The FARC-EP's flag

The Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – Ejército del Pueblo ("Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army", or FARC-EP) is a militant and revolutionary guerrilla group established in 1964-1966 as the military wing of the Colombian Communist Party, and is Colombia's oldest, largest, most capable, and best-equipped militant guerrilla group. The FARC-EP is governed by a secretariat, led by septuagenarian Manuel Marulanda Vélez (Pedro Antonio Marín), a.k.a. "Tirofijo", and six others, including senior military commander Jorge Briceño, a.k.a. "Mono Jojoy". It is organized along military lines and includes several urban fronts. FARC has roughly 12,000 to 18,000 members and now maintains presence in approximately 35 to 40% of Colombia's territory, mostly in the jungles of the southeast and the plains at the base of the Andes mountains. The "-EP" (Ejército del Pueblo) was added to the group's official name in 1982 during the Seventh Guerrilla Conference, as a sign of their expected progression from guerrilla warfare into conventional military action that was outlined on that occasion. FARC-EP flag. ... FARC-EP flag. ... 1964 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1966 was a common year starting on Saturday (link goes to calendar) // Events January January 1 - In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa ousts president David Dacko and takes over the Central African Republic. ... The Colombian Communist Party is the legal Communist party of Colombia. ... Manuel Marulanda is the leader of the FARC EP (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia - Ejercito del Pueblo). He was born on May 13, 1928 (a date that has been disputed), in a coffee-growing region of west-central Colombia to a peasant family and was named Pedro Antonio Marin. ... Manuel Marulanda is the leader of the FARC EP (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia - Ejercito del Pueblo). He was born on May 13, 1928 (a date that has been disputed), in a coffee-growing region of west-central Colombia to a peasant family and was named Pedro Antonio Marin. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... 1982 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Distinguish from the type of ape called a gorilla. ...

The FARC-EP has proclaimed itself as a politico-military Marxist-Leninist organization of Bolivarian inspiration [1]. It claims that it represents the rural poor against Colombia's wealthy classes and opposes United States influence in Colombia (particularly, but not limited to, Plan Colombia), the privatization of natural resources, multinational corporations, and rightwing paramilitary violence. The FARC-EP has stated that these objectives currently motivate them to seize power in Colombia through an armed revolution. It funds itself by various activities including kidnappings, extortion, diverting funds from legal enterprises, and direct and indirect participation in the drug trade. Vladimir Lenin in 1920 Leninism is a political and economic theory which builds upon Marxism; it is a branch of Marxism (and it has been the dominant branch of Marxism in the world since the 1920s). ... Bolivarianism is a rough doctrine somewhat popular in northern Latin American countries, named after the South American general Simón Bolívar. ... Plan Colombia is an ambitious and controversial initiative aimed at resolving the ongoing, forty-year civil war in Colombia. ... Privatization (sometimes privatisation, denationalization, or, especially in India, disinvestment) is the process of transferring property, from public ownership to private ownership and/or transferring the management of a service or activity from the government to the private sector. ... The word multinational can refer to several things. ... A paramilitary is a group of civilians trained and organized in a military fashion. ...

The FARC-EP has also stated that it remains open to a negotiated solution of the conflict, through a dialogue with a flexible government that agrees to certain conditions, such as the demilitarization of a number of locations and the release of all jailed (and extradited) FARC rebels. At the same time, it claims that until the proper conditions for such a negotiation surface, the armed revolutionary struggle would remain necessary in order to implement their desired policy changes, because of what the FARC-EP still perceives to be a closed political environment in Colombia and because of past politically motivated violence against its members or former members, including those that were part of the Unión Patriótica (Colombia). Existing legal leftwing and independent parties in Colombia, which are themselves not immune from threats and violent actions from rightwing extremists, tend to directly disagree with the FARC's conclusions on this matter. The Unión Patriótica, Patriotic Union (UP), was a leftist Colombian political party founded by the FARC in 1985, as part of the peace negotiations that the guerrillas held with the Belisario Betancur administration. ...

National and international critics often characterize the FARC-EP group as a terrorist organization. According to polls and studies, a majority of Colombians would consider FARC to be terrorist in the sense that it employs terrorism in addition to being an armed insurgency, and it is often implied that its original cause and ideology may have degenerated due to its use of such methods. There is strong evidence that it, like the right-wing paramilitary groups that are their sworn enemies (e.g. AUC), has attacked and kidnapped civilian targets. The FARC also frequently recruits children as soldiers and informants: "By Human Rights Watch's estimate, the FARC has the majority of child combatants in Colombia. A conservative estimate is that 20 to 30 percent of all FARC combatants are under 18 years old."[2][3] Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia) or AUC is a terrorist umbrella organization formed in April 1997 to consolidate most local and regional Colombia, each with the mission to protect economic interests and combat insurgents locally. ...

The United States Department of State includes FARC on its list of foreign terrorist organizations, as does the European Union. The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States government, equivalent to foreign ministries in other countries. ... Foreign Terrorist Organizations are foreign organizations that are designated as terrorist by the United States Secretary of State in accordance with section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended. ...

Historical background

During the late 1940's in rural areas of the country, isolated proto-guerrilla bands, backed by the more radical members of the Colombian Liberal Party, which were the precursors for modern-day Marxist guerrillas, formed in order to violently defend land that conservative land owners were trying to reclaim. In 1948, prominent Liberal political Jorge Eliécer Gaitán was murdered, creating deep and long-lasting wounds, becoming the basis for the most violent period in Colombia's history. Politics of Colombia Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | Colombian political parties | Liberal parties ... Jorge Eliécer Gaitán (January 23, 1898 - April 9, 1948) was a politician and a leader of a populist movement in Colombia, and member of the Liberal Party. ...

The period that followed saw the loss of more than 150,000 lives and became known as La Violencia (The Violence). "Toward the end of La Violencia a new generation of young Colombians who had been socialized to think that violence was a normal way of life…increasingly took to banditry." By 1953, the Colombian Conservative Party government of Laureano Gómez (elected 1950 in an election boycotted by the Liberal party), unable to cope with the situation, became increasingly unpopular in the eyes of both public opinion and other political figures of both parties. In what was seen as a successful effort that sought to reestablish order, the military, under the figure of General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla, seized control of the country in 1953. The Colombian Conservative Party (Partido Conservador Colombiano), is a conservative and right of center Colombian political party. ...

The new military government offered amnesty to the bandits and guerrillas that surrendered their weapons. And most did. However, some Liberal guerrilla groups included a large number of orthodox and unorthodox communists who refused to surrender their arms, but instead retreated to isolated areas of the country where they continued to operate with impunity.

Civilian rule was restored in 1958 after moderate Conservatives and Liberals, with the support of dissident sectors of the military, agreed to unite under a bipartisan coalition known as the National Front (political alternation within the coalition eventually resulted in the election of Misael Pastrana in 1970 as president, under a very criticized process which was considered as dishonest by many in the Colombian public and media). Meanwhile, armed self-defense groups of communists had successfully established their own government in a remote region of the country, known as the "republic" of Marquetalia. The government initially ignored the growing influence of communists until 1964 when, under pressure by Conservatives who considered such autonomous "republics" as a threat, the Colombian army was ordered to raze the communist controlled "republic". See Civil war. ...

Following the attack the guerrillas dispersed, only to later reorganize as the "Southern Bloc" ("Bloque Sur") in 1964, officially renamed "Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia" (FARC) in 1966, which became the official military arm of the Communist Party. While the group officially came into existence in 1966, it continued to be led by former liberal and communist guerrillas, and therefore some analysts believe that, in several respects, it “was a partial continuation of the revolutionary movement that had begun in 1948.”

Other observers point out that, by the time that the 1964 movement was founded, different national and international realities, such as the successful example of armed revolution provided by the Cuban revolution, had come into being and had a more direct influence on the final creation and establishment of the FARC (and the contemporary National Liberation Army). As FARC continued to grow, it established itself throughout the country in semi-autonomous fronts. Czechoslovak poster saying: We greet the heroic Cuban people. The Cuban Revolution was the overthrow of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista by the 26th of July Movement and the establishment of a new government led by Fidel Castro in the 1950s. ... Ejército de Liberación Nacional (usually abbreviated to ELN), or National Liberation Army, is a revolutionary, Marxist, insurgent guerrilla group that has been operating in several regions of Colombia since 1964. ...

Activities

FARC has financed itself through kidnapping ransoms, extortion, and protection of the drug trade. Many of their fronts have also overrun small communities in order to distribute propaganda and, more importantly, to pillage local banks. Businesses operating in rural areas, including agricultural, oil, and mining interests, were required to pay "vaccines" (monthly payments) which “protected” them from subsequent attacks and kidnappings. An additional, albeit less lucrative, source of revenue was highway blockades where guerrillas stopped motorists and buses in order to confiscate jewelry and money, which were especially prevalent during the presidencies of Ernesto Samper Pizano (1994-1998) and that of Andrés Pastrana (1998-2002). Categories: Stub | Presidents of Colombia | 1950 births ... Order: 42nd President Vice President: Gustavo Bell Lemus Term of office: August 7, 1998 – August 7, 2002 Preceded by: Ernesto Samper Succeeded by: Álvaro Uribe Date of birth: August 17, 1954 Place of birth: Bogotá First Lady: Nohra Puyana de Pastrana Political party: Conservative Andrés Pastrana Arango (born August...

Over time, fewer recruits joined the organization for ideological reasons, but rather as a means to escape poverty and unemployment. “FARC's narcotics-related income for 1995 reportedly totaled $647 million.” Although the FARC rarely provides a regular cash pay to the majority of its members, per capita income for Colombian guerrilla fighters has at times been calculated to reach at least 40 times the national average.

By 1998, some studies showed that FARC's ranks could have swelled to approximately some 15,000 guerrilla fighters, up from an estimated 7,500 in 1992, and effectively were in a position to control and freely operate through large rural areas of the country (the high-end estimates being about 40%-50%, according to some analysts). One observer controversially noted that, on average, they would appear to be “better armed, equipped, and trained than the Colombian armed forces.” Other observers would dispute the current applicability of this assessment in the face of increased U.S. aid and training to the Colombia state and its military.

The FARC-EP has employed vehicle bombings, gas cylinder bombs, killings, landmines, kidnapping, extortion, hijacking, as well as guerrilla and conventional military action against Colombian political, military, and economic targets, and attacks on those it considers a threat to its movement. It has not been uncommon for civilians to die or suffer forced displacement, directly or indirectly, due to many of these actions. The FARC-EP's April 16 and April 18, 2005 gas cylinder attacks on the town of Toribió, Cauca led to the displacement of more than two thousand indigenous inhabitants and the destruction of two dozen civilian houses. A February 2005 report from the United Nation's High Commissioner for Human Rights mentioned that, during 2004, "FARC-EP continued to commit grave breaches [of human rights] such as murders of protected persons, torture and hostage-taking, which affected many civilians, including women, returnees, boys and girls, and ethnic groups."[4] A car bomb is a bomb that is placed in a car or truck and is intended to be exploded while there. ... A landmine is a type of mine which is placed onto or into the ground and explodes when triggered by a vehicle or person. ... Extortion is a criminal offense, which occurs when a person obtains money, behaviour, or other goods and/or services from another by wrongfully threatening or inflicting harm to his person, reputation, or property. ... Distinguish from the type of ape called a gorilla. ... April 16 is the 106th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (107th in leap years). ... April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (109th in leap years). ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... Cauca is a department of Colombia. ... February is the second month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN (disambiguation) Official languages English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic Secretary-General Kofi Annan (since 1997) Established October 24, 1945 Member states 191 Headquarters New York City, NY, USA Official site http://www. ... The purpose of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights involves the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide through direct contact with individual governments and the provision of technical assistance where appropriate. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The FARC's tactic of employing improvised missiles made from gas canisters (or cylinders) as explosives, a weapon it often uses when launching attacks at towns and sites in them that they consider as military objectives (such as police stations), has a high degree of inaccuracy. Resulting targetting difficulties have caused these weapons to often level civilian houses and/or harm civilians, such as was respectively the case in Toribío on April 24, 2005, and the earlier 2002 attack on a church in Bojayá which killed 119 civilians. April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (115th in leap years). ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Human Rights Watch considers that "the FARC-EP's continued use of gas cylinder bombs shows this armed group’s flagrant disregard for lives of civilians...gas cylinder bombs are impossible to aim with accuracy and, as a result, frequently strike civilian objects and cause avoidable civilian casualties."[5] Human Rights Watch is an international NGO based in New York City, USA, that works with human rights issues. ...

In March 1999, the FARC-EP killed three U.S. citizens, which were Native American rights activists, in Venezuelan territory after kidnapping them in Colombia. After initial denials and claims that these individuals would be CIA agents, the FARC-EP subsequently admitted that this action was a mistake, and claimed that it would internally punish those responsible. International NGOs and observers have argued that the FARC would have yet to apply any serious punishment to those involved in the incident. The FARC-EP is responsible for most of the ransom kidnappings in Colombia. The group's kidnapping targets are those that it considers wealthy landowners and businessmen, as well as foreign tourists and entrepreneurs, and prominent international and domestic officials. 1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, Amerindians, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ... The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is one of the American foreign intelligence agencies, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ...

The FARC is believed to have ties to narcotics traffickers, principally through the provision of armed protection. During the mid- to late-1990s, several drugwar analysts have stated that the FARC would have become increasingly involved in the drug trade, controlling farming, production and exportation of cocaine in those areas of the country under their influence. This claim is also supported by U.S. and Colombian authorities.

Brazilian druglord Fernandinho Beira-Mar was captured in Colombia on April 20, 2001 while in the company of FARC-EP guerrillas. Colombian and Brazilian authorities have claimed that this constitutes proof of further cooperation between the FARC-EP and the druglord based on the exchange of weapons for cocaine, though Fernandinho himself and the FARC-EP have denied this. FARC itself has claimed that in their areas of influence the growth of coca plants (while this has been an enduring tradition, in one form or another, in the Colombian countryside by some of the indigenous communities for centuries, it had never reached its contemporary levels of plantation) by farmers would be taxed on the same basis as any other crop, even though there would be higher cash profits stemming from coca production and exportation. April 20 is the 110th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (111th in leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey 2001 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

During the first quarter of 2005, joint intelligence and police operations by law enforcement authorities from Honduras and Colombia resulted in the seizure of a number of AK-47 and M-16 assault rifles, M-60 machineguns, rocket launchers and ammunition cartridges that were stated to be part of illegal weapons shipments from criminal gangs and black market dealers in Central America to the FARC in exchange for drugs, allegedly for two thousand kilos of cocaine. Ethalson Mejia Hoy, a Colombian who was illegally released from Honduran custody in July 2004 24 hours after his arrest, was named as one of the key figures in such an arms-for-drugs traffic. It was reported that "Police intelligence were monitoring communications between two 14th Front guerrillas when they heard 'the package' being discussed. In actuality the package consisted of sufficient weapons to arm a minimum of 180 combatants." Arms dealers in the region were also accused of providing similar weapons to rightwing paramilitaries in Colombia. [6][7][8][9] 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... Avtomat Kalashnikova model 1947 g. ... M16 Type Assault rifle Nationality United States Era Vietnam, modern History Date of design 1957 Production period 1960 to present Service duration 1960 to present Operators NATO War service Vietnam War, Gulf War, 2003_invasion_of_Iraq Specifications Type Assault Rifle Calibre 5. ... The M47, M48 and M60 Patton were the United States Armys principal tanks of the Korean and Vietnam Wars. ... The black market is the sector of economic activity involving illegal economic dealings, typically the buying and selling of merchandise illegally. ... Central America is the region of North America located between the southern border of Mexico and the northwest border of Colombia, in South America. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The late 1990s - peace feelers

On September 4, 1996 the FARC-EP attacked a military base in Guaviare, which started three weeks of guerrilla warfare that claimed the lives of at least 130 Colombians. September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Guaviare is a department of Colombia. ...

In hope of negotiating a peace settlement, on November 7, 1998, President Andrés Pastrana Arango granted FARC a 42,000 km² safe haven, centered around the San Vicente del Caguan settlement, which was the FARC-EP condition for beginning peace talks. The peace process with the government continued at a slow pace for three years during which the BBC and other news organizations reported that the FARC-EP also used the safe haven to import arms, export drugs, recruit minors, and build up their military. After a series of high-profile actions, including the kidnapping of presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt (who was traveling in guerrilla territory) and other political figures, Pastrana ended the peace talks in February 2002 and ordered the armed forces to start retaking the FARC-controlled zone after a 48-hour respite that had been previously agreed to with the rebel group. Order: 42nd President Vice President: Gustavo Bell Lemus Term of office: August 7, 1998 – August 7, 2002 Preceded by: Ernesto Samper Succeeded by: Álvaro Uribe Date of birth: August 17, 1954 Place of birth: Bogotá First Lady: Nohra Puyana de Pastrana Political party: Conservative Andrés Pastrana Arango (born August... The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was formed in 1927 by means of a royal charter. ... Ingrid Betancourt Pulecio (born December 25, 1961 in Bogotá) is a Colombian senator and anti-corruption activist. ... 2002 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December February 27, 2002 Alicia Keys wins five Grammys. ...

Recent history - back to the war

For most of the period between 2002 and 2004, the FARC-EP was believed to be in a relative / temporary strategic withdrawal due to the increasing military and police actions of new hardline president Álvaro Uribe Vélez, which led to the capture or desertion of many fighters and medium-level commanders, one of the most important of which has been that of "Simón Trinidad" (Juvenal Ovidio Palmera Pineda) in January 2004, a former banker turned rebel, who had participated as a high-profile negotiator in the recent Pastrana peace talks, and who was also part of the central command of the organization. Order: 43rd President Vice President: Francisco Santos Calderón Term of office: August 7, 2002 – Present Preceded by: Andrés Pastrana Succeeded by: Incumbent Date of birth: July 4, 1952 Place of birth: Medellín First Lady: Lina Moreno de Uribe Political party: Independent Álvaro Uribe Vélez (born July... Simón Trinidad during his capture on January 2, 2004. ... 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → January 31, 2004 The United States defence budget is set to exceed US$400 billion next year—an almost 7% increase—according to budget proposals inadvertently posted on the Pentagons website. ...

During the first two years of the Uribe administration, the strength of several FARC fronts, mostly notably in Cundinamarca and Antioquia, was broken by the government's military operations, and several analysts reported that many of the other FARC structures, while mostly intact, reverted back to guerrilla warfare, using "hit and run" tactics against targets of opportunity and the weaker links in the military's defenses. Cundinamarca is a department of Colombia, one of the original nine states of the United States of Colombia. Most of Cundinamarca is in the Eastern Cordillera, just south of Boyacá, bordered by the Magdalena River on the west, reaching down into the Amazon River basin on the east, and bordering... Antioquia was one of the states in the original United States of Colombia, and is now a department in the northwest part of the Republic of Colombia. ...

An article in the respected Bogotá newspaper El Tiempo on June 12, 2004 reported that Guillermo León Sánchez (aka "Alfonso Cano") had apparently been elected commander-in-chief by the estado mayor central (central command), with the blessing of Manuel Marulanda Vélez. When questioned about the matter by interviews, different FARC spokesmen have, both directly and indirectly, tended to dismiss this claim. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... June 12 is the 163rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (164th in leap years), with 202 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Manuel Marulanda is the leader of the FARC EP (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia - Ejercito del Pueblo). He was born on May 13, 1928 (a date that has been disputed), in a coffee-growing region of west-central Colombia to a peasant family and was named Pedro Antonio Marin. ...

In June 2004, 34 coca farmers were found bound hand and foot and shot with automatic weapons. Blame was placed on the FARC-EP by the government, and after several days of uncertainty the FARC-EP publicly claimed responsibility for the massacre, saying they had killed the farmers for being supporters of right-wing paramilitaries and accusing the government of shedding "crocodile tears" for their deaths. The United Nations condemned the massacre as a war crime. After the FARC's communique was made public, other human rights organizations likewise rejected the event and called on the Colombian government to protect villagers from the guerrillas.[10] 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December See also: June 2004 in sports Deaths in June • 28 Anthony Buckeridge • 26 Naomi Shemer • 26 Yash Johar • 22 Bob Bemer • 22 Thomas Gold • 22 Francisco Ortiz Franco • 16 Thanom Kittikachorn • 10 Ray Charles • 5 Ronald Reagan... Binomial name Erythroxylon coca For the American comedian, see Imogene Coca. ... M2 machine gun An automatic firearm is a firearm that will continue to load and fire rounds of ammunition as long as the trigger (or equivalent) is activated or until it runs out of ammunition. ... The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization established in 1945 and now made up of 191 states. ... A war crime is a punishable offense, under international (criminal) law, for violations of the law of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. ...

Another incident occurred on July 10, 2004, when the FARC allegedly assassinated seven peasants (Francisco Giraldo, Carlos Torres, José Velásquez, Israel Velásquez, Mauricio Herrera, John Jairo Usuga and Pablo Usuga), in Samaná, near the municipality of San Carlos, Antioquia, according to the mayor of San Carlos, Colombian authorities and witnesses to the event. July 10 is the 191st day (192nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 174 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Antioquia was one of the states in the original United States of Colombia, and is now a department in the northwest part of the Republic of Colombia. ...

The victims of the massacre were labourers who had returned to the zone after being forcefully displaced by the FARC earlier, presumably due to military or paramilitary activity in the area. They were apparently murdered because they had not received permission from the FARC to return yet, according to witnesses. The July 10 massacre provoked a further exodus of at least 80 persons from the surrounding rural area towards the urban locality of San Carlos. July 10 is the 191st day (192nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 174 days remaining. ...

On July 13, 2004, the office of the United Nations's High Commissioner for Human Rights publicly condemned this further act of violence and the ensuing displacement, accusing the FARC of violating article 17 of the additional Protocol II of the Geneva Convention and of international humanitarian law, expressing its solidarity towards the families of the victims. July 13th is the 194th day (195th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 171 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization established in 1945 and now made up of 191 states. ... The purpose of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights involves the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide through direct contact with individual governments and the provision of technical assistance where appropriate. ... The Geneva Conventions consist of treaties formulated in Geneva, Switzerland that set the standards for international law for humanitarian concerns. ...

The office reminded the FARC, which in the past has publicly rejected the legal applicability of the Geneva Convention to its case (though it also claims to be following most of its directives anyway), that these principles must be followed by any person or group of persons, independent of their legal condition. [11] [12] [13]

According to the AP news agency, on August 18, 2004, a Colombian arms broker, Carlos Gamarra Murillo, arrested on April 1, 2004 in Tampa, Florida, USA, was charged with attempting to buy $4 million in rocket launchers, machine guns, and other heavy weapons and ammunition for the FARC, which would have been paid for with 2 tons of cocaine (worth 60% of the total amount, according to investigators) and cash. The weapons would then have been shipped through Venezuela, according to investigators. US Attorney General John Ashcroft stated that Gamarra "attempted to provide the fuel to feed a dangerous foreign terrorist organization". Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) chief Michael Garcia signaled the indictment as "a significant achievement". Associated Press logo This article concerns the news service. ... August 18 is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Downtown Tampa from the southwest. ... State nickname: Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush (R) Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd)  - Land 137,374 km²  - Water 30,486 km² (17. ... In most common law jurisdictions, the Attorney General is the main legal adviser to the government, and in some jurisdictions may in addition have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions. ... John David Ashcroft (born May 9, 1942) was the 79th Attorney General of the United States. ...

Gamarra apparently made contact with an undercover informant in Colombia in March 2003, according to an ICE agent who testified in April. Gamarra is currently held without bail after heading to Tampa in order to meet U.S. agents posing as weapons dealers. During the next year, it is alleged that he met and called the agents in order to arrange the weapons shipment and also inquired about buying surface-to-air missiles, presumably for use against Colombian military helicopters and other aircraft.[14] 2003 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December - → A timeline of events in the news for March, 2003. ... A surface-to-air missile (SAM) is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft. ...

On November 27, 2004, Colombian Defense Minister Jorge Alberto Uribe told reporters that apparently the FARC leadership had secretly commanded their followers to attempt to attack visiting U.S. President George W. Bush during his visit to the city of Cartagena, according to intelligence reports. It was mentioned that any such intentions were made impractical by the presence of about 15,000 members of the Colombian security forces in the area, in addition to U.S. security personnel. No specific evidence (such as the content of the intelligence reports) that FARC actually managed to organize such an attack has been publicly released. [15] Interior and Justice Minister Sabas Pretelt later downplayed the comments, stating that he had no specific details about any concrete assassination plots directed against President Bush and the FARC strongly denied the accusation, blaming it on US intelligence sources. [16] November 27 is the 331st day (332nd on leap years) of the year. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A defence minister (Commonwealth English) or defense minister (American English) is a cabinet portfolio (position) which regulates the armed forces in a sovereign nation. ... Jorge Alberto Uribe Echavarría (b. ... Order: 43rd President of United States Vice President: Dick Cheney Term of office: January 20, 2001 – Present (His second term will end on January 20, 2009. ... For other places of the same name, see Cartagena Bocagrande Cartagena San Pedro Square, Old City Cartagena Fortresses of Cartagena are inscribed on the World Heritage List. ...

In early February 2005, a series of small scale military actions by the FARC around the southwestern departments of Colombia, which resulted in an estimated 40 casualties (dead and wounded) for the Colombian security forces, were interpreted by many Colombian analysts as evidence of their remaining strength and as signs of a possible comeback for the group, signaling what could become the potential beginning of more offensive operations and the end of what was termed as their strategic withdrawal. The FARC-EP, in response to government military operations in the south and in the southeast, would now be displacing its military center of gravity towards the Nariño, Putumayo and Cauca departments. It was speculated that these actions, and those that might follow later into the year, could be directed towards undermining the advances made by the policies of the Uribe administration, as a possible means to weaken Uribe's chances in the future 2006 electoral contest, where he was expected to run for reelection. [17] February is the second month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... In physics, the center of gravity (CoG) of an object is the average location of its weight. ... Nariño is a department of Colombia named after Antonio Nariño. ... Categories: Departments of Colombia | Stub ... Cauca is a department of Colombia. ...

Possibility of a prisoner exchange with the government

The FARC-EP have demanded the formalization of a mechanism for prisoner exchange, which would involve the release of between 50 and 60 jailed rebels in return for the liberation of the approximately 70 political and military hostages (not those held for extortion or economic reasons, which may number in the thousands) that the group currently holds, ever since the days of the Pastrana negotiations, when a limited exchange took place.

The newly elected Uribe administration initially ruled out any negotiation with FARC that did not include a cease-fire, and instead pushed for rescue operations, many of which have traditionally been successful when carried out by the police's GAULA anti-kidnapping group in urban settings (as opposed to the mountains and jungles where the FARC keeps most prisoners), according to official statistics.

However, relatives of most FARC kidnapping victims have come to strongly reject any potential rescue operations, in part due to the tragic death of the governor of Antioquia department, Guillermo Gaviria Correa, his peace advisor and several soldiers, kidnapped by the FARC during a peace march in 2003. The governor and the others were shot at close range by the FARC when the government launched an army (not GAULA) rescue mission into the jungle which failed as soon as the guerrillas learned of its presence in the area.

In August 2004, after several false starts and in the face of mounting pressure from relatives, former Liberal presidents Alfonso López Michelsen and Ernesto Samper Pizano and, as shown in recent Colombian polls [18], the growing majority popular backing in favor of a humanitarian exchange (more than 60% would consider Colombia a "better country" if the exchange took place), the Uribe government seems to have gradually flexibilized its position, announcing that it has given the FARC a formal proposal on July 23, in which it offers to free 50 to 60 jailed rebels in exchange for the political and military hostages held by the FARC (not including economic hostages as well, as the government had earlier demanded). 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December See also: August 2004 in sports Deaths in August 2004 • 30 Fred Whipple • 26 Laura Branigan • 24 Elisabeth Kübler-Ross • 18 Elmer Bernstein • 15 Amarsinh Chaudhary • 14 Czesław Miłosz • 13 Julia Child • 8 Robert Bootzin • 8 Fay... Politics of Colombia Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | Colombian political parties | Liberal parties ... Alfonso López Michelsen (b. ... Categories: Stub | Presidents of Colombia | 1950 births ... July 23 is the 204th day (205th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 161 days remaining. ...

The government would make the first move, releasing insurgents charged or condemned for rebellion and either allowing them to leave the country or to stay and join the state's reinsertion program, and then the FARC would release the hostages in its possession, including Ingrid Betancourt. The proposal would have been carried out with the backing and support of the French and Swiss governments, which publicly supported it once it was revealed.

The move has been signaled as potentially positive by several relatives of the victims and political figures. Some critics of the president have considered that Uribe may seek to gain political prestige from such a move, though they would agree with the project in practice. [19] [20]

FARC released a communique, dated August 20 but apparently published publicly by August 22, in which they denied having received the proposal earlier through the mediation of Switzerland (as the government had stated) and, while making note of the fact that a proposal had been made by Uribe's administration and that it hoped that common ground could eventually be reached, criticized it because they believe that any deal should allow them to decide how many of its jailed comrades should be freed and that they should be able to return to rebel ranks. [21] August 20 is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... August 22 is the 234th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (235th in leap years), with 131 days remaining. ...

On September 5, what has been considered as a sort of FARC counter proposal was revealed in the Colombian press. The FARC-EP is proposing that the government declare a "security" or "guarantee" zone for 72 hours in order for official insurgent and state negotiators to meet face to face and directly discuss a prisoner exchange. Government military forces would not have to leave the area but to concentrate in their available garrisons, in a similar move to that agreed by the Ernesto Samper Pizano administration (1994-1998) which allowed the rebel group to free some captured police and military. In addition, the Colombian government's peace commissioner would have to make an official public pronouncement regarding this proposal. September 5 is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years). ...

If the zone was created, the first day would be used for travelling to the chosen location, the second to discuss the matter, and the third for the guerrillas to abandon the area. The government would be able to chose as the location for the "security zone" among one of the municipalities of Peñas Coloradas, El Rosal or La Tuna, all in Caquetá department, where the FARC has clear rebel influence. Caquetá is a department of Colombia. ...

Some analysts have considered that this rebel proposal would also be seeking to reduce the pressure that recent military offensives may be exerting against the insurgents in Caquetá, Guaviare and Putumayo departments, and president Uribe stated that the "security zone" would demoralize the military, since they should free a region that has been fought fiercely. Also, the FARC has been known to change their mind easily and they seem to being using the kidnapped families' hopes of freedom to put the government under civilian pressure. It has been speculated by retired military officials that the FARC could potentially set up mines and other traps around the garrisoned troops while the zone is in place.[22]Relatives of hostages currently in rebel hands have considered that both the FARC and government proposals may represent the biggest public advance in the last couple of years regarding their plight.[23] Caquetá is a department of Colombia. ... Guaviare is a department of Colombia. ... Categories: Departments of Colombia | Stub ...

On September 14, the FARC released an official communique in which they denied that the 72-hour proposal came from their organization, and instead asked for the demilitarization of San Vicente del Caguán and Cartagena del Chairá in Caquetá department in order to discuss the prisoner exchange, without any concrete time limit. The document also mentions that several hostages had to be moved to other locations, due to increased military activity in the south. The FARC again stated that, while they are open to discuss a prisoner exchange with the current representatives of the government, they will only consider opening peace negotiations with a different administration.[24] September 14 is the 257th day of the year (258th in leap years). ...

On December 2, the government announced the pardon of 23 FARC prisoners, to encourage a reciprocal move. There was no immediate response from FARC to the latest gesture, and the 23 rebels to be released were all of low rank and had promised not to rejoin the armed struggle. The government is hoping to win the release of dozens of hostages, including three US citizens. In November, the FARC rejected a proposal to hand over 59 of its captives in exchange for 50 guerrillas imprisoned by the government.[25] December 2 is the 336th day (337th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

In a communique dated November 28 but released publicly on December 3, the FARC-EP declared that they are no longer insisting on the demilitarization of San Vicente del Caguán and Cartagena del Chairá as a pre-condition for the negotiation of the prisoner exchange, but instead that of Florida and Pradera in the Valle department. [26] They state that this area would lie outside the "area of influence" of both their Southern and Eastern Blocks (the FARC's strongest) and that of the military operations being carried out by the Uribe administration. November 28 is the 332nd day (333rd on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... December 3 is the 337th (in leap years the 338th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Valle is a municipality in the county of Aust-Agder, Norway. ...

They request security guarantees both for the displacement of their negotiators and that of the guerrillas that would be freed, which are specifically stated to number as many as 500 or more, and ask the Catholic Church to coordinate the participation of the United Nations and other countries in the process.

The FARC-EP also mention in the communique that Simón Trinidad's extradition, which has been approved by the Supreme Court but still lacks the president's go-ahead, would be a serious obstacle to reaching a prisoner exchange agreement with the government. [27] Simón Trinidad during his capture on January 2, 2004. ... Extradition is a formal process by which a criminal suspect held by one government is handed over to another government for trial or, if the suspect has already been tried and found guilty, to serve his or her sentence. ...

On December 17, 2004, the Colombian government authorized Trinidad's extradition to the United States, but stated that the measure could be revoked if the FARC released all 63 (political and military) hostages in its possession before December 30. December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Most observers believe that the FARC will not accept this demand, and Trinidad himself had previously stated that he considers his future extradition and prosecution in the U.S. as an opportunity to publicly protest against the Uribe administration. The FARC did not accept this demand and continue to hold 63 people hostage which includes three Americans named Keith stansell, Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes, Presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, Her running mate Clara Rojas and a German named Lothar Hintze.

References

• Kline, H. F., Colombia: Democracy Under Assault, Harper Collins, 1995
• Osterling, J. P., Democracy in Colombia: Clientelist Politics and Guerrilla Warfare, Transaction Publishers, 1989
• Drug Control: US Counternarcotics Efforts in Colombia Face Continuing Challenges, United States General Accounting Office, February 1998
• Colombia: Guerrilla Economics, The Economist, January 13, 1996
• The Suicide of Colombia, Foreign Policy Research Institute, September 7, 1998
• Las FARC lamentan expectativas exageradas, El Nuevo Herald, April 22, 1999

External links

• FARC website (in Spanish, English, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and German)
• BBC article: Colombia's most powerful rebels
• El Tiempo (in Spanish)
• Human Rights Watch| Humanitarian Law and its Application to the Conduct of the FARC-EP
• UN High Commissioner for Human Rights - Colombia 2005 Report (Spanish and English)
• Colombian President's Office
• Amnesty International| Press Release on FARC kidnapping and hostage-taking
• AUC website
• Colombian Army website (Ejército Nacional)