Peace-making in Colombia

Abstract

The peace process initiated by Colombian President Andrés Pastrana with the country's main insurgent groups enjoys overwhelming popular support. The public's weariness with war, and a series of guerrilla victories over the past year, have allowed Pastrana to lay the basis for talks, and to make a major concession to the insurgents: withdrawal of government forces from a large rebel-dominated area of southern Colombia. However, the peace process is still very fragile. In particular, powerful right-wing paramilitary forces, financed – like the insurgents – by links to the drugs trade, are demanding equal status in the talks. In addition, the 'paras' are continuing to mount a ferocious campaign against the rebels, their civilian sympathisers and human-rights groups. US policy towards the peace process meanwhile is divided and lukewarm. President Bill Clinton's administration is torn between desire for peace in Colombia and recognition that a break with past anti-communist and anti-narcotics strategies will lay the administration open to severe criticism at home.