AFTER A DARK PERIOD, A BETTER COLOMBIA

By Luis Alberto Moreno*

August 19, 2004 Published in The Boston Globe

WHEN ALVARO URIBE was inaugurated as president of Colombia two years ago, his mandate was clear: address the challenges threatening the country's security, law and order, and economy. At the midpoint of his presidency, a majority of Colombians are -- for the first time in a generation -- optimistic about their future. A recent poll indicated that 78 percent of Colombians approve of how Uribe is doing his job.

Colombia's transformation can be measured on many fronts, but most striking is the reduction of violence and terrorism. Since 2002, homicides have declined by 25 percent; kidnappings have declined by 45 percent; and incidents of terrorism have declined by 37 percent. Today, people and commerce are moving more freely and safely around the country.

Uribe has focused on the root of his country's terrorist violence: the illegal narco-trafficking industry, which also fuels guerrillas and paramilitaries. Colombia's illegal coca crop was reduced from 169,800 hectares in 2001 to 113,850 hectares at the end 2003; an additional 60,000 hectares were sprayed in the first half of this year. Colombia is on target to meet the commitment it made in 2000 to reduce our coca crop by 50 percent in five years.

A stronger, more capable military is targeting narco-terrorist organizations, including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, National Liberation Army, and United Self-Defense Forces. For the first time, they are on the run, and more than 10,000 members of these groups have been killed, or have deserted or demobilized in the past two years.

At the same time, Uribe's administration has left the door open for negotiations with illegal groups and individual combatants interested in giving up arms and rejoining civil society. A peace process is underway between the government and the United Self-Defense Forces and a second process may soon begin with the National Liberation Army.

Law enforcement has been strengthened. A total of 36,000 troops and 7,000 police officers have been added to Colombia's security forces in the past 24 months, and today there exists a police presence in every Colombian municipality. The government has expanded a security program for high-risk individuals, providing safety to more than 5,000 labor leaders, human rights workers, journalists, local government officials, and others.

Cooperation with the United States has led to judicial reform and an improvement in human rights performance. Over the past two years, the United States has provided training for more than 3,500 prosecutors, judges, magistrates, and defense attorneys, and 73,000 members of the armed forces received training in human rights and international humanitarian law in 2003 alone. Colombia has extradited more than 170 individuals to the United States for prosecution, and has more aggressively targeted individuals engaged in money laundering, arms smuggling, and drug trafficking.

Beyond security issues, Colombia has implemented initiatives to enhance social and economic development, particularly in communities impacted by drug trafficking and terrorist violence. More than 45,000 hectares of alternative crops have been planted and 835 infrastructure projects have been completed, including road and sewer systems, schools and health clinics, in isolated communities throughout southern Colombia where this development will lead to reduced dependency on illegal drug cultivation and production. More than 1.6 million internally displaced Colombians -- individuals and families who have fled their homes and communities because of violence -- have received assistance.

Even as the government focuses on security and law and order, it has earmarked new public funds for important social initiatives. Public education enrollment has risen from 7.8 million children in 2002 to 8.6 million children in June 2004. More than 3.4 million Colombians have gained access to public health care over the past two years.

Improved security has resulted in economic growth. The economy expanded by 4 percent last year, the highest annual rate since 1995. Some 1.2 million jobs were created. Following passage of a renewed Andean Trade Preferences Act in 2003, Colombia-US trade grew by 10 percent. GDP growth during the first quarter of this year was 4.1 percent.

Colombia's transformation is far from complete, as narco-terrorism and poverty still exist. Over the next two years and beyond, Colombia, with the support of the United States and the international community, needs to consolidate the gains realized to date. We must sustain the military offensive against narco-terrorist groups, complete a Free Trade Agreement with the United States to prolong our economic recovery, advance peace talks and demobilize illegal actors, and address humanitarian and environmental problems created by narco-terrorism.

With US attention focused on Iraq and the presidential election, it's easy for Americans to overlook the transformation taking place in Latin America. But for the first time in a generation, Colombians can envision the end of a dark period in history.

That is no small achievement for us, or for American interests in the hemisphere.

*Colombia's ambassador to the United States.