Anual Derechos Humanos y DIH 2000 (Bogota: Ministerio de Defensa Nacional, January, 2001): 74. It is estimated that there are more than 150,000 land mines in Colombia, with the bulk of them having been manufactured by the FARC and ELN. Semana (Bogota), "Asesinos Ocultos," 25 September 2000, 67.
11. Through November 2000, $1.635 billion have been committed by the international community. El Tiempo (Bogota), 31 December 2000, 1-6.
12. Ibid., 1-2.
13. It is highly unlikely that Plan Colombia will escalate into a U.S. military commitment similar to that which existed in Vietnam. Neither the Bush administration nor the U.S. Congress is prepared to commit U.S. troops to a land war in Colombia. When Congress approved funds for Plan Colombia, the number of military trainers at any one time was limited to 500 and civilian contract workers to 300. Neither is authorized to use force unless fired upon.
14. The government is increasing considerably its military capabilities through the acquisition of modern equipment and expansion of the number of professional soldiers. When the Pastrana government assumed office in 1998, there were some 20,000 professional soldiers; by the end of 2001, the number will approach 55,000.
15. Carlos Eduardo Vélez, Adriana Kugler, and César Bouillon, "The Reversal of Inequality Gains in Urban Colombia, 1978-95: A Combination of Persistent and Fluctuating Forces," unpubl. ms., World Bank, 2 July 1999, 1.
16. The statistics in this paragraph are based on the following sources: El Tiempo (Bogota) 20 April 1999, 16A; the data are from the National Statistical Department, DANE. Fedesarrollo, Coyuntura Social: Empleo, Salarios, Seguridad Social en Salud, Educación en las siete princiales ciudades (Bogota, 1999), 17. Departamento Nacional de Planeación, "Poverty," in Boletín No. 16 (Bogota, 1998), 7. María Mercedes Cuellar, Colombia: Un Proyecto Inconcluso 1 (Bogota: Universidad Externado de Colombia, 2000): 3. Rolando Franco, "Globalización, democracia y equidad: ¿Qué pasa hoy en América Latina?" Contribuciones (Konrad Adenauer-Shiftung, No. 3, 2000): 60.
17. The statistics in this paragraph are based on the following sources: El Tiempo (Bogota) 20 April 1999, 16A; the data are from the National Statistical Department, DANE. Fedesarrollo, Coyuntura Social: Empleo, Salarios, Seguridad Social en Salud, Educación en las siete princiales ciudades (Bogota, 1999), 17. Departamento Nacional de Planeación, "Poverty," in Boletín No. 16 (Bogota, 1998), 7. María Mercedes Cuellar, Colombia: Un Proyecto Inconcluso 1 (Bogota: Universidad Externado de Colombia, 2000): 3. Rolando Franco, "Globalización, democracia y equidad: ¿Qué pasa hoy en América Latina?" Contribuciones (Konrad Adenauer-Shiftung, No. 3, 2000): 60.
18. The statistics in this paragraph are based on the following sources: El Tiempo (Bogota) 20 April 1999, 16A; the data are from the National Statistical Department, DANE. Fedesarrollo, Coyuntura Social: Empleo, Salarios, Seguridad Social en Salud, Educación en las siete princiales ciudades (Bogota, 1999), 17. Departamento Nacional de Planeación, "Poverty," in Boletín No. 16 (Bogota, 1998), 7. María Mercedes Cuellar, Colombia: Un Proyecto Inconcluso 1 (Bogota: Universidad Externado de Colombia, 2000): 3. Rolando Franco, "Globalización, democracia y equidad: ¿Qué pasa hoy en América Latina?" Contribuciones (Konrad Adenauer-Shiftung, No. 3, 2000): 60.
19. The statistics in this paragraph are based on the following sources: El Tiempo (Bogota) 20 April 1999, 16A; the data are from the National Statistical Department, DANE. Fedesarrollo, Coyuntura Social: Empleo, Salarios, Seguridad Social en Salud, Educación en las siete princiales ciudades (Bogota, 1999), 17. Departamento Nacional de Planeación, "Poverty," in Boletín No. 16 (Bogota, 1998), 7. María Mercedes Cuellar, Colombia: Un Proyecto Inconcluso 1 (Bogota: Universidad Externado de Colombia, 2000): 3. Rolando Franco, "Globalización, democracia y equidad: ¿Qué pasa hoy en América Latina?" Contribuciones (Konrad Adenauer-Shiftung, No. 3, 2000): 60.
20. The statistics in this paragraph are based on the following sources: El Tiempo (Bogota) 20 April 1999, 16A; the data are from the National Statistical Department, DANE. Fedesarrollo, Coyuntura Social: Empleo, Salarios, Seguridad Social en Salud, Educación en las siete princiales ciudades (Bogota, 1999), 17. Departamento Nacional de Planeación, "Poverty," in Boletín No. 16 (Bogota, 1998), 7. María Mercedes Cuellar, Colombia: Un Proyecto Inconcluso 1 (Bogota: Universidad Externado de Colombia, 2000): 3. Rolando Franco, "Globalización, democracia y equidad: ¿Qué pasa hoy en América Latina?" Contribuciones (Konrad Adenauer-Shiftung, No. 3, 2000): 60.
21. A 1997 survey revealed that 89 percent of Colombians lacked confidence in political parties, 79 percent in Congress, 71 percent in public administration, 58 percent in the judicial branch, 51 percent in the police, and 39 percent in the military. María Mercedes Cuellar, Colombia, 63.
22. Miguel García, "Elecciones Municipales: Bipartidismo, un paso atrás," in Periódico de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia (Bogota), 19 November 2000, 8.
23. "La línea dura," Cambio 396 (Bogota), 22-29 January 2001, 36.