DATE=8/25/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=COLOMBIA REBELS / CLINTON
NUMBER=5-46914
BYLINE=BILL RODGERS
DATELINE=RIO DE JANEIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

/// EDS: SPANISH ACT IN BUBBLE ///

INTRO:  Colombia's largest rebel group is denouncing 
the upcoming visit of President Clinton -- warning the 
trip is aimed at promoting the Colombian government's 
war against the guerrillas.  But as VOA's Bill Rodgers 
reports from our South America bureau, it is the 
rebels' ties to the drug trade that has made them the 
focus of a multimillion dollar U-S assistance package.

TEXT:  Colombia's largest rebel group, the 
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, has 
issued several statements in recent days denouncing 
President Clinton's upcoming visit.  In a commmunique 
Thursday entitled "Clinton Go Home," the FARC accused 
the U-S leader of promoting war, not peace, by 
providing the Colombian government with a one-three 
billion dollar anti-narcotics aid package.  The FARC 
communique went on to declare President Clinton 
"persona non grata".  

The U-S assistance is part of a wider Colombian 
strategy called Plan Colombia, which aims to stem the 
country's booming cocaine and heroin trade -- and also 
promote economic development.  However, most of the 
American money will be used to train and equip the 
Colombian military and police to eradicate drug 
production and trafficking.  The aid package calls for 

the delivery of 60 American helicopters, including 18 
of the advanced Black Hawk helicopters.

Much of the coca cultivation and processing is located 
in areas controlled by the FARC - and to a lesser 
extent by the other main leftist guerrilla group, the 
E-L-N.  Both guerrilla movements, along with rightwing 
paramilitary groups, receive money in exchange for 
protecting the drug trade.

But FARC commanders argue they too want to eliminate 
drug trafficking.  They say they only offer protection 
to coca cultivators because these peasant farmers have 
no alternative ways to make a living. 

FARC spokesman Raul Reyes told VOA recently the victims 
of the U-S military aid will be the poor peasant 
farmers.

            /// REYES SPANISH ACT ///

He said - we are not opposed to fighting drug 
trafficking, we recognize the trade is a cancer that 
has to be fought by everyone.  But, he went on to say, 
because the drug traffickers have no armies, the 
military aid will be used against the coca farmers.  
Why, he asks, are helicopters and advanced planes 
needed against these farmers.

But the Colombian government says the FARC and other 
armed groups do act, in effect, as the armies 
protecting the drug smugglers. Colombian drug 
specialist, Sergio Uribe, agrees. 

            /// URIBE ACT ///

      We all know, from being in the field, the 
      guerrillas may  not  be traffickers - that is an 
      individual who buys coca base, processes it into 
      cocaine, and ships it out to the U-S.  But (the 
      guerrillas) are making a good part of the 600 to 
      700 million dollars a year (they use) to wage war 
      on the Colombian state from ... drug traffickers.

            /// END ACT ///

Colombian President Andres Pastrana has said those 
rebels not involved in drug trafficking have nothing to 
fear from Plan Colombia.  Other officials in his 
government describe the strategy as a peace plan - 
aimed also at promoting alternative economic 
development to wean the peasant farmers away from 
cultivating coca and opium poppies.

But it is the military component of Plan Colombia that 
is drawing the most attention, and controversy.  It 
also is causing concern among leaders in neighboring 
South American countries about the dangers of a 
widening war in Colombia.  President Clinton is 
expected to address these concerns when he meets with 
President Pastrana next Wednesday in Cartagena. 
(Signed)

NEB/WFR/ 




25-Aug-2000 15:00 PM EDT (25-Aug-2000 1900 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.