The 'Locomotive' Illusion - Socio-Economic Drivers of Conflict in Resource-Rich Colombia
Colombia Intrastate Conflict
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Transcript of Colombia Intrastate Conflict
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT History of the Conflict
HISTORY
• 1960’s: Guerrilla groups emerged.
• 1970's: Grower and exporter of marijuana.
• 1980's: Escobar/Medellín cartel formed.
• 1990's: Grower, processor, trans shipper of cocaine and heroin. At this stage illicit drug operations and paramilitary groups and guerrillas solidify relationship.
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT History of the Conflict
• 1993 : Pablo Escobar was killed. Large syndicates are replaced by smaller, more vertically integrated trafficking organizations.
• Between 1995 - 1999: Colombian coca cultivation increased from 178,000 acres to 370,000 acres. Decrease since then.
HISTORY
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT History of the Conflict
• 1995 - 2005: The guerrilla fills in the void left when the leaders of the cartels disappear from the scene
HISTORY
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Actors Involved
GUERRILLA GROUPS
FARC: Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Approx. 20.000 men, women and children. ELN: National Liberation Army. Less than 5.000 members.
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Actors Involved
FARC
The largest guerrilla group in Colombia.
Established in 1964, fights for a
revolutionary state based on Marxist-
Leninist principles.
Influential in Colombia’s south-west
Region.
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Actors Involved
A Marxist guerrilla group set up in 1964.
Its short-term goal is to establish a
demilitarised zone (despeje) in the north-
western department of Bolívar and the
north-eastern part of Antioquía.
ELN
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Actors Involved
PARAMILITARY FORCE
Paramilitary groups. In response to years
of guerrilla and drug violence in Colombia,
Paramilitary groups emerged. Less than
15.000 members.
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Actors Involved
A umbrella organisation comprised of
several regional paramilitary groups,
aimed to fight against the FARC and the
ELN. Founded in 1997, the AUC was
disbanded from 2003 to 2006, but some
factions still operate or have moved into
micro drug cartels.
AUC
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Underlying Causes of the Conflict
DRUG TRADE
•Ideal climate and growing conditions.
•Availability of vast under-populated “frontier land”. Eastern and southern regions of the country.
•Strategic location near to U.S. markets (Colombia is less than 3 hrs away from the U.S).
•Armed groups support the business.
DRUG PRODUCTION
Problem:
Colombia is still the largest producer of cocaine in the world.
Cultivated mostly in the southern area.2% of the country’s population lives there.
Guerrilla groups get funds from drugs.
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Underlying Causes of the Conflict
DRUG CONSUMPTION
• North America and Europe are the major drug consumers.
• An estimated 0.5% or less of drug production stays in Colombia.
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Drug Trade
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Current Status of the Conflict
ECONOMY
• Source of potential instability for Latin America
• Potential damage of market relations with other countries. (Colombia has solid Exports)
• Agricultural sector is strongly hit
ECONOMY
•Holdback foreign investment
•Tourism sector is affected
•Oil sources are threatened
•Brain drain. About 5 million Colombians live abroad.
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Current Status of the Conflict
ENVIRONMENT
Damage in the Amazon’s environment.Jungles destroyed by the cultivation of coca and the millions of gallons of toxic chemicals (Amazon River).
Over the last 15 years, the drug business dumped 900,000 tons of toxic waste into the fragile rain forest eco-system.
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Current Status of the Conflict
ENVIRONMENT
«The Amazon Basin is under threat from the continued cultivation of coca. The sowing of one hectare of coca requires the felling of 3 hectares of virgin forest.
In the last ten years, 1,361,475 hectares have been deforested in this way.»
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Current Status of the Conflict
ENVIRONMENT
Natural Reserves threaten by guerrilla groups: In the northern region of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, some 40,000 indigenous people (Wiwas, Koguis, Kankuamos and Arhuacos) are struggling to survive and defend their culture.
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Current Status of the Conflict
GOVERNMENT
•Local and national elections threaten
•Kidnapping of politicians.
•Guerrillas want to control rural areas.
•Press freedom is restricted.
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Current Status of the Conflict
SOCIETY
• About 1000 Colombians lose their lives every year.
• Displaced people (last 9 years): 3 million. Children comprise approximately half of the internally displaced population.
• Human Rights Watch conservatively estimates that there are 11,000 children in the armed groups in Colombia.
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Current Status of the Conflict
SOCIETY
•Indigenous groups in Colombia are in danger of disappearing amid the country's continuing conflict.
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Current Status of the Conflict
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Reaction to the Conflict
LOCAL MEASURES
• Colombia spends about US 1 billion annually on its struggle against drugs.• Strength of military presence in rural areas.•Alvaro Uribe’s Administration: Democratic Security Policy and Justice and Peace Law.
Public force expenditure as % of GDP (1990 - 2006*)
1,85%2,11%
2,68%
3,17%3,41%
3,19%3,33%
4,02%
3,58%
1,64%
4,10%
0,0%
0,5%
1,0%
1,5%
2,0%
2,5%
3,0%
3,5%
4,0%
4,5%
1990
1991
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2006
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Reaction to the Conflict
LOCAL MEASURES
•Colombia spends about US 1 billion annually on its struggle against drugs.
•Strength of military presence in rural areas.
•International Cooperation: USA and European Union support.
•Alvaro Uribe’s Administration: Democratic Security Policy and Justice and Peace Law.
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Reaction to the Conflict
Democratic Security Policy
Long term State policy, focused on the strengthening of the rule of law in all the Colombian territory and on the protection of the rights and liberties of the civil population. This policy compromises the State and the whole society.
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Reaction to the Conflict
Democratic Security Policy
Four strategic objectives:
• Recover the territorial control • Protect the population• Eliminate the drugs traffic• Responsibility, efficiency and
transparency in the administration of resources
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Reaction to the Conflict
•International Cooperation: USA and European Union support.
Democratic Security Policy
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT Reaction to the Conflict
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT History of the Conflict
Justice Peace Law
•IT IS A LAW THAT INTRODUCES JUSTICE AND REPARATION TO VICTIMS. •IT IS A COMPLEMENT TO EXISTING NORMS IN COLOMBIA THAT SEEK TO ACHIEVE PEACE •IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEACTIVATE A WAR MACHINE THAT HAS CAUSED GREAT DAMAGE IN COLOMBIA FOR MANY YEARS
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT History of the Conflict
RESULTS
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT History of the Conflict
RESULTS
IT IS NOT THE BEGINNING OF A MORE VIOLENT ERA IN COLOMBIA, IT IS THE BEGINNING OF THE DISARMAMENT OF THE ILLEGAL GROUPS, THE RECOVERY OF THE COUNTRY AND ITS ECONOMY, THE INITIATION OF A DIALOGUE WITH GUERRILLAS AND THE RESTORATION OF THE ORDER.
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COLOMBIAN INTRA-STATE CONFLICT History of the Conflict
RESULTS
THE SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT
POLITICAL MEASURES.
COLOMBIA ALSO NEEDS ASSISTANCE IN FACILITATING THE REINTEGRATION OF
DEMOBILIZED PERSONS TO CIVIL SOCIETY AND GREATER SUPPORT IN HELPING THE
VICTIMS OF THE CONFLICT