Sir, I am writing in referenced to the article that was printed on February 15th under the title "Cynical politics decides who lives or dies on the streets". Since the article made a series of inferences about violence in Colombia, I would like to make the following comments to set the record straight.
First, it is ludicrous to suggest that Colombian society has become "blase"' about the violence that is tearing our country apart. Colombians in general, and the Colombian state in particular, are extremely concerned about violence throughout our territory and continue making strenuous efforts to improve the situation. As part of an overall policy to protect human lives, measures are being taken such as increasing, penalties for paramilitary activities, improving the investigative capabilities of the independent prosecutors, enhancing the gathering of intelligence by the armed forces and strengthening the role of the judiciary.
In turn, civil society has assumed a larger degree of participation in matters of government at all levels and is helping to develop mechanisms for local and regional dialogue and reduction of pressure in potentially violent situations. Unfortunately, violence persists in many societies throughout the world, including Europe. The fact that it cannot be easily eradicated does not mean that countries should grow complacent and tolerant. That is certainly not the case in Colombia.
Your article does point to the complexity of violence in Colombia and to the diversity of its sources, amongst them guerrillas, paramilitary groups and drug traffickers. But then it goes on to say that the latter have a "happy" relationship with the Establishment which I presume includes the Government and the armed forces. Can you call it a happy relationship when all the leaders of a criminal organisation have been put in jail the so called Cali cartel?
Another such group the Medellin cartel has been dismantled laws have been passed to seize their assets and increase penalties for their crimes their accomplices are being imprisoned and their means of operating have been confiscated and destroyed. You will be interested to know that in 1996 alone, Colombian anti drug forces eradicated 55,715 acres planted with coca leaf and 17,866 planted with poppy and they confiscated 56,625 kilos of cocaine base and pure cocaine, 614,716 kilos of coca leaf and 198,566 kilos of marijuana. And less than three weeks ago, the largest cocaine processing laboratory was seized and destroyed, with an estimated production capacity of nearly two tons a day! So much for a "happy" relationship.
The Colombian Government has a policy of preventing the army and police, the only legitimate forces of law and order in" the country, from becoming involved in illegal activities and violations of human rights. There have been cases where individual members of those forces were found to be co-operating with paramilitary groups in areas of high violence. In such cases, those individuals have been suspended and are being tried for the actions. But the fact that such cases do exist can not automatically lead to the conclusion that the Colombian armed forces organise, contract or otherwise fund these groups that operate outside the law.
Finally, I have noted that you published excerpts from a letter sent to me by Mr Dick Spring, Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ireland, concerning the wellbeing of peasants in a specific region of Colombia. But you failed to mention that I sent a rather lengthy reply to Mr Spring which addressed the issue of human rights in that region and detailed the measures being taken to safeguard the well being of the people in question and to bring before justice those responsible for committing crimes.
The Colombian Government welcomes all inquiries about human rights in our country especially when they are well intentioned and have the interests of our people in mind. In that spirit I trust that you will publish this letter which has the purpose of correcting some of the misinterpretations contained in the article under reference. Yours etc Vice President of Colombia and Ambassador to the Court of St. James Columbian Embassy, London.