Pubdate: Wed, 02 May 2001
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2001 The New York Times Company
Contact:  http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: Juan Forero

IN TWIST, REBELS HELP DRUG EFFORT IN COLOMBIA

GAITANIA, Colombia - The warnings were dire as President Andres 
Pastrana's government, flush with American money, began an ambitious 
plan late last year that called on farmers to eradicate fields of 
coca and heroin poppies in exchange for economic aid.

Many officials in Bogota and Washington said the rebels of the 
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia might resort to threats and 
even violence to stop farmers from cooperating. Rebel taxes on 
illegal crops are a major revenue source that helps finance rebel 
operations.

But late in April, here in the cloud-shrouded mountains where the 
rebel force, known as FARC, was born in 1964, farmers agreed in 
principle to replace poppy fields with legal crops in exchange for 
subsidies and technical assistance. Rebel leaders from this region of 
southern Tolima Province watched closely as a letter of intent, the 
first step toward an agreement, was signed with officials.

"They said we would not let the farmers cultivate their own crops," 
said a rebel leader who is in the political wing and was involved in 
discussions.

"But we don't reject help just because it is from the state," said 
the leader, whose nom de guerre is Marta. "We just want to be able to 
see the state support the farmers."

Although the revolutionary armed forces have not used violence to 
halt voluntary eradication, the rebels are apparently deeply involved 
in talks between the government and farmers, said local officials and 
farmers.

"They seem to be getting more involved, to see if something works, if 
it does not," said Ruben Dario Gomez, who heads a farmers' 
cooperative. "They say that if something is happening in an area they 
control, they want to be involved. Everyone knows it."

Local officials said that in meetings rebels give opinions, offer 
suggestions and, in some cases, shape programs. Agreements, including 
the one here, are forwarded to top rebel commanders for approval.

"The FARC has its positions, its own criteria, in regard to 
discussions about these farmers' fields," said Gerardo Montoya, a 
provincial official involved in the negotiations. "In the points they 
made, they said that the people had been cheated before and that the 
state has never had a presence here."

Much of the rebels' concern, said those who attended meetings, was 
directed at Plante, the agency that uses money from a $42 million 
American grant for what are called alternative development programs. 
The programs are intended to give farmers a year to stop their 
illicit crops in exchange for $900 in seeds, pesticides and technical 
aid to help switch crops. The government has also promised to market 
products and build public works.

The rebels, however, see Plante as a tool of an American policy that 
counts on extensive fumigation to eradicate most of the illegal crops 
here. In interviews here and in the coca-growing heartland of 
Putumayo Province, farmers also said the agency had reneged on past 
agreements.

The quality control coordinator for Plante, Joaquin Gomez, disagreed, 
saying the agency had forged bonds with farmers. He also said the 
rebel force had not been an impediment. "We've been able to come in," 
said Mr. Gomez, who was at the meetings here. "We have had access to 
all the zones."

Still, among some negotiators here the sense remained that the rebels 
could have halted the letter of intent. That is worrisome to people 
like Hoover Mora, a town councilman who said the rebels' forceful 
comments left open the possibility that they would take punitive 
steps.

"They say they will not stop the program," Mr. Mora said. "But they 
are getting involved in the oversight, and I think that is a big 
contradiction."

Some experts on the rebels said they were in a difficult position 
because they had to choose between allowing eradication and losing 
financing or stopping eradication programs popular with farmers and 
risking alienating their base of support.
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MAP posted-by: Josh Sutcliffe