The mountains of Colombia, December 2, 1992
Sefiores Antonio Caballero, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Nicolas Buveaventura, Fernando Botero and the other signatories of the letter:
We extend our greetings and thank you for your
important observations on the persistence of armed insurgency in Colombia. We, too, would like to share
with you some of our reflections which we hope can be of some use.
It is important to underscore that the revolutionary
guerrilla struggle in Colombia developed and continues to grow as a result of the permanent violence of the
state that impedes with fire and blood the existence of
an opposition to the establishment. Armed struggle has not been either an end or an objective. It has simply
been a means by which to resist aggression and fight
for democracy and dignity…. The truth is that well before there emerged revolu- tionary armed struggle in Colombia, there existed a dirty war which was fought with complete impunity.
The infamous “pajaros,” paramilitary groups and state
intelligence forces have been the principal protagonists
of this long history of terror. All of Colombia has been a witness to their actions, which at times have been
characterized by selective assassination, and at other times have included massacres and genocide. Always, our nation has been forced to live with torture, disap- pearances, authoritarianism and collective intimidation
which have obliged many compatriots to choose the
route of exile as an extreme recourse in defense of their physical and moral integrity.
It must be said that if certain practices and historical
conceptions have lost their historical significance, it is pre-
cisely the practice of state terrorism and the systematic
use of institutional mechanisms to assassinate and “dis- appear” political opposition. Such practices have convert-
ed despotism into the natural form of governing….
The CGSB [Coordinadora Guerrillera Simon Bolivar]
remains committed to the search for a political solution
to the crisis. We reject the government’s calls for an “integral war.” We propose an integral solution and a
lasting peace…. You, the “convinced democrats,
opposed to violence and authoritarian options” could use your newspapers, magazines, university posts and
public fora to work for a change in the current atmos-
phere of aggression…. The CSGB rejects and condemns drug trafficking.
You should not let yourselves be confused by a dishon-
est plot cooked up by the U.S. Embassy, the Presidency
of the Republic, the intelligence services and a couple
of Bogota publications that actively attempt to derail
our commitment to the most noble causes in Colom- bia….
The CGSB welcomes the different proposals that have been put forward by various groups to halt the escalation of the conflict into a full-scale war. Particu- larly important are the proposals for national and inter-
national mediation that would supervise the implemen-
tation of a future agreement, ensuring that each side
respects its commitments while enforcing compliance to the agreed upon rules of the game. We also support
those proposals that seek to include a broad range of representatives from Colombian society in the negotiat-
ing process and to seat them at the negotiating table.
The forms of struggle that the Colombian people have chosen to achieve a better future was not a free
decision. It was imposed on them. They were not given a choice. It is incumbent on us all to work toward a
solution that creates an environment where the recourse to arms is only a bad memory of our unfortu- nate history.
Again, we appreciate your interest and your initiative to communicate with us. We hope you will persist in
your efforts for peace. Between us, surely, we can cre- ate the necessary elements that will close the door to
further bloodshed.
Sincerely,
Compatriotas, Coordinadora Guerrillera Simon Bolivar
Manuel Marulanda V., Alfonso Cano, Rabl Reyes, Timolen Jimenez, Ivan Marquez, Manuel P6rez Martinez, Nicolas Rodriguez Bautista, Pablo Tejada, Francisco Galan, Milton Hernandez, Francisco Carabal- lo, Diego Ruiz.
