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Pubdate: Sat, 30 Nov 2002 Source: New York Times (NY) Copyright: 2002 The New York Times Company Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298 Author: Juan Forero Related: http://www.mapinc.org/area/Colombia COLOMBIAN RIGHTISTS DECLARE CEASE-FIRE AS PRELUDE TO TALKS BOGOTA, Colombia, Nov. 29 - A rightist paramilitary force that is responsible for most of the deaths in Colombia's conflict declared today that it would call a unilateral cease-fire to begin Sunday as a first step toward peace talks with President alvaro Uribe's government. The force, the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the United States, said on its Web site that it had "taken the historic decision of declaring a unilateral cease-fire nationwide." The announcement came after Mr. Uribe, in comments to reporters on Monday, confirmed that his government had been holding secret meetings with paramilitary leaders to explore the prospects for peace. "There is no deal," Mr. Uribe said. "There is simply the first manifestation of a willingness for peace. For it to start, there is a government demand that there be a pledge to not kill one more Colombian." In a 12-point document signed by Carlos Castano, leader of the Self-Defense Forces, and other top commanders, the organization said it would cease offensive operations against leftist rebels and their supporters. The statement said that because the government was "demonstrating its capacity and political will" against the rebels, the Self-Defense Forces were able to halt antiguerrilla operations. Mr. Uribe, who won the presidency in May after promising to crack down on the leftist rebels, has been under pressure from foreign diplomats and rights groups to bring the rightist paramilitaries under control as well. Upon winning, he announced his willingness to talk with them, breaking with a long-held policy against negotiating with them. Fernando Giraldo, a political analyst at Javeriana University in Bogota, said that if a deal was reached with the paramilitaries, it would give the government the moral high ground in its dealings with the two rebel groups, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and the National Liberation Army. Each has broken off talks in the past, arguing that the government had not done enough to control the paramilitaries. "If the government is able to achieve the demobilization of the Self-Defense Forces it gains the moral authority to demand the disarmament of the FARC and the E.L.N.," Mr. Giraldo said, referring to the rebels by their Spanish initials. The Self-Defense Forces, a confederation of regional factions with as many as 12,000 armed fighters, has sought to erode support for the rebels by carrying out hundreds of killings annually. Though supported financially by ranchers and other wealthy Colombians, the organization draws most of its money from taxing coca farmers and drug dealers and, the United States says, trafficking in cocaine. Today's developments come two months after the United States indicted three top paramilitary leaders, including Mr. Castano, on drug-trafficking charges. The indictments by a federal grand jury in Washington worsened friction within the organization, which has been splintering in recent months as commanders have weighed how heavily involved in the drug trade they should remain. The standoff is so serious that two factions in the group are openly fighting, the commanders of both sides said in recent interviews, and alliances between others are in tatters. The Bush administration did not immediately comment on developments today, but American authorities have said they would seek the extradition of Mr. Castano and other paramilitary leaders if they are ever captured. Mr. Castano at one point offered to surrender to fight drug charges in the United States, but American authorities never took the offer seriously. He is still at large. A Bush administration official said recently, "It was our goal to show that these guys were very much involved in drug trafficking, even though they say they're not, that drug trafficking is their lifeblood and we were going to go after them." In its statement the Self-Defense Forces asked that the United Nations, the Roman Catholic Church and the Organization of American States participate in the talks, and appealed for a suspension of "legal actions" against the paramilitary leaders. The talks with the government underscore the willingness of at least some leaders in the paramilitary organization to find a resolution to the conflict. Political analysts, noting that the paramilitaries have served as a proxy force for the military in fighting the rebels, said that this willingness could help any new peace talks proceed much faster than those of President Andres Pastrana's government, which took place only with the rebels. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D