Ex-Colombian Rebels Seen As Farmers
Rebels and paramilitary fighters who have laid down their arms in Colombia could soon be slaughtering hogs and cultivating blueberries if a proposal by members of Congress succeeds. The American proposal, outlined in letters obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, has been embraced by Colombia’s president as a “significant and critical initiative.” More than 5,000 Marxist rebels and their right-wing paramilitary foes have disarmed since President Alvaro Uribe took office two years ago. The president launched a military offensive that has pushed Colombia’s outlawed groups deep into the jungles and mountains of this Andean nation. Full Story