COLOMBIA: MANY VOLUNTEERS HAVE JOINED PARAMILITARY GROUP THE ACCU NOTORIOUS FOR MISSION TO DISMANTLE GUERRILLA FORCES

Record ID: 451037

  • Title: COLOMBIA: MANY VOLUNTEERS HAVE JOINED PARAMILITARY GROUP THE ACCU NOTORIOUS FOR MISSION TO DISMANTLE GUERRILLA FORCES
  • Date: 28th August 2002
  • Summary: (W1) JUNGLE REGION IN ANTIOQUIA, COLOMBIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) SLV PARAMILITARY SOLDIERS ARRIVING AT TRAINING SCHOOL; SLV AREA WHERE PARAMILITARY INSTRUCTION OCCURS; SLV RECRUITS' CLASSROOM (5 SHOTS) MV PARAMILITARY SOLDIER STANDING GUARD MV INSTRUCTION AND COMMANDER GIVING ORDERS; MV RECRUITS SINGING HYMN; SLV RECRUITS RECITING OATH; SCU/MV MASKED PARAMILITARY SOLDIER KEEPING GUARD OVER RECRUITS (10 SHOTS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COMMANDER AND MILITARY INSTRUCTOR IDENTIFIED ONLY AS 'BRYAND', SAYING "The purpose of this school is to prepare these men, tactically and operationally, to combat the enemy. From here, the men go out directly onto the combat field. Civilians, reservists, former guerrillas arrive here, all of whom want, in one way or another, to join the auto defence." SLV HILLSIDE WITH RECRUITS TRAINING; SLV RECRUITS TRAINING WITH WEAPONS; SLV RECRUITS LOW-CRAWLING; SLV RECRUITS GETTING IN FORMATION (4 SHOTS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RECRUIT IDENTIFIED AS 'JAVIER", SAYING "Well, yes, from the time one gets here to join the auto defences, you come with the idea of doing your part to see if we see Colombia in peace. We are tired of the guerrilla's actions. The guerrilla has struck a lot of blows on the people of Colombia and, most of all, to us the people in the country." (W1) MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) GV CITY OF MEDELLIN SKYLINE SCU LOCAL GIRL IN MEDELLIN; MV PARAMILITARY SOLDIERS STANDING GUARD; MV SOLDIER POINTING GUN; SLV PARAMILITARY SOLDIERS WALKING (4 SHOTS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COMMANDER OF ZONE 'RICHARD,' SAYING "The guerrilla says it's with the people, but with which people if, at all hours, it is blowing up towers, blowing up bridges? Well, we're also willing to (fight) to the death." SLV PARAMILITARY SOLDIERS PATROL NEIGHBOURHOOD BORDERING MEDELLIN; MV GIRL WITH PARAMILITARY SOLDIERS 00 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 12th September 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: JUNGLE REGION IN ANTIOQUIA AND MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA
  • Country: Colombia
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA64FI3YOPZZ7KOW98BKVSQIUFT
  • Story Text: Many young men in Colombia have volunteered to join the country's feared paramilitary group, the ACCU, notorious for its mission to ruthlessly and lawlessly dismantle guerrilla forces, saying it is their duty to respond to guerrilla warfare which has already cost too many Colombian lives.
    In the northeast jungle of Colombia, a country embroiled in a violent civil war for 38 years, 20 men between the ages of 18 and 26 train to become members of the largest paramilitary group in the nation. The group, the Rural Autodefences of Cordoba and Uraba, known by its Spanish acronym of ACCU, runs a recruit training camp complete with classrooms, khaki uniforms and loaded weapons.
    The paramilitary soldiers, who call themselves "the autodefence", train seriously and credit the increase in their ranks to growing sympathy with their cause, as this commander and military instructor known only as 'Bryand' says.
    "The purpose of this school is to prepare these men, tactically and operationally, to combat the enemy. From here, the men go out directly onto the combat field," says Bryand.
    "Civilians, reservists, former guerrillas arrive here, all of whom want, in one way or another, to join the autodefence."
    Analysts say unemployment and poverty are also important factors in the increase. In a nation with substantial unemployment, the ACCU promises a uniform, a weapon, shelter, food and a salary up to $300 U.S. a month. But you won't hear the recruits say that.
    "Well, yes, from the time one gets here to join the autodefences, you come with the idea of doing your part to see if we see Colombia in peace," says 24 year-old Javier. "We are tired of the guerrilla's actions. The guerrilla has struck a lot of blows on the people of Colombia and, most of all, to us the people in the country."
    After their training is complete, the recruits will disperse with some heading to the combat field and others to the metropolitan stronghold and capital of Antioquia, Medellin. Medellin, which is the third largest city in Colombia with its population of two million, is the largest city controlled by the paramilitary forces.
    Although the paramilitaries say they control 80 per cent of the poor neighbourhoods in Medellin, they say their clashes with the guerillas are frequent, as the guerilla groups gain strength in the city.
    'Richard,' the commander of the zone that includes the city of Medellin vows to finish the expulsion of the two largest guerrilla groups, the FARC and the ELN, known by their Spanish acronyms.
    "The guerrilla says it's with the people, but with which people if, at all hours, it is blowing up towers, blowing up bridges?" says Richard. "Well. we're also willing to (fight) to the death."
    Numbering 10,000 fighters nationwide, the paramilitaries are a privately funded vigilante force that targets Marxist rebels fighting in Colombia's 38-year-old war.
    Human rights groups accuse the paramilitaries, set up by wealthy landowners, but increasingly funded by cocaine money of operating with the cooperation of hard-line members in the military as part of a "dirty war" against rebels and suspected civilian sympathisers.
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