http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7194377.stm
Colombia is known for a couple things; rebels and cocaine. These are the two most promident things that come to my mind. In most cases these two things are inter linked. Although the Colombian Government has always has an open door policy when it comes to rebels that want to demobilize. According to the BBC 3'200 guerrillas demobilised last year under a government scheme. That is a lot of guerrilla fighters. Yet some of the demobilised say that if the government would out reach their had just a little more that more of the rebels and fighters would evacuate and abandon their posts. But is it really the job of the government to get these guerrillas to demobilize? How far should a guerrila go to change and get amnesty? The program already give amnesty to anyone who demobilizes. Yet to me it seems that it should not be entirely the governments job. There has to be a middle ground. Giving amnesty is a great benefit to guerrillas even the protection of the government could prevent other guerrillas from coming to get them. Radio is one way that the government is trying to reach remote guerrilla. It is not like the government is not trying. Keeping up their efforts will pay off in the end; guerrillas have to want to leave and it will need to be their decision as well as the governments.
2 comments:
I think that you do have a point. But the government of a country should always try and gain the trust and respect of their citizens. It is up to the government to make sure that their people are happy. Obviously there are ALOT of these troops, and it's not like they are doing it just for kicks. There's a reason for their actions. Amnesty to them just means surrendering.
I am sorry the first thing I have to mention is Colombia is spelled with an O.
The focus of the current president Uribe has been on the paramilitaries and disarming them and getting them back in the society. (Granted there is a darker side to this that his history is mixed with this dangerous group, in the end it is good to get them back in society.)
The recent push to get the FARC back in the fold has come after Hugo Chavez has created a dialogue and has been getting hostages released. You would think that the Colombians love this new idea and support the Venezuelan president, but they want him to get out of their business and treat these 'rebels' for what they really are: terrorists. These are people that bomb innocent people, kidnap and raise children to be killers. The rebels used to have a valid point in trying to break out of the corrupt system of government after the civil war, but they themselves have become corrupt and involved in drugs.
I am sad to see people saying that drugs and rebels are the only two things that Colombia has, but I know it is the opinion of most people. (Side note: the majority of the flowers bought here for the recent Valentine's Day are from Colombia.)
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