8-04-05, 12:20 am

The government of Colombia’s failed policy of demobilizing right-wing paramilitary groups is in fact strengthening their power without furthering a genuine peace, according to a report based on interviews with former paramilitaries, government officials, and 'other insiders' published by Human Rights Watch earlier this week. In a press release, Americas Director for Human Rights Watch José Miguel Vivanco said, 'The government’s failure to conduct the demobilizations in a serious manner is helping paramilitary commanders launder their wealth and legitimize their political power.'

Vivanco described the Colombian government’s policy as 'rotten to the core.'

Nearly 6,000 people have participated in so-called collective paramilitary demobilizations since 2003. As of April 2005, only 25 of them had been detained for mass atrocities committed by their groups, which are considered terrorist organizations by the U.S. government and the European Union.

Recently demobilized paramilitaries told Human Rights Watch of participating in massacres, killings, and kidnappings, and also spoke of their groups’ highly profitable involvement in drug trafficking. The paramilitary organizations are responsible for killing and torturing thousands of Colombian citizens over the last two decades

None of the men interviewed have been arrested or even questioned about these crimes.

Interviewees also claimed that demobilized paramilitaries are not confessing, turning over substantial assets, or disclosing substantial information about their groups’ criminal networks and financing streams as the Colombian government insisted it would force them to do as a result of pressure put on it by the international community.

Instead, paramilitaries are being given space and time to hide their illegal fortunes and legitimize the political control they have seized in local communities. Paramilitary groups continue to control areas, such as Medellin, where demobilizations have taken place. And they have repeatedly flouted the cease-fire declaration they made at the start of negotiations, without consequence.

'The demobilization process is a way to try to clean the biggest guys, [and] move all their money into legality,' the report quotes one demobilized paramilitary. Another said bluntly that the process is 'a farce. It’s a way of quieting down the system and returning again, starting over from another side.'

Because paramilitary organizations are able to pay their recruits well, troops who do disarm as part of the demobilization process are easily replaced.

The demobilization is a show to impress the international community, says Vivanco. 'But the government,' he added. 'has not truly attempted to dismantle their mafia-like networks, seize their illegally acquired fortunes, or ensure a full cessation of abuses.'

Human Rights Watch also criticized the demobilization law recently signed by Colombian President Álvaro Uribe, which codifies much of the government’s existing approach.

'Rather than correcting the problems in the demobilization process, the new law compounds them,' said Vivanco.

The right-wing Colombian government has come to rely on the paramilitary groups as a measure of extra-legal suppression of popular movements, trade union organizing, and local struggles for democracy.

US taxpayers have to ask why their public schools, health care, and environmental cleanup are being sacrificed by the Bush administration and the Republicans in Congress in order to support a government whose policy is to look the other way when it comes to these gangs of thugs.

The US government has indirectly aided the rise of the paramilitaries with special funding for programs like 'Plan Colombia,' a massive effort to provide military assistance to the Colombian government under the cover of fighting the drug trade but especially aimed at left-wing and trade union movements in Colombia.

Many critics of Plan Colombia see it as a measure for the US to maintain a large and secret military operation in South America, as well as a direct involvement in a civil war to protect oil production. Other serious problems include a fumigation program aimed at drug crops that may be poisoning local populations and the complete failure of the so-called drug war.

Aid to Colombia has averaged about $750 million annually since 2003 when the phony demobilization process began. This is an increase of more than 200% over the previous 7 years.



--Joel Wendland may be reached at jwendland@politicalaffairs.net.