In Colombia, peace proves elusive

BOGOTÁ -- The beheading of more than a dozen woodcutters last week was the latest of several recent attacks by Colombia's leftist guerrillas to exploit the power vacuum left by the demobilization of 32,000 right-wing militiamen -- and a signal that peace will not come easily to besieged rural areas.

The bloodshed at Riosucio bore the hallmarks of the four-decades -long war waged by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, in neglected regions lacking state services or security.

Giovanny Ramírez was chopping wood in the mountains of northwestern Colombia last week when a group of rebels emerged from the jungle and surrounded him and 33 companions.

The guerrillas accused the woodcutters of collaborating with right-wing militias that until recently controlled northern Chocó Province's lucrative corridor for transnational arms and drug smuggling. With the militias laying down their arms in a peace deal with the government, the guerrillas taunted the men, saying they would now rule the territory and exact their revenge.

my roommate is from northEASTER Colombia. he's had a few losses in the past few years.

several years ago, the father of one of his high school friends was out working on his farm when FARC militants came up to him and demanded money. he refused time and time again. one day, his barn was burning, he ran out to see what was happening and they shot him dead.

two years ago, they showed up at the door and demanded money from the farmer's wife. She essentially told them "F*** you, you killed my husband!" they shot her dead. in front of the kids.

now my roommate's friend has had to take up responsibility of her siblings and, of course, move far away.

You know how every high school has one cool janitor? Well, just a few months ago, my roommate got word that his old high school's janitor had been put up against the wall and shot in the head, in front of his 9 children, for refusing to contribute to the FARC.

Every time I hear stories like these and the ones in the article, it makes me really appreciate living in the US where we dont have to deal with that kind of fear, and I pray that Colombia comes to see peace someday.

What you write should be echoed throughout America and in fact the free world. What I find of major concern is the lack of knowledge, and stupidity, people have with current events around the globe. Yesterday, in Boston, I saw a 20-something walking around in a yellow T-shirt emblazoned with an oversized peace sign that read "Der Fuhrer Bush" among other words written in German (which, I believe, he was also speaking). I find someone of that mindset to be infuriating.

Disarming the paramilitary, the so-called "right wing militia" was a huge error. They ought rather have forced them under the military chain of command. Colombia is in a civil war. It is a war between good and evil as surely as any war has ever been. There will never be peace while FARC breathes air, and any force capable of taking them on should be encouraged and aided.

Indeed, the military has typically used the paramilitaries as their shock troops, to clear out the FARC before the military themselves will enter. Disarming them served FARC's interest. Like Israel's huge error in abandoning the South Lebanese Army, it is an error they will regret, and in the end they will have to re-create what they have destroyed.

You defeat an enemy by killing the enemy. Colombia has to accept this reality, and must go to a general mobilization and fight this war as a full-scale war. It will never be over while FARC walks this earth.

amen to that!

I once asked a guy (on campus) with a "Che" shirt why he supported a mass-murderer. his response: "hey man, I dont support Bush!"

I pointed at his shirt and said "do some research" and walked off.

I left him with the dumbest look on his face. But I hope I got through to him!

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