Present Day Conflicts in Colombia Ariel Holman, Stacy Skiftenes and Lisa Williams

Colombia  Population: 43.8 million  Just over 1 million sq. kilometers (3x Montana)  Geography: lowlands, highlands, Andes, plains  90% Roman Catholic  Independence: July 20, 1810

Colombian Government  Republic Government  Power divided among 3 branches ExecutiveExecutive LegislativeLegislative JudicialJudicial

President Álvaro Uribe Vélez  Elected May 2002  Predecessor Pastrana’s Policy  Uribe’s Hardline Policy

Drugs in Colombia  World supply 80% cocaine 80% cocaine 30% heroin 30% heroin  Cocaine base imported from Peru, Bolivia, but also locally grown  Heroin 8 metric tons yearly 8 metric tons yearly Most to United States Most to United States

More on drugs…  Nearly 200,000 hectares of land to coca and opium  Both crops and laboratories spread throughout the country  Concern with exportation, but also domestic concerns

Drug Flow/Traffic  Cocaine Commercial maritime vessels Commercial maritime vessels General aviation aircraft General aviation aircraft  Heroin Human couriers on commercial airlines Human couriers on commercial airlines  Cartels Much less centrally organized Much less centrally organized Use of technology instead of physical meetings Use of technology instead of physical meetings

Control Efforts  ,261 cocaine labs destroyed 80 heroin labs destroyed  1998: 2000 arrests

PLAN Colombia  Designed and implemented by Presidente Pastrana  Projects worth $7.5 billion

Five Aims of PLAN Colombia  Peace  Colombian economy  Anti-narcotic strategy  Reform of justice system/protection of human rights  Democratization and social development

Effects of PLAN Colombia

Citizen’s views

 "We are (telling) peasants to grow legal crops that must be transported on vehicles they do not have, over roads that do not exist, to sell in domestic and international markets to which they do not have access," says Sanho Tree

“La Violencia”  Political conflict between liberals and conservatives  (most desctructive years): ,00 killed  Extends through 1980’s Colombia: highest homicide rate in LA 245/100,000 persons

FARC: Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarios de Colombia  15-18,000 members  Responsible for kidnappings that target landowners, tourists, and officials  Formed: 1966  Originally communist  Controls 1/3 of country  Control over cocoa crops

ELN: Ejército de Liberación Nacionál  2nd largest: 5000 members  Trans-Andean oil pipeline bombings since 1986  Kidnapping for ransom  Bombing and extortion  Funding: ransom, taxes, drug trade

Shared Goals  Represent the rural poor  Oppose American influence  Oppose privitization of resources  Oppose multinational corporations  Decry rightist violence

AUC: Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia  Organization of several right-wing paramilitary groups  Supported by landowners, drug- cartels, parts of Colombian military  Paramilitary groups outlawed in 1989

AUC continued…  AUC favors… Respect for public property Respect for public property End to kidnappings and extortion End to kidnappings and extortion Recognition as a political group Recognition as a political group Further negotiations with guerillas and government Further negotiations with guerillas and government  Targets leftist guerilla groups, citizens with leftist sympathies, trade-union members, human-rights activists  Originated with “Death to Kidnappers” group  2001: AUC killed at least 1,015 civilians

AUC continued…

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