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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 27 January 2021

Some Colombians fear ex-paramilitary leader deported from US

By ASTRID SUÁREZ and 1980s, when he went
Associated Press from growing coffee to
BUCARAMANGA, Colom- growing marijuana. The
bia (AP) — On the north business took off, and he
coast of Colombia there became the leader of doz-
is anxiety over the return ens of farmers in the north
to the South American of Colombia. Soon, his ille-
country of one of the most gal, peasant self-defense
feared former paramili- group began vying with
tary commanders: Hernán the Revolutionary Armed
Giraldo Serna. “El Patrón” Forces of Colombia for
(the boss) or “El Taladro” control of the Sierra Ne-
(the drill, as he became vada de Santa Marta, an
known for sexually abusing isolated mountain range
girls in the area) stepped in the northern part of the
on Colombian soil Mon- country.
day after finishing a 16-year The groups’ disputes lasted
sentence in a U.S. prison for until 2006, when Giraldo
drug trafficking earlier this and other paramilitaries
month. agreed to demobilize and
Giraldo, 74, was deported face the justice system.
from the U.S. and immedi- Colombian authorities ac-
ately taken into custody cused Giraldo of abusing
by authorities in Colom- girls, ages 11 to 15, be-
bia, where he is expected tween 1982 and 2005. More
to serve time for crimes than three dozen victims
against humanity, including In this photo released by the Colombian Migration Press Office, ex-paramilitary commander spoke during hearings in his
torture, forced displace- Hernan Giraldo Serna, center, is escorted upon arrival at the El Dorado airport after being deported case.
from the U.S. to Bogota, Colombia, Monday, Jan. 25, 2021.
ment of people, sexual Associated Press “I was afraid to say no to
slavery and kidnapping, as him because people say
well as drug trafficking. dited to face charges in military groups as part of in the United States must that he ordered killed any-
A photo provided by Co- the U.S. in 2008. the country’s effort to end be counted (in Colombia), one who did not do what
lombian immigration au- While in custody in the U.S., decades of conflict. because he was extradited he wanted,” one of the vic-
thorities showed Giraldo he cooperated with Co- His defense team can now and sentenced there for tims, who was 12 when she
stepping onto a jet bridge lombian authorities and in request his conditional free- a crime related to the Co- was raped, told authorities.
wearing a surgical mask 2018, he was sentenced in dom for participating in lombian armed conflict. The AP generally does not
and a bulletproof vest on his homeland to 40 years in that system and for show- Drug trafficking was one of identify victims of sexual
top of gray sweatpants. prison after confessing to ing good conduct while in the products of paramili- abuse.In 1983, Giraldo or-
Another photo showed him more than 700 crimes af- prison in the U.S., but Giral- tarism,” Magistrate Carlos dered his armed men to
walking through a building fecting 10,600 victims. That do would have to agree Pérez, president of the Jus- bring a 13-year-old girl to
with heavily armed police prison term was reduced to continue collaborating tice and Peace Chamber his farm to abuse her. She
ahead and behind him. to eight years thanks to his with authorities looking into in Barranquilla, recently became pregnant with
Giraldo was first arrested in cooperation under a spe- other crimes he is accused told The Associated Press. twins, one of whom died
Colombia for those crimes cial “Justice and Peace” of committing between Giraldo’s criminal life be- during labor due to a lack
in 2006, but he was extra- system created to try para- 1980 and 2006.“The time gan between the 1970s of medical attention. q

U.S. announces restoration of relations with Palestinians

By EDITH M. LEDERER U.S. President Joe Biden’s relations with the Palestin- state of their own and to to reopen diplomatic re-
Associated Press administration announced ians and renewing aid to live with dignity and secu- lations that were closed
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Tuesday it was restoring Palestinian refugees, a re- rity.” by the last U.S. administra-
versal of the Trump admin- “In order to advance tion,.” Mills added.
istration’s cutoff and a key these objectives the Biden He said the United States
element of its new support administration will restore hopes to start working to
for a two-state solution to credible U.S. engagement slowly build confidence on
the decades-old conflict with Palestinians as well as both sides to create an en-
between Israelis and Pal- Israelis,” Mills said. vironment to reach a two-
estinians. “This will involve renew- state solution.
Acting U.S. Ambassador ing U.S. relations with the To pursue this goal, Mills
Richard Mills made the Palestinian leadership and said, “the United States will
announcement of Biden’s Palestinian people,” he urge Israel’s government
new approach to a high- said. and the Palestinians to
level Security Council “President Biden has been avoid unilateral steps that
meeting, saying the new clear that he intends to make a two-state solution
U.S. administration believes restore U.S. assistance more difficult,” such as an-
this “remains the best way programs that support nexation of territory, settle-
to ensure Israel’s future as economic development ment activity, demolitions
Two Palestinian boys play on top of piles of garbage on a rainy a democratic and Jewish programs and humanitar- and providing compensa-
day in a poor neighbourhood of Khan Younis, in the southern
Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. state and the Palestinians’ ian aid to the Palestinian tion for individuals in prison
Associated Press legitimate aspirations for a people, and to take steps for acts of terrorism.q