This Issue

Colombia

Brief History of the Conflict

June 1998 Conservative Pastrana was elected President in place of Liberal Ernesto Samper July 1998 Pastrana held a covert meeting with FARC Nov 1998 Pastrana withdrew the army from a large area in the south of the country to facilitate negotiations; the "demilitarised" area came under de facto FARC control Dec 1998 FARC met with American diplomats in Costa Rica Jan 1999 FARC suspended peace talks, insisting that the government must crack down on its paramilitaries March 1999 FARC killed three US nationals. Washington increased aid to the armed forces, ostensibly for use against drug traffickers, and withdrew official contact with the FARC until the killers were handed over

R enewed Interest in Peace Process

In late March/early April 1999, the Colombian army killed two Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) commanders and hundreds of their fighters, and uncovered a weapons factory and several arms caches. Government negotiations with Colombia's other main opposition group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), were suspended after the government refused ELN's request for a demilitarised zone. However, clandestine meetings continued between the two sides. On 8 April, Pastrana's peace commissioner Victor Ricardo had met with FARC leaders.  

Disagreement between the government and FARC centred around paramilitary activity by military personnel and civil leaders. FARC declared it would present the government with a list of 200 suspects during negotiations in April, which were expected to focus initially on FARC's demand to extend the duration of the demilitarised zone beyond the current expiry date of 7 May. However, Washington warned Pastrana against any extension without beginning formal negotiations. Pastrana retired two army generals  accused of paramilitary collaboration and, in mid-May, a large paramilitary-run drug laboratory was closed. On 2 May, during an unexpected meeting with FARC leader Manuel Marulanda, Pastrana agreed to re-open peace negotiations by 6 May. By mid-May, agreement had further been reached over an agenda for substantive negotiations, which implied radical and far-reaching reform of Colombia's economy and its political, social and judicial institutions.

At the end of May, Ricardo announced the indefinite extension of the demilitarised zone, or at least for the duration of the talks. However, on 26 May, Colombia's Defence Minister Rodrigo Lloreda and at least ten senior officers resigned in protest; the army had been unhappy over the level of government concessions to the opposition. Nevertheless, Pastrana claimed the support of his senior commanders. At the beginning of June, Pastrana cut short a trip to Canada after the kidnapping of 140 people in a wealthy suburb of Cali. Around eighty of the hostages escaped, but others were still being held. (Economist, 29-5-99)

Haiti

Secrtary-General's MIPONUH Report

The 18 May report covered developments in the UN Civilian Police Mission in Haiti's (MIPNUH) mission area since 19 February 1999.

Political Situation

Haitian President René Préval met the leaders of a coalition of opposition parties (the Espace de Concertation). However, the assassination of a senator from the Organisation du Peuple en Lutte (OPL), Jean-Yvon Toussaint, on 1 March persuaded OPL to rule out returning to the Espace de Concertation and to the negotiations. Following agreement between President Préval and the Espace de Concertation on principles for the establishment of a new provisional electoral council (CEP) and a new government, on 16 March, the president appointed the nine members of CEP to organise new legislative and local elections.

Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis  announced his new Cabinet on 25 March. The CEP pledged to consult with all political sectors, professional associations and civil society on the promulgation of a new electoral decree, although Lafanmi Lavalas and OPL had so far declined to confer with it. Kofi Annan stressed the importance of holding elections before the end of the year and there were indications that the first round of elections would take place in November. The UN Development Programme (UNDP) would provide technical team to support the electoral process as well as a UN Volunteer to each of the 11 provincial electoral offices.

Security

The Secretary-General reported some disquieting security developments, including several demonstrations, blockades, strikes, violent incidents and murders of high-profile political figures. Suspicions of police involvement in some of the murders contributed to a perception of increased insecurity in Haiti. Thus, the security situation had deteriorated in general, both in the capital and the provinces, and was likely to get worse during the period leading up to elections unless immediate effective action and leadership were taken to reduce it. Insecurity reflected tensions among the various political forces in the country.

Haitian National Police

Annan asserted that in response to the recent disturbances in Haiti, the Haitian National Police (HNP) increased patrols in tense areas of Port-au-Prince and the frequency of meetings with local authorities. However, reports continued of ill-treatment by the HNP during arrests and interrogations and of police involvement of in drug trafficking and other criminal activities. There had been 116 suspensions and 74 dismissals for misconduct since January. The HNP had been attacked by some political forces as part of a campaign to destabilise the police service.

Justice System

The Secretary-General regretted the continuing lack of progress in the reform of the justice system; judicial reform had not kept up with HNP development.

Summary

Annan asserted that the anticipated escalation in security concerns during the run up to elections had induced the Haitian government to request UN and international assistance for the HNP to ensure a secure environment and he urged that such support be forthcoming. Furthermore, many people had urged the continuing presence of MIPONUH to uphold security during the election period. Annan declared that the Haitian government needed to prepare to assume total responsibility for the further strengthening and effective functioning of the HNP. Thus, the HNP was developing a two-year technical assistance programme to enable the fledgling police service to carry out training and institution-building following the termination of MIPONUH.

Composition of MIPONUH, as at 12 May 1999:

[Special Police Unit (SPU); Civilian Police (CP)]

Argentina 133 (SPU); 5 (CP); Benin 9 (CP); Canada 24 (CP); France 36 (CP); India -; Mali 20 (CP); Niger 5 (CP); Pakistan -; Senegal 8 (CP); Togo 7 (CP); Tunisia 3 (CP); US 30 (CP); Subtotal 133 (SPU); 147 (CP); Total 280.

The Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of MIPONUH was Julian Harston.

Source: UN Doc; S/1999/579- 18 May 1999

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