The Jamundi Massacre

Fifteen soldiers of the Colombian national army have been declared guilty of the massacre of ten anti-narcotics agents and one citizen in what has become one of the most scandalous episodes in the nation's recent history.

The bloody events of May 22nd 2006 quickly became notorious first in Colombia’s south-western Valle del Cauca province and then around the nation. Near the outskirts of Jamundi, a town to the south of Cali, a group consisting of a Colonel, Lieutenant and 13 soldiers on anti-guerrilla operations came upon and shot dead a group of 10 anti-narcotic agents and one civilian.

Initially reported as a tragic case of ‘friendly fire’ between police and military, in some quarters doubts were expressed. An investigation was begun and a short time later, Colombian attorney general Mario Iguarán sanctioned the arrest of all 15 soldiers in a move which shocked the nation.

Now the commander of the battalion in action that day, Lieutenant Colonel Bayron Carvajal and his men are to be considered intellectual authors of the homicide in a ruling handed down by a judge in Cali.

Attorney General Iguaran has refused to rule out the possibility that the massacre was carried out “under orders from narco-traffickers,” and has repeatedly referred to the actions as an “ambush”, terminology which has lead to inevitable accusations of corruption and collusion on the part of the army.

Although during the investigation the name of cartel boss Diego Montoya has reportedly “come up,” at the current time only the soldiers remain under investigation.

In the murky world of Colombian drugs enforcement it is often difficult to know who is working for whom. The well-financed drugs gangs are able to run multiple agents inside the police and judiciary, and in many cases duplicity in the scams and pay-offs have run to the highest levels.

Calming the waters

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has sought to calm the waters over an incident on the high seas involving the Colombian navy and Nicaraguan shrimping vessels.

The Nicaraguans claim the incident of February 10 involved a Colombian frigate which “intimidated” flag-bearing fishing and shrimping boats in Nicaraguan waters.

A note of protest delivered to the Colombian ambassador to Nicaragua claimed the latitude and longitude of the standoff confirmed its position in Nicaraguan territorial waters and stated:

“…This can only be considered a violation of Nicaraguan sovereignty.”

The note went on to request that “measures be taken so that events of this nature may not be repeated.”

The diplomatic incident is the latest in a series of confrontations involving the contentious dividing lines between Nicaraguan coastal waters and the island territories of San Andres, Providence and Santa Catalina, ceded to Colombia through the 1928-1930 Esguerra-Bárcenas Treaty.

In mid-December a United Nations court was called upon re-affirm the treaty’s terms in the face of Nicaraguan requests to rule on sovereignty.

Speaking from Bogotá in response to this latest incident, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe sought to ease tensions, striking a conciliatory tone:

“I call upon my compatriots to be completely respectful of the coast and waters of Nicaragua and the status of the 82nd Meridian.”

He added that Colombia was a country characterized by its respect for law and “not bellicose towards its neighbours.”

Daniel Ortega, Nicaragua’s recently re-anointed president, has argued in the past that the treaty was in fact annulled by his Sandinista government in the 1980s. He has also claimed it to be legally invalid as it was signed at a time when Nicaragua suffered US occupation.

Colombia's hostages

After the recent release of two high profile hostages, Colombia’s FARC are reportedly considering the freedom of more kidnapped citizens.

Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez, formerly high profile politicians, were released by the insurgent guerrilla group in early January. The pair were plucked from a high-mountain location by Venezuelan Red Cross helicopters in a deal brokered by Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and Liberal Party Senator Piedad Cordoba.

Now Senator Cordoba claims more hostages, as yet not identified, will be released “very soon, in the next few days.” Work to release the next hostages is being negotiated through similar channels, claims the senator. She additionally remarked three days ago that she is currently working hard to secure the release of former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt “very soon.”

During her long senatorial career, Miss Cordoba has herself been kidnapped briefly by paramilitary groups in Medellin and frequently caused a stir in this most conservative of countries for her work with the black community, women's rights, familial violence and gay rights. Recently she has courted much criticism again by working alongside controversial Hugo Chavez in negotiations with the rebels. Senator Cordoba has been perceived by many conservatives as dangerously leftist, but has regularly spoken out against the hardline style of Colombia’s current president Alvaro Uribe despite death threats.

If the senator does manage to secure the freedom of Miss Betancourt, the most famous victim of kidnap in Colombia, the nation’s institutions and the world will surely recognize her efforts and hope her good work may be repeated again and again. But with the number of hostages currently being held by the FARC estimated to be around 750, many families will remain, for now, waiting.