Going to Cali right now???

[Michael B]

Talked to the lady in Cali tonight. She still advises me not to come right now. In addition to the items noted in the attached AP dispatch, she says that 3 people were killed on a hijacked bus IN THE CITY LIMITS this week and that 2 truck loads of munitions (small arms ammo, gernades, dynamite etc.) were stolen from the army this week near Cali....could be true, could be rumor (SHE certainly beleives it). She says right now most folks in Cali are wondering not IF but WHICH major building or shopping center are the FARC going to blow up with the explosives.

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Colombian air force prepared to shoot down illegal aircraft after several thefts
Thu Apr 18, 8:42 PM ET
By SUSANNAH A. NESMITH, Associated Press Writer

BOGOTA, Colombia - Colombia's leftist rebels have planted their bombs on everything from tractor trailers to bicycles to mules. Now the military says it is facing a new threat: from the air.

 
At least three privately owned helicopters have been stolen this year, army officials said Thursday, and they believe several small planes have also been taken.

On Sunday, the army destroyed a small Cessna after learning of a plot by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, to use it to bomb a military base, Gen. Orlando Carreno said.

"The FARC was preparing to bomb military units and would have hit the civilian population," he said. "I think the plane was stolen."

Fearing stolen aircraft will be used in terrorist attacks, the Colombian Air Force has new orders to shoot down any unauthorized aircraft flying over military bases or key government buildings.

"Whoever flies over military or government installations without authorization will be subject to being shot down," Gen. Hector Fabio Velasco, chief of the air force, told reporters this week.

Authorities believe the FARC has two of the helicopters stolen this year, one taken Saturday near the city of Cali, and another lost in January in Huila state, army spokesman Luis Enrique Hernandez said Thursday.

A smaller rebel group, the National Liberation Army, or ELN, is blamed for the theft of a helicopter in Casanare state in February, he said.

The army isn't sure how many small crop-dusting planes have been stolen in the past few months.

"We don't know exactly how many because many people don't report the thefts," Hernandez said. "They're told that if they report it, the rebels will steal their other planes."

The rebels apparently use the stolen aircraft not just to mount attacks, but also to transport drugs and commanders, Velasco said.

Illegal right-wing paramilitaries, the rebels' rivals, also apparently have aircraft, Velasco said. Last week, a truckload of helicopter parts was stolen, apparently by the paramilitaries, he said.

Colombia's 38-year civil war pits the FARC and the ELN against the government and right-wing paramilitary forces. An estimated 3,500 people are killed every year in the fighting, which has escalated since Feb. 20 when the government ended peace talks with the 17,000-strong FARC and moved to retake a southern safe haven the rebels controlled during the talks.

Five rebels were killed in recent fighting around the country and another 10 were captured, the army announced Thursday.

[Pete E]

... in response to Going to Cali right now???, posted by Michael B on Apr 19, 2002

I talked with my brother in law from Cali yesterday.He said "guerillas" had killed 30 people somewhere near Cali.
Because my spanish is zip and his english is limited thats all the imformation I got.
One possitive note,my brother in law has been unemployed for years and he just got a job.It was through a guy he knows at church,some kind of small manufacturing.

Pete

[denvermike]

... in response to Going to Cali right now???, posted by Michael B on Apr 19, 2002

Hi Guys,

As some of you know I have posted offical security notices from time to time that come from my company's security department.

Here is the latest warning of violence by the FARC leading up to the election.

FYI

The FARC Strategy as the Presidential Election Nears.  Until April 9, the FARC has been relatively quiet.  Most experts assumed that FARC leaders were working on consolidating their resources and developing a new strategy in the wake of their expulsion from the distention zone.  Since April 9, hostile acts by the FARC have been slowing increasing.  Most significant was the massive kidnapping of members of the General Assembly in Cali.  It now appears that the FARC will begin to engage in a wide range terrorist acts that will gradually accelerate as the May 26 Presidential election approaches.  

A critical part of the FARC strategy is to try and terrorize the Colombian people in the hope of diminishing their faith in the legally constituted government.  In part, this is a psychological war, which the FARC hopes will destabilize the government.   Rumors have begun to circulate about intercepted FARC communications suggesting that the FARC has begun to launch an offensive against the electrical and communications infrastructure and against the major transportation routes.  While most of this has been just rumors, it does appear that the FARC will become more active as the election date approaches and will revert to placing bombs close to police stations and other government facilities.  The principal goal is to discourage the Colombian people from voting in the presidential election, especially for Alvaro Uribe.  The FARC must show the Colombian people that any government must negotiate directly with the FARC to reach any kind of peace accord or its influence will continue to dissipate.  

Despite some recent incidents, it appears the FARC will continue to avoid major confrontations with the armed forces as well as continue to focus on the rural areas, at least until a few weeks before the presidential elections, at which time this group will be more active in the major cities.  FARC kidnappings seem to be aimed more at political figures, perhaps believing these will serve as desirable bargaining chips in the future.  It remains doubtful that the FARC would launch attacks that would kill large numbers of innocent civilians because that would further harm its cause.  Instead, most attacks will focus on exposing government weaknesses and making life uncomfortable for most Colombians, thereby engendering more dissatisfaction with the government.  

There is no new evidence that would point to U.S. interests being a high priority for the FARC, probably for fear of direct retaliation by the United States.  Nevertheless,  it is recommended that individuals take greater security precautions and only conduct necessary travel as the election date approaches.    

[kevinsnurb]

... in response to Going to Cali right now???, posted by Michael B on Apr 19, 2002

I am an American Living in Cali. I live in El Centro, a few blocks from where ½ of the Cali Valle’s
“county assembly” was recently kidnapped by the Farc, in a virtually bloodless and coldly efficient manner.

El Centro is considered to be a dangerous part of the city.

There are reports of warfare between the Farc, and Government or paramilitary forces completely surrounding the city. There are countless terrorists attacks all around the city and around the nation.

But the death rate, from terrorism and counter –terrorism, is very low compared with, for example, Afghanistan, Palestine ,Israel, Venezuela, Bosnia, and many other parts of the globe, including, possibly, that of the USA since September 11.

The death rate from terrorist and counter-terrorist acts at the moment, in Colombia, is possibly no higher for 2002 than it has been for any of the last 5 years.  The guerrilla has become more aggressive while the government and its allies have become less aggressive. And there are a lot more incidents. This is not to say that one side is winning over the other, which would defeat the purpose of the war. The changes could be related to the Government’s decision to retake the Caguan Valley and to up-coming elections.

Foreigners, unless involved in the oil industry, have not been targets or victims of any attacks or kidnappings.. I do not know of any American or European who has been injured by a terrorist or criminal attack, or kidnapped during 2002.

It is true that the attacks are more oriented toward the big cities than before. The assassination of the Archbishop  was clearly politically motivated. The kidnapping of 1/2 of the provincial government involved  one death in  Cali, that of a soldier who tried to halt the attack. A TV cameraman was also killed, following the kidnappers outside of the city.

These two major incidents generated a great deal of publicity, but resulted in very little loss of life. This has been the case for all terrorist activicty in Cali.

All of the people of Colombia want peace. But the coke must go on.

There will probably be more problems in Cali, including more deaths, and possibly  gringo victims.

But many Americans live here, and many more visit, and all seem to be quite content with their time spent here. Most do not want to leave, unless with a Caleña

It is almost as difficult for an American to get a visa to live in Colombia as it is for a Colombian to get one for thr US.

For this reason, and others, I keep having to leave. But I want to stay here. My life is far from perfect. But it is far superior to anything I could expect in the USA.  I have spent over 18 months here since December of 1997. Cali es Cali!

I would be happy to communicate further with anyone who is consisdering a trip here.

salmaij2002@nospam.com