Colombia peace plan is met with distrust

Re “Colombia grasps at peace,” Opinion, July 25

As a Colombian living in exile, whose brother was abducted, tortured and killed by paramilitaries, there’s nothing I want more than to see peace in my country. However, I read the column by Francisco Santos Calderon, the nation’s vice president, with more skepticism than hope. President Alvaro Uribe claims his legal initiative will disarm both left-wing guerrillas and right-wing paramilitaries; however, the government and official military’s ongoing links to paramilitary terrorism are well-documented.

Human Rights Watch points out that the proposed law fails to dismantle the paramilitary networks or confiscate the illegal wealth that can be used to recruit new members and acquire new weapons. Amnesty International has concluded that the law as written will strengthen the problem of impunity. I would love to be proved wrong, but fear that the peace initiatives are mere window dressing designed to ensure the continued flow of billions of dollars of U.S. military aid.

Hector Aristizabal

Co-Founde, Colombia Peace Project

Pasadena