Page 11 - ARUBA TODAY

A11
WORLD NEWS Thursday 2 March 2017

Colombian rebels take step toward surrendering weapons

ALBA TOBELLA ture.
Associated Press “If such a simple task as set-
LA CARMELITA, Colombia ting up a camp is proving
(AP) — Thousands of leftist so hard, imagine how dif-
rebels took an important ficult it will be dealing with
step in Colombia’s peace thornier issues like eradicat-
process Wednesday by ing coca crops and land
starting to give United Na- reform,” said Ariel Avila,
tions observers an inven- deputy director of Bogo-
tory of the weaponry they ta’s Peace and Reconcilia-
will soon surrender. tion Foundation.
Under the peace accord “It’s not the lack of will by
with the government, the president or govern-
March 1 had been the ment. But the excessive bu-
deadline for the Revolu- reaucracy and weight of
tionary Armed Forces of the Colombian state makes
Colombia to turn over 30 it impossible for things to
percent of its arsenal of as- move forward,” he said.
sault rifles, machine guns Also causing concern is
and homemade explo- faltering political support
sives. as next year’s presidential
But delays setting up the 26 election approaches.
rural camps where nearly The original deal reached
7,000 rebels are now gath- Rebels of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, harvest chontaduro or peach palm after more than four years
ered in a sort of limbo on at their camp in La Carmelita near Puerto Asis in Colombia’s southwestern state of Putumayo, of negotiations was re-
their way back to civilian Wednesday, March 1, 2017. March 1 was the deadline for the FARC to turn over 30 percent of jected by a slim majority
their arms. But logistical delays setting up the rural camps where rebels are gathered has slowed
life has slowed the process, the process. of Colombians in a nation-
with many rebels complain- (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) wide referendum, though
ing that the government a halfway house intended added Martin Corena, In a show of good faith, congress later adopted a
isn’t following through on to introduce the benefits of commander of the FARC’s they began registering all revised version.
its end of the bargain. peace to the rebels, many southern bloc. of their armament with U.N. Santos, winner of last year’s
La Carmelita, where some of whom have never set Despite the hurdles, the observers Wednesday, and Nobel Peace Prize, has seen
500 members of the FARC’s foot in a city. rebels have reiterated their some 300 rebels who form his approval rating slide to
battle-tested Southern Bloc “It’s not that we are op- commitment to complet- part of a three-party coor- 20 percent as corruption
are preparing to demobi- posed to laying down our ing disarmament by June dinating committee with scandals and fatigue with
lize, is one of the more built- arms, we will do it, but we 1, as mandated by the the government and U.N. the peace process give a
up camps. will do it when we see the peace accord signed last planned to lay down their boost to his mostly conser-
President Juan Manuel other side engaging, too,” year in Bogota. weapons in a symbolic ges- vative opponents. q
Santos visited the area last
month and traded hand-
shakes with rebels in tall Puerto Rico governor wants fewer austerity measures
chef hats taking cooking
classes in preparation for DANICA COTO tively raise property taxes Among those hit hardest would jump 10 percent.
life outside the guerrilla Associated Press and collect a tax on inter- would be Medicaid benefi- And many property owners
ranks. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) net purchases. It would also ciaries, who include nearly could see tax bills rise be-
But even here frustration is — Puerto Rico’s governor scrap some infrastructure half of the island’s 3.4 mil- cause valuations would be
running high. submitted an austerity plan projects and could turn fer- lion inhabitants. Some ben- reassessed. 44“The board
Barracks look like half-built made public on Wednes- ries, ports and parking lots efits would be eliminated says we should expect 17
skeletons, so rebels used to day that would cut deeply over to private companies. or capped. Retired govern- percent, and the plan says
living in the protective cov- into the U.S. territory’s bud- But it would fall short of the ment workers who receive 2 percent,” he said. “Before
er of Colombia’s jungles get while avoiding some of board’s recommendation pensions of more than implementing any auster-
are sleeping under plas- the most painful measures of a 30 percent cut in pay- $2,000 a month could see ity measures, the plan as-
tic tarps exposed to rain recommended by a fed- roll costs and 10 percent re- cuts. Rossello said he wants sumes that the government
and the scorching sun. The eral control board that is duction in the government to collect taxes on internet already has $9.3 billion.”
mud-soaked dirt road to overseeing the island’s ef- pension system, which is on purchases, which now total He said the plan’s assump-
the main highway is impos- fort to confront a debt crisis track to run out of money around $2 billion a year in tion is likely more accurate
sible to traverse except for that has led to repeated next year. 4The control the territory. And he said given that the largest con-
all-terrain vehicles. defaults. board established by Con- he plans a whistleblower traction in Puerto Rico’s
Without showers or proper Gov. Ricardo Rossello’s gress has final say on the office that would help root economic history since the
kitchens, the place has the plan would cap some plan and is supposed to out tax cheats. Traffic and Great Depression was 4
feel of a refugee camp, not Medicaid benefits, effec- rule by March 15. motor vehicle license fees percent. q