Improving security policy in Colombia – new ICG Report (29.06.2010)

(Quelle:International Crisis Group)

Colombia’s next president, Juan Manuel Santos, will take office on 7 August. As part of an integrated conflict resolution strategy, his government must increase the country’s law enforcement and military capability … It also has to strengthen institutions, expand the rule of law, rigorously protect human rights, reduce poverty and design the political/negotiations component of a successful conflict resolution strategy.

„Colombia-US base accord reached“ (15.08.2009)

(Quelle:BBC / UK)

Colombia says it has completed talks with Washington on allowing US troops to use seven of its military bases. Under the deal, the US military will be able to operate on Colombian soil to tackle drug-trafficking and terrorism. A number of South American countries have condemned the plan and Argentina has said the bases are "not helpful".

El Ejército colombiano cerca al jefe militar de las FARC (Colombian Army surrounds FARC’s military leader) (26.07.2009)

(Quelle:EL País / Spain)

El Ejército colombiano estrecha el cerco por tierra y aire contra el jefe militar de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, conocido como ¡Mono Jojoy, en una vasta zona de los departamentos sureños y selváticos del Meta, Guaviare y Caquetá.

Increased U.S. military presence in Colombia could pose problems with neighbours (22.07.2009)

(Quelle:New York Times / USA)

A plan to increase the American military presence on at least three military bases in Colombia, Washington’s top ally in Latin America, is accentuating Colombia’s already tense relations with some of its neighbours.

Colombia's combat against rebels successful in first six months (06.07.2009)

(Quelle:China View / China)

The Colombian army launched at least 10,000 highly effective operations against rebels in the first half of this year, an official report said on Sunday.

Colombian army 'killed civilians' (19.06.2009)

(Quelle:Al Jazeera / Qatar)

A UN investigator has accused Colombian soldiers of killing hundreds of civilians during the past six years and falsely identifying the dead as guerrilla fighters.

Las FARC, en horas bajas (01.06.2009)

(Quelle:El País / Spain)

Habían prometido un "mayo negro" para conmemorar los 45 años de su fundación, pero la celebración no ha sido tan sangrienta como pretendían las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC). Las autoridades han frustrado varios atentados, si bien los ataques han dejado una veintena de muertos. Son los zarpazos de la que llegó a ser la guerrilla más poderosa de Latinoamérica y que hoy vive el peor momento de su historia.

UN voices concern over wave of death threats against partner agencies (22.05.2009)

(Quelle:UN News / International)

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Colombia today expressed its deep concern over a spate of death threats made against human rights workers, including uprooted people defending their communities’ rights. In the most recent wave of intimidation, one of the South American nation’s new illegal armed groups distributed pamphlets last week, targeting several state bodies and civil and human rights organizations.

Las Farc quieren a EE.UU. en negociaciones de paz (FARC wants US to take part in peace negociations) (29.04.2009)

(Quelle:El Espectador / Colombia)

La senadora Piedad Córdoba propone la creación de una zona neutra en Brasil en la que el gobierno de su país pueda negociar con las Farc y asegura que ese grupo guerrillero quiere involucrar a EE.UU. en las conversaciones.

Extraditable de las Farc fue capturado (One of FARCs most important Drug Barons captured) (14.04.2009)

(Quelle:El Colombiano / Colombia)

Ignacio Leal García, alias Tuerto, fue capturado el sábado anterior en una finca en Arauquita, municipio donde se libran combates desde hace dos semanas y donde, según el Ejército, le están pisando los talones a "Grannobles", miembro del Estado Mayor de las Farc. El hombre, por quien se ofrecía una recompensa de un millón de dólares, ocupa el número 42 en la lista de los 50 guerrilleros de las Farc que el gobierno de Estados Unidos pide en extradición por narcotráfico.

Analistas ven la posición de Uribe como un buen augurio (Uribe ready for dialogue with FARC, suggests ceasefire) (06.04.2009)

(Quelle:El Colombiano / Colombia)

Como una clara demostración de voluntad política calificaron diferentes analistas la propuesta del presidente Álvaro Uribe Vélez a las Farc, cuando el viernes le pidió un cese de hostilidades por tres o cuatro meses, como muestra sincera de voluntad para alcanzar un diálogo serio.

Latest armed clashes in Colombia force hundreds from their homes, reports UN (02.04.2009)

(Quelle:UN News / International)

Heavy fighting in south-western Colombia between Government troops and the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) uprooted some 600 people at the weekend, the United Nations humanitarian arm reported today.

Cambia estrategia de guerra (Government to change strategy in fight against FARC) (01.04.2009)

(Quelle:El Colombiano / Colombia)

Una ofensiva militar y social, que el Gobierno espera sea definitiva, comenzará dentro de poco en el país para combatir a las guerrillas. El ministro de Defensa, Juan Manuel Santos, explicó que este plan -al que se le ha llamado Salto Estratégico-consta de seis puntos, para tratar de copar a los alzados en armas en todos los frentes y territorios colombianos.

Ending Colombia's FARC conflict: dealing the right card – new ICG report (26.03.2009)

(Quelle:International Crisis Group (ICG) / USA)

The Uribe government needs to complement its military approach to defeating the FARC with a political negotiation strategy if it is to end Colombia’s half-century long armed conflict. „Ending Colombia’s FARC Conflict: Dealing the Right Card“, the latest report from the International Crisis Group, argues that the rebel group has suffered severe setbacks, but under its new leader, Alfonso Cano, is not close to military defeat.

UNHCR urges Colombia probe of indigenous killings (10.02.2009)

(Quelle:AlertNet / International)

The United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday that Colombia should investigate the killings of a group of indigenous people last week that raised fears of a mass exodus. Ron Redmond, spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told a news briefing in Geneva initial reports found "an irregular armed group" carried out an attack on the Awa tribe in the remote southwestern jungle region of Narino and killed 17 people.

Colombian rebels free hostages, problems arise (02.02.2009)

(Quelle:AlertNet / International)

Colombia's FARC rebels freed four hostages in the first of three prisoner releases planned this week, but complaints of military harassment during the handover cast doubt over Monday's mission to airlift a kidnapped politician. … Some analysts are skeptical about the FARC releases, saying it is just an effort to win back lost political space.

Demobilized Colombians return to civilian life (06.01.2009)

(Quelle:Reliefweb / International)

An IOM (International Organization for Migration) income generation project to reintegrate ex-combatants demobilized from illegal armed groups is to provide employment for 146 people. The cocoa production project, which is supported by IOM and the Tejido Humano Foundation, in coordi-nation with Colombia's Office of the Senior Presidential Counselor for Reintegration, is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID.) … So far, more than 46,000 men and women have been demobilized from illegal armed groups in Colombia - most of them as a result of negotia-tions between the government and the groups between 2003 and 2006.

Serious displacement crisis continues in Colombia, UN official warns (14.11.2008)

(Quelle: UN News; International) Colombia continues to endure a serious displacement crisis due to new illegal armed groups, new structures of organized crime and the ongoing 45-year-old conflict between the army and irregular armed groups, despite some recent progress, a senior United Nations humanitarian official warned today.

Arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings in Colombia concern UN rights chief (03.11.2008)

(Quelle: UN News) Colombia faces grave human rights challenges in its ongoing conflict, including hostage-taking, ex-trajudicial executions and arbitrary arrest and detention, despite measures taken by the Government to protect vulnerable groups, the United Nations rights chief says after visiting the Andean country.

Correcting course: victims and the justice and peace law in Colombia – new ICG report (30.10.2008)

(Quelle: International Crisis Group / ICG) Critically undermined by government disinterest in the victims of the armed conflict, transitional jus-tice in Colombia seriously risks failing. “Correcting Course: Victims and the Justice and Peace Law in Colombia”, the latest report from the International Crisis Group, argues that the Uribe government has given much higher priority to military efforts to reestablish security than to defence and promo-tion of victims’ rights. This discordance has stymied implementation of the 2005 Justice and Peace Law (JPL) and threatens efforts to end impunity, a key cause of the conflict.

Colombian rebels say they are willing to talk about peace, hostages (29.10.2008)

(Reliefweb) The leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) said they are willing to talk about peace in the South American country and about an exchange of hostages in rebel hands for imprisoned rebels, according to a statement released Tuesday. The statement was an answer to a letter that Colombian personalities sent FARC last month.

CPI investiga expansión de actividades de las Farc a países vecinos (ICC investigates expansion of FARC´s activities into neighbouring countries) (27.08.2008)

(Quelle: El Colombiano) El fiscal jefe de la Corte Penal Internacional (CPI), Luis Moreno Ocampo, declaró este miércoles que esa entidad investiga la expansión de la guerrilla colombiana de las Farc hacia otros países, entre los que citó a Ecuador, Venezuela, Nicaragua y naciones europeas.

La chef présumée des FARC en Espagne arrêtée (27.07.2008)

(Quelle: Le Monde) Maria Remedios Garcia Albert, 57 ans, a été interpellée samedi 26 juillet à 60 km au nord-ouest de Madrid par la police espagnole. Selon le ministère de l'intérieur ibérique, elle serait la représentante en Espagne des Forces armées révolutionnaires de Colombie (FARC).

Farc querrían "contactos directos de buena fe" con generales (No. Two of FARC ready to talk to colombinan generals, not politicians) (20.07.2008)

(Quelle: El Espectador (Colombia)) En medio de las multitudinarias marchas para exigir la libertad de las personas secuestradas, se conoció una versión según la cual un vocero del 'Mono Jojoy' estaría buscando entrar en contactos directos con generales para hablar de acuerdo humanitario. Según informó este domingo el diario El Nuevo Herald, un dirigente del Frente 53 de las Farc, bajo el mando del 'Mono Jojoy', sostuvo que su jefe está dispuesto a negociar con 'generales' colombianos.

Gobierno tiene una propuesta (Government seeks direct contact with FARC-leader to establish DDR-mechanism) (14.07.2008)

(Quelle: El Colombiano) El asesor presidencial José Obdulio Gaviria se refirió a la propuesta que el Gobierno enviará al máximo jefe de las Farc, alias 'Alfonso Cano', en la cual no estaría el tema político sino un rendición. Sin la presencia de terceros, el Gobierno busca que las Farc se desmovilicen y reciban beneficios por la entrega de secuestrados. La propuesta del Gobierno, según Gaviria, es 'establecer un mecanismo de desmovilización, de reinserción, incluso de justicia similar al de las autodefensas, con penas alternativas'.

Antes de liberaciones, 'Alfonso Cano' habría aceptado contactos (FARC ready to meet with Government) (09.07.2008)

(Quelle: El Espectador (Colombia)) Un comunicado de las Farc divulgado este martes, aunque fechado antes del rescate de Íngrid Betancourt el pasado 2 de julio, indica que el máximo dirigente de esa guerrilla acepta 'un contacto directo' con el Gobierno colombiano para hablar de acuerdo humanitario.

Colombia's guerrillas: Between past and future (17.06.2008)

(Quelle: ISN) The struggle of Colombia's Farc guerrillas has lasted more than four decades. But the pressures the movement is now facing - symbolised by the death of its legendary co-founder Manuel Marulanda - present the Farc with a historic choice.

Chávez urges Colombian rebels to end their struggle (09.06.2008)

(Quelle: New York Times) President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela called on Sunday for Colombia’s largest guerrilla group to end its four-decade struggle to overthrow Colombia’s government, a surprising policy shift just months after he called for the rebels to be recognized as a legitimate insurgent force.

FARC leader's death: Another blow to Colombian rebels (28.05.2008)

(Quelle: Reliefweb) Colombia's FARC guerrillas mark their 44th anniversary this week by mourning the death of their leader, Manuel 'Sureshot' Marulanda, and facing potential power struggles for control of the movement. After four decades of leading a militia that at its peak had nearly 20,000 fighters, Marulanda died in March of a heart attack, the rebels confirmed Sunday.

Entrega de "Karina" calificada como "golpe" a las FARC (19.05.2008)

(Quelle: La Nación) La entrega de alias 'Karina' es un golpe fundamental contra las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) porque el frente que ella comandaba, el 47, era uno de los más activos y violentos, dijo hoy el ministro colombiano del Interior y de Justicia, Carlos Holguín.