Colombia, 2003

I

should like to congratulate you, Sir, upon your election

as President of the General Assembly, and to wish you

every success in the performance of your duties.

Despite the anxiety that we feel in the face of the

terrorism that is affecting so many countries, we

reaffirm our commitment to fight that scourge until we

have defeated it. Colombia reaffirms its faith in

multilateralism as the most effective system through

which to seek peace, security and human, economic

and social development. The United Nations is

irreplaceable, even if, for the good of the humanity, its

structure and procedures must be constantly updated so

as to increase the efficiency of its anti-terrorism

activities.

The United Nations itself recently suffered a

terrorist attack, an act that resulted in the death of

Sergio Vieira de Mello, a tireless campaigner for the

coexistence of peoples. We deeply regret the loss of

those who have sacrificed their lives as they worked to

put an end to terrorism. Our obligation to reciprocate is

all the greater as a result of the solidarity expressed by

the United Nations towards Colombia.

A year ago in the General Assembly I set out my

democratic security policy, developed to free the

Colombian people from terrorism. That policy is

designed to protect the rights of all citizens, regardless

of their social or economic status, political ideas or

religious beliefs. The policy affords equal protection to

business and union leaders as well as Government and

opposition politicians. It is based on the dream of a

pluralist nation that shares in an ongoing constructive

debate in a spirit of brotherhood and without hatred.

In an area of Colombia covering almost 1.2

million square kilometres, about 400,000 of them

consisting of jungle, terrorists have taken advantage of

the absence of a State presence in many places. A year

ago, out of a total of 1,100 municipalities, 170 did not

have a police presence. That number has been reduced

to 151, and we hope to extend coverage to all the

municipalities within a few weeks. Hundreds of smaller

towns, however, lack a police force. We now have

soldiers and marines — known as soldiers of the

people — in 439 municipalities, under a programme

that allows them to carry out their military service in

their home town. The results thus far have been

positive, and when the soldiers have completed their

active duty, we hope to rely on them as permanent law-

enforcement leaders.

Such efforts, together with others that we have

undertaken in similar areas, must continue so that the

Government can rid the country of terrorism.

I would like to share with the Assembly some of

the achievements of my Administration during the first

nine months of this year. The murder rate has

decreased by 22 per cent when compared with the same

period in 2002 — down from 21,253 to 16,531. The

total of 1,485 kidnappings represents a reduction of

34.7 per cent over the same period last year; the

number of victims of illegal road blocks decreased by

49 per cent, and the number of operations to rescue

kidnapped people increased by 22.8 per cent. But what

country could accept 1,485 kidnappings in nine

months?

The number of massacres and the number of their

victims have decreased by 35 per cent and 41 per cent

respectively. We will be able to claim victory only

when we have completely eliminated these attacks.

Every terrorist act brings suffering to the whole nation.

FARC carried out the car bombing of the club El

Nogal, used a bomb in a boat in the rural town of

Puerto Rico and exploded a truck bomb in the small

town of Chita. These bombings together killed 47

people and injured 233. And just a few hours ago, in

Florencia, another bomb has left 12 dead and wounded

46.

The number of union members assassinated has

declined from 120 to 36. Several of those responsible

are now in jail, as a result of our determination to fight

impunity. Sixty teachers were murdered in 2002. This

year, 24 such cases have been reported. The number of

journalists murdered has dropped from 9 to 5.

The decrease in overall crime is significant, but

the numbers are still staggering. No country could feel

safe under such circumstances. I reaffirm our

democratic desire to protect, in particular, our teachers,

union leaders and journalists.

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I acknowledge with great sorrow that the number

of indigenous people murdered has increased from 72

to 75. Illegal self-defence groups were responsible for

33 of those cases, with various guerrilla groups being

responsible for the remainder.

During the first six months of 2003, 73,586 cases

of forced displacement were reported. This represents a

decrease of 66 per cent. We are beginning successfully

to return families to where they came from. I reaffirm

our commitment to fight to protect the indigenous

communities and to put an end to forced displacement.

Of the 246 mayors who in August 2002 were in

exile from their municipalities as a result of threats,

191 have now returned, thanks to the improved security

situation. The progress we have made in regard to the

protection of our citizens encourages us to continue

making efforts in that direction.

Between 7 August 2002 and 7 August 2003,

2,544 members of illegal self-defence groups were

captured, which represents an increase of 146 per cent.

The number of those killed in combat by the armed

forces has increased by 38.7 per cent, the number of

guerrillas captured has increased by 126.3 per cent and

the number of those killed in combat has increased by

78 per cent.

Because of my pure democratic conviction, I

reaffirm our commitment to human rights. We have

extended the stay of the Office of the United Nations

Commissioner in Bogota. We agree with many of its

recommendations. We have no doubt about seeking

their implementation, and we will discuss the cases on

which we disagree.

Our requirement for the soldiers and the police is

efficiency and respect for human rights. We encourage

and care for our armed forces, as we demonstrated

recently with the improvement of our social security

system. However, we will not hesitate to send to jail

those who break the law.

The sacrifice of our soldiers and policemen has

been enormous. This year, because of anti-personnel

mines alone, 109 soldiers have been killed and 334

have been wounded, many of them mutilated for life.

If we request international support, it is because

we are open to international monitoring. We respect the

human rights organizations and their workers who

proceed seriously and we respect their criticism and

constructive suggestions. Those organizations

contribute to improving democratic conditions. That is

why we agree with the Human Rights Watch report on

the recruitment of children by terrorist groups. We

reserve the right, however, to disagree with false

reports which distort our efforts to consolidate a

democratic concept of security.

As the United Nations has acknowledged, we

have made substantial progress in destroying illicit

drugs. We have eradicated 70 per cent of illicit crops,

and we will not stop until we rid our country of that

serious scourge. We have authorized the extradition of

94 persons for drug-trafficking crimes.

We have hired 5,400 families as forest rangers, as

part of our goal to recruit 50,000 families. They receive

economic compensation to replace illicit crops for the

purpose of replanting and taking care of the rainforest.

A more effective law designed to confiscate illicit

drug wealth has allowed for the increase in the number

of rulings in one year from 5 to 68.

In Colombia’s current situation, terrorism, illicit

drugs, violence and insecurity are really the same

thing. We plead for a commitment from the world so

that we are able to completely defeat drugs. We

implore the world not to harbour our terrorists, to help

us confiscate their goods and to open their doors only

to help peace processes.

Our country is a State based on law. We want to

overcome terrorism and be able to look to the

international community with the certainty that we

have acted in strict compliance with the law. In order to

fight impunity, we have incorporated the accusatory

penal system and oral procedure, which will begin in

2005.

At the present time we are introducing a

constitutional change to allow the armed forces to

proceed with specialized personnel, in cases of

terrorism, to carry out raids, conduct property searches

and undertake interceptions. Those actions will be

conducted with democratic safeguards, allowing for an

independent attorney to intervene quickly. The

attorney’s office and Congress will be informed. The

proposed measures are infinitely less rigorous than the

current laws of democracies that do not have the high

levels of terrorism that we have in Colombia.

10

This Government found approximately 30,000

people who belong to illegal terrorist organizations,

defined in this way because of the nature of their

actions. Consideration and reflection on that figure

dictates the need to continue with a strong authoritarian

policy and of opening avenues for negotiation once

hostilities have ceased.

I welcome the efforts made by the Secretary-

General this past year to seek paths to peace with the

FARC. The Government supports his good offices,

which, until now, have been unsuccessful because of

the lack of willingness on the part of the terrorists.

That group has kidnapped hundreds of Colombians and

some foreign citizens, most of whom are kept in

concentration camps that recall the Nazi era. I reaffirm

to the Secretary-General my commitment to find a

solution, to be recommended by him, to free the

hostages, under conditions that are in keeping with

legal norms and that do not intensify violence.

Since the last Colombian Government, we have

sought, through Cuba, on the one hand, and several

additional Governments on the other, a peace process

with the National Liberation Army (ELN). We have

made every effort, which, to date, has been futile. The

leaders of that group who are in jail have received the

best treatment possible. On 30 June, through a

facilitation commission, I offered to examine an ELN

prisoner release proposal, in exchange for their

renunciation of armed activity and their dedication to

help achieve peace. I did not get a positive response,

but I will continue to insist on this.

The ELN is holding seven foreign citizens whom

it should release, in keeping with its promise to cease

its crimes during the current electoral process.

Since the last Government, we have also sought a

peace process with the illegal paramilitary groups, with

the mediation of the Catholic Church. The condition is

the same — the cessation of hostilities. Groups of those

organizations, which represent 10,000 or more people,

have expressed the willingness to demobilize. The

Government is making progress in that process.

During my Administration, 2,250 members of

terrorist groups have been demobilized; 70 per cent of

them belong to the FARC, 18 per cent to the ELN and

12 per cent to illegal paramilitary groups. To

reintegrate members of the various groups into civilian

life, Colombia requires a judicial framework that

realistically defines how to achieve justice, repair

damage to the community and ensure peace. The

alternative sentence proposal, submitted by the

Government for congressional consideration, sets forth

a legal and transparent procedure that will allow for

progress towards a negotiated peace solution with the

illegal paramilitary groups, the FARC and the ELN.

I understand the concern raised by offering

diminished sentences for grave crimes. But, in a

context of 30,000 terrorists, it must also be understood

that a definitive peace is the best justice for a nation in

which several generations have never gone through a

single day without experiencing an act of terrorism.

The proposal has prompted national and

international controversy. We are looking for the

broadest possible consensus. We invite everyone to

examine the various options and to achieve, through

the process of amendments, the best final text.

We have no doubt about defeating terrorism.

However, there are times that call for adjusting the

equation between justice and peace in order to reach a

consolidated peace.

We agree with what was expressed by Secretary-

General Kofi Annan, who has proposed an excellent

balance between the need for justice and the need to

save innocent lives. To protect our communities, we

need to pursue terrorists relentlessly and not miss

opportunities to obtain peace agreements with them,

provided that, through their actions, they convince the

Colombian people and the world of their good faith and

their desire for rectification.

Our problem is an international threat. If

Colombia does not destroy illegal drugs, illegal drugs

will destroy the Amazon Basin. If Colombia does not

stop terrorism, it will jeopardize the democracies of the

region. The President of Ecuador, Lucio Gutiérrez, and

the Rio Group, have understood that. The Rio Group

endorsed the proposal that the United Nations continue

to make efforts for negotiations with the Colombian

terrorists, or, if that is not possible, to seek alternatives

to overcome the problem.

Our rule of law calls for a social commitment.

Poverty and inequality have worsened as a result of

terrorism. We are making progress with limited

resources in applying the seven tools for equality: an

educational revolution, expanded social protection, an

economy based on the principle of solidarity, rural

social management, management of public services,

building a country of owners and improving the quality

of urban life.

As examples of this, we have created new

capacity for 500,000 children in schools, but we still

have 1.5 million children who do not have access to

primary education. Microcredit has increased by 50 per

cent, but we are still far from being a country of

owners. The social task is arduous, but with our

characteristic determination we will overcome every

obstacle in order to build a just society.

Security is the most important human right of the

poor, who need our policy to be successful so that there

can be peace, confidence, investment, employment and

equity.

Amidst tragedies, the Colombian democracy is

vigorous. On 25 October, our citizens will decide

whether to accept a referendum to defeat corruption

and to strengthen social investment. And the following

day the people will elect 30 governors from among 133

candidates; 914 mayors from among 3,441 candidates;

398 deputies from 373 lists composed of 2,723

candidates; approximately 9,000 municipal council

members from 6,105 lists with 56,590 candidates; and

local administrative boards from 3,156 lists with

13,387 candidates. Today, we live in a pluralistic and

enthusiastic democracy, despite the challenge of

terrorism.

It would be a tragedy if the civilized world does

not unite its efforts once and for all to defeat terrorism

and to support the democracies that are fighting against

it. We need the unity of all democratic people in order

to defeat terror.