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Colombia's Peace Processes?
Colombia's peace processes were announced with much fanfare, not least by
the insurgent movements concerned. They have, however, not progressed very
much and have become bogged down in discussions over the details of the
government's commitment to dealing with the paramilitaries - their
semi-legal protégés. However, could these peace processes offer anything
different or new for Colombia?
The negotiations between the FARC-EP and the government began in San
Vicente del Caguan with a very ill defined agenda which faltered at the
first fence. Since then the on-off nature of the discussions has resembled
more a comedy than two belligerent forces discussing the future of
Colombia. The central problem with these negotiations though, is not a
mere question of agenda but the very nature of an insurgent movement
sitting down to negotiate the future behind the backs of the people they
claim to represent. In Colombia there have been a number of such
discussions: the most famous of these was the process that led to the
demobilisation of the then largest guerrilla group M-19. They demobilised,
their leaders got good jobs and some became deputies in the parliament.
Others were given the human rights portfolio in various embassies. In
other words, they put a positive spin on the continuing dirty war and
justify everything that they themselves once fought against. In the case
of the majority faction of the EPL, they went over wholesale to the secret
police (DAS) and contributed to the destruction of the social fabric of
Urabá and were a significant force behind the spread of the death squads in
that region. The list of groups that did this in Colombia is quite long
and one has to ask just how many examples do we need to learn that such
processes are about the surrender of the insurgent movements and have
nothing to do with solving the problems that face Colombia. The Colombian
government, if it were serious about confronting these problems, does not
need to sit down with any armed group in order to reform the army or carry
out a land reform. So when they sit down to talk with the FARC-EP, the
real agenda, which should cause problems for the FARC-EP, is surrender.
The other peace process with the ELN is not really a peace process as
properly understood. They have not called for direct negotiations with the
government but instead called for the opening of a National Convention
where civil society and the guerrillas would discuss the problems facing
Colombia and possible solutions. The government would be just one more
participant on an equal footing alongside so many of its victims. Not
surprisingly, the government has refused to demilitarise five
municipalities as it did for the FARC-EP. So the National Convention due
to begin last February has been postponed. The reasons why are quite clear
- there is no possibility of surrender being placed on the agenda as the
discussions are with civil society and not with the government.
The FARC-EP has engaged in public polemic with the ELN over the National
Convention claiming that the best way forward was through negotiations
between the great statesmen Pastrana (Pres. of Colombia) and Marulanda
(Commander of FARC-EP). Unfortunately we have seen greater statesmen than
Marulanda sell out in the past and forget what it was they fought for. The
National Convention at the very least gives human rights campaigners a
voice and the discussions are not behind the backs of the people.
Surrender processes are not the way forward and the government cannot be
trusted. The last time FARC-EP negotiated anything with the government,
they agreed to set up the Union Patriotica as part of the process towards
eventual disarmament. The UP was wiped out because they were far too
successful and what the government wanted was surrender - not the UP
winning elections.