CUBA: FARC accuse Colombian government of 'secrecy' in pact to end agrarian protests

Record ID: 349753

  • Title: CUBA: FARC accuse Colombian government of 'secrecy' in pact to end agrarian protests
  • Date: 13th September 2013
  • Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (SEPTEMBER 13, 2013) (REUTERS) PEACE NEGOTIATORS REPRESENTING THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF COLOMBIA (FARC) ARRIVING FOR PEACE TALKS PHOTOGRAPHER GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE REPORTER TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FARC NEGOTIATOR JESUS SANTRICH, SAYING: "I think the president should listen to the farmers, the indigenous, the Afro descendant pop
  • Embargoed: 28th September 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cuba
  • Country: Cuba
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA33D7Q8BQCM8LBG1YPODV9HNB
  • Story Text: FARC rebels accused the Colombian government of reaching an agreement, to end protests, with wealthy landowners rather than indigenous farmers and added talks had been shrouded in secrecy.
    Colombia's farm leaders agreed at the weekend to end a three-week protest that had turned violent, caused food shortages and put pressure on President Juan Manuel Santos just a few months before he must decide whether to seek a second term in office.
    Thousands of farmers have been manning roadblocks on major highways, preventing supplies from reaching cities, and clashing with police in a national show of anger. At least five people died in the protests.
    "I think the president should listen to the farmers, the indigenous, the Afro descendant population who live in our rural areas. They are feeling the worst effects due to the Free Trade Agreements and the neoliberal economic measures. A pact has to be made with them. President Santos has also said that what he agreed with the suited-men (landowners) on a broad level are the elements agreed upon in Havana. If that is the case it would be good for the government to communicate what those agreements in Havana are. I think secrecy with regards to that is not healthy," said FARC negotiator Jesus Santrich, during the latest round of talks in Havana which resumed on Monday (September 9) and will end Sunday (September 15).
    The rural protests came at an already difficult time for Santos, under pressure over the slow pace of peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. So far, only partial agreement has been reached on the five-point agenda.
    Tension over a referendum, in which Santos has said any negotiated agreements must be ratified by popular vote, have also stalled progress.
    Santos last month sent draft legislation to congress that would seek to ratify any deals signed in Havana through a referendum that would coincide with national elections next March or May.
    Santrich said the referendum was not helping talks to progress.
    "More than listening to speeches, we go (to talks) to explain our position, our point of view with regards to what has to be a referendum mechanism. The government's insistence in talks in Havana indicates that according to the general agreement, the point of the referendum has to be discussed but we haven't discussed it. That is a procedure of imposition there. It's running its course and that is innocuous with regards to what wants to be achieved in Havana."
    The farmers are angry at the high price of fertilizers and at free-trade agreements with the United States and Europe that made it hard to compete with cheap imports.
    "It is Congress' responsibility also to stop hostilities with regards to their neoliberal offensive against the people, with the approval of free trade agreements. I think they (government) are now discussing trade with Japan. Until when will this national bleeding go on, until when will they continue to harass the people so that they rise up again? I think it's necessary to start looking from the eyes of the international community towards Colombia, because the nonconformist population is being mistreated," Santrich added.
    The government signed accords with farm leaders in Cundinamarca, Boyaca, Narino and Huila provinces to cut fertilizer prices and provide cheap credit among other concessions. Some of the biggest protests had come from those areas.
    The Marxist rebel group has sought to bolster its sway in rural areas, backing the farm protest and offering support to other social movements.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register