Colombian Government Communiqué, January 19, 1999

Colombian Government Communiqué, January 19, 1999

The High Commissioner for peace, Víctor Ricardo proposed the 26^th of January as the new date for completion. He said, however, that the Government will attend on the 24^th and 25^th of January at the venue where the will meet with the spokesmen of the Farc. Ricardo issued a public statement in the Palace last night.

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"1. The National Government has expressed and reiterated its willingness to commit all of its resources to confront the self defense and private justice groups that now operate within national territory. It will make Colombians realize that the use of arms is exclusively for the State and no one can take justice into their own hands. Its expressed intention to support democratic institutions, recover territory or combat subversion, are arguments that the National Government emphatically rejects in all circumstances.

2. The administration wants to put an end to all the forms of violence that have negatively impacted Colombian society for decades, including the organization that trains member of the self defense and private justice groups that have responded to the subversive phenomenon. Violence only brings more violence.

3.The bloody offensive that has taken place during the last few days by the paramilitary groups confirms, once again, that its existence constitutes one of the most serious and perverse factors of the armed conflict. This isn’t a valid reason to justify the unwarranted attacks on defenseless individuals who don’t participate in hostile militant behavior. Those assassinations not only constitute a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law (confessed by them publicly) but war crimes that deeply offend the Colombian people and humanity in general.

4. The intensity of the combat against the paramilitary groups will be increased. This has been decided upon independently of the peace process initiated with the insurgence movements, over the understanding that the disassembly is a task that is the State’s priority. The obligation neither is nor will be subject to change and the outcomes of the dialogues and the negotiation with the insurgency.

5. The Government has shown its inclination to bring about actions that lead to the establishment of conditions for a definite cease to their operations and the disassembly of their military structures. These are the final terms of the offer made by the National Government and it is not subject to compromise. It is intended to put an end to the infractions of the International Humanitarian Law.

6. In relation to the meeting that was being planned for tomorrow and facing the recent developments that have become known tonight through undersigned communication and read by the spokesmen of the Farc, who also find it convenient to postpone the meeting. We propose the 26^th of January as the new date to have the meeting. The Government will attend on the 24^th and 25^th of January at the designated venue in order to meet with the Farc".

Santa Fe de Bogota, D.C., January 19, 1999