Farc and their followers have unleashed a war rumor that intends to ‘create political pressure conditions’ on the government so that it opens negotiation doors with this illegal armed group. Objective conditions don’t exist yet. Farc hasn’t relinquish terrorism as a form of struggle, they haven`t stop recruiting minors or halting extortive kidnapping. Although alias ‘Timochenko’ has done several statements, until today Farc actions towards peace are non-existent.
Since the end of last year Farc has been announcing the liberation of military and police men kidnapped for more than 14 years, in a sinister game accompanied by Colombianos y Colombianas por la Paz. These remarks have delayed the accomplishment of the legal obligation to free the kidnapped people; instead they have used all types of tricks to postpone the process in order to obtain more political support for the organization and its followers.
While Farc talk about putting an end to extortive kidnapping as a way of finance, they don’t provide any explanation for more than 450 Colombians that have disappeared because of their criminal actions. In addition to this, NGO’s Human Rights defenders keep insisting on a ‘humanitarian exchange’ of prisoners, instead of demanding these narco-terrorists the truth about all who have been victims of kidnapping.
This war rumors that were part of the false armed strike in Choco, which was promoted through threatening leaflets against the population to stop normal life activities in this Department, have a clear goal: show themselves strong in the face of possible negotiations with the Colombian government. Criminal attacks against innocent people and murdering the poorest and most vulnerable are also a way to show their strength.
By means of these assassinations, Farc seek to deliver a message to the population: the State will not be able to defend you from us. This has always been the goal of terrorism, produce joint panic and mistrust towards institutions.
This war rumor has led some interested people to leak information to the media, affirming that President’s Santos trip to Cuba was to agree with Dictator Castro and Hugo Chavez on a possible exile for Farc and Eln leaders in the island.
In different conditions this might’ve been possible; however leaders of illegal armed organizations must answer judicial claims of crimes against humanity. Besides, Colombia’s commitment with the ICC, forbids the government to grant any type of amnesty or pardon to these delinquents, not even asylum. If Santos committed such act, the government would be obstructing justice and omitting the implementation of punitive norms. This will transform those who must answer judicial claims into ICC inmates.
It’s probable that given objective conditions to deny a political negotiation with Farc and Eln, legal instruments of transitional justice will be applied, the same ones that have been criticized with the Auc. Nevertheless, the government cannot waive the application of punitive norms.
Saul Hernandez Bolivar[1] affirms that when Farc announced the end of extortive kidnapping, they were not motivated by any humanitarian reason. They decided this pragmatically. Farc finance with drug traffic and don’t depend on extortive kidnapping as they used to, that is why this decision cannot be considered as meritorious. Besides, they intend to sustain kidnappings with a political end, and don’t inform anything about what has happened with hundreds of kidnapped people whose life is uncertain.
Media show of Farc supporters is perverse and harmful. It aims to convince Colombian people that what is good for them is good for Farc. This is why we don’t have to yield to peace statements that represent war rumor, which unfortunately finds in media a social and invaluable ally that is used as a soundbox of unverified information.
[1] HERNÁNDEZ BOLÍVAR, Saúl. ¿Quién le cree a las Farc? El Tiempo. Opinión. Martes 13 de marzo de 2012. En: http://www.prensaescrita.com/adiario.php?codigo=AME&pagina=http://www.eltiempo.com
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