FARC, the pantomime villains of Oslo?
Márquez complete with Simón Bolívar t-shirt, photo AFP
Colombia´s FARC guerrillas this morning opened talks with President Santos´s government to end their five decade war against the state.
Iván Márquez, head of the FARC delegation, delivered a highly political speech in which he appeared to rip up the agenda for discussion, arguing that peace would not be achieved only through the ´silencing of guns´ but by remodeling the Colombian economy to reflect the rebels´ Communist views.
This was a speech that could have been given over a decade ago in Caguán, and has left we who were hopeful for a successful conclusion to the discussions more than a little less optimistic than before.
Márquez has been deprived of the limelight of international media for years and took his chance today to deliver the rhetoric you sensed he had been preparing for days and nights under the tarpaulin of his jungle hideout.
The Marxist rebel attacked multinational mining companies, the US, the inequality of Colombian society, and appeared to send us all a clear message: The far left is alive and kicking and will not give up the fight until it achieves its goal of subjugating us to its whim.
In the more than 20 minutes of diatribe, Márquez failed to mentioned the victims of their war, or those kidnapped and still held in the jungle.
Márquez´ hubris even led him to conclude that the FARC ´were not the cause (of the conflict) but a response to state violence´.
There was nothing diplomatic or conciliatory about this opening salvo. Timochenko´s promise that the FARC would arrive at the table without ´rancour´ or ´hatred´ now sounds hollow in the extreme.
However, all is not lost. We must not despair just yet.
It was predictable that the FARC would begin by setting out their vision of the world, their dream of a Communist Colombia.
Yes, it was offensive, yes it was hypocritical and no, it will not chime with the view of the millions of Colombians who choose year on year democratically to refuse the manifesto of the hard left.
But, the key question is, will they continue that tone into the negotiations? Humberto de la Calle, the head of the government´s team was clear that if they do then the talks are off, and well, the army will go after them like never before.
The FARC are in last chance saloon. If they want to turn their political views into a platform for future elections these peace talks are their chance to do so.
In short, there is an inherent problem with holding any part of a peace process in public. The FARC, quite frankly, were not going to let the opportunity of a bit of free publicity pass them by.
The discourse today was designed, to borrow the language of American election campaigns, to ´fire up the base´.
The FARC are seeking justification for their struggle and it is sad but true that their speech will have appealed to a certain section of Colombian society.
In a democracy these views have a right to be heard. But the FARC have absolutely no right to pretend that they can impose their vision at the negotiating table.
Colombia will not accept it.
So we must hope that once the talks begin in earnest the FARC will face reality and negotiate in earnest, that they will return to the agreed five points of the agenda.
Without doubt these talks have begun badly, but hope remains.
This article was first published on Colombia Reports
Thanks for your comments Tigre.
I agree.
The FARC´s fight – was historically – to impose communism (through violence), I simplify but not much.
The opening salvo from Márquez today made it sound like the FARC would try to impose these politics on Colombia through the negotiating table. Clearly Colombia would not accept this.
The only way open to guerrillas is to enter politics and try to ´fight´for their cause through the ballot box.
In the end you´re absolutely right, it is up to the FARC to decide whether to accept the offer from the government or whether they want to continue in the jungle.
We hope the latter. Colombia Politics has been a strong advocate of the peace talks. It would be tragic if what Márquez said today defines the FARC´s true attitude.
Time well tell. And once the cameras are turned off and they debate behind closed doors things could well be different.
Cheers.
Additionally, the last right-wing paramilitary group disbanded in 2006 – six years ago! Perhaps that would have been a good cue for the FARC to offer their own dismemberment.
The things that Márquez demanded today are issues to be taken up in the context of the formal political process, a process that the FARC could very well have legal representation in if they allow themselves to be made part of Colombia’s pluralistic democratic system. It is not going to be an easy road for anyone. But one step toward progress is a giant leap forward.
Additionally, the last right-wing paramilitary group disbanded in 2006 – six years ago! Perhaps that would have been a good cue for the FARC to offer their own dismemberment.
The things that Márquez demanded today are issues to be taken up in the context of the formal political process, a process that the FARC could very well have legal representation in if they allow themselves to be made part of Colombia’s pluralistic democratic system. It is not going to be an easy road for anyone. But one step toward progress is a giant leap forward.
This is the opening salvo. Not surprisingly strong words and rhetoric have been used in an attempt to establish the FARC’s footing in these talks. Whether or not what Iván Márquez contends contains any truth is cancelled out by the environmental, economic, societal, spiritual and moral devastation caused by the FARC. Such a strong lead-in could potentially serve to undermine them as such veracity is obviously grandstanding. Additionally, the “we have done nothing wrong” stance will not hold-up even under the slightest scrutiny. There is no way that the FARC can make the world believe that the scourge of the paramilitaries arose in response to FARC tactics, and not the other way around. Let’s not be discouraged. This is simply the first scene of the first act of a piece of political theatre that will see far more melodramatic histrionics from all sides. We may even see the scenery crash and burn and the house go dark, but the lines have been drawn and everyone knows that this is really the last chance for them to come to an understanding. No one will be entirely happy with the outcome – not the FARC, the government, the victims, the ordinary citizens of Colombia, the throngs of ex-pats calling this wonderful country home, nor domestic and international investors. However, an end must come and that can happen at the negotiating table or in the jungle. The choice is theirs.