[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 148 (Wednesday, October 29, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2114]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         DEMOCRACY IN COLOMBIA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 29, 1997

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, on October 26, 1997, Colombia attempted to 
conduct nationwide municipal elections despite the deadly impact of 
guerrilla scare tactics on voter turnout and candidate participation. 
The municipal elections in Columbia were marred by a brutal campaign of 
violence, kidnaping, and extortion carried out by the guerrilla 
movements of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia [FARC] and the 
National Liberation Army [ELN]. While the electoral process may have 
succeeded in the urban areas, the lack of participation in the rural 
sectors reflects the serious threat to the democratic process posed by 
the guerrilla war.
  Through the deadly efforts of the FARC and ELN, 40 political 
candidates were murdered; over 1,900 candidates were forced to abandon 
their campaigns; nearly 120 municipalities had candidates reluctantly 
running; and 11 municipalities had no candidates at all. The situation 
continued to deteriorate during the week before the elections when FARC 
and ELN terrorist activities escalated into a national crisis with the 
kidnaping of international election observers from the OAS and a 
declaration of an armed strike in order to impede public transportation 
during the crucial time of the elections.
  Largely responsible for the escalation of FARC and the ELN activities 
over the last couple of years is the increase in funding from narcotics 
trafficking. This has enabled both guerrilla elements to effectively 
quadruple their power base over the past 7 years so that it is now 
estimated that they control up to 40 percent of the territory of 
Colombia.
  It is clear that the leaders of the FARC and ELN have resisted all 
overtures by the Government of Colombia to end the violence and 
establish peace. With nearly 70,000 people dead as a direct result of 
the guerrilla war in the last decade, it is past time to find a 
solution to this crisis. As reflected in the recent municipal 
elections, the campaign of the FARC and ELN now present a direct threat 
to the very democracy of Colombia and stability to the region.
  In response to the critical situation in Colombia, I am introducing 
legislation that would:
  First, recognize the importance of the threat of the guerrilla 
movement to Colombia's democracy and that the acts of violence to 
disrupt the electoral process in the municipal elections could spill 
over to the congressional and presidential elections to be held in 
1998;
  Second, urge the guerrilla leaders of the FARC and ELN to end the 
violence and sever their relationship with narcotics traffickers; 
negotiate a peace accord with the Government of Colombia and to take 
their agenda into the political arena for debate;
  Third, call upon the international community, particularly the 
Organization of American States, to continue to play a more pro-active 
role in resolving the conflict; and
  Fourth, urge the administration to reevaluate United States policies 
toward Colombia taking into account the threat of the guerrilla 
movement to Colombia's democracy, and to encourage a peaceful 
resolution of the conflict.
  Mr. Speaker, Colombia's democracy is one of the oldest and most 
important democracies in the hemisphere. It is critical for the 
stability of the hemisphere that this guerrilla movement, like all the 
others in the region, come to an end. Peace, political stability, and 
economic prosperity must be given the highest priority for all nations.

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