Monday 29 December 2008, San José, Costa
Rica
Colombia’s
Wish List For 2009
As a new year rises on
the horizon, many of us
feel compelled to
reflect upon the year
that comes to an end,
and create a list of
wishes and goals for the
year that is about to
begin. Knowing that we
probably won’t fulfill
all of our wishes, we
are encouraged to dream
big, and, at the end of
the year, see what we
have gotten and what we
didn’t. As 2009 knocks
on the door, here is
what Colombia’s wish
list for the new year
should look like:
FARC
Pressure the FARC
militarily, while
continuing to rally
national and
international publics
against their tactics,
to the point in which
they realize that they
must use their demeaning
leverage to sit down and
negotiate with the
government an agreement
that will allow them to
return to civil society.
Paramilitary
Continue the
demobilization of the
paramilitary, but
assuring that they are
not returning to the
direct or indirect use
of violent tactics, and
recognizing that many of
them still are part of
the armed conflict.
Provide programs that
will allow them to truly
flourish within
institutional and legal
contexts.
Military
Continue
strengthening the
military so that their
presence extends
progressively, seeking
to cover every inch of
the national territory.
Assure that the members
of the armed forces are
better trained, and
receive appropriate care
after serving in areas
of conflict. Also,
guarantee that they
understand matters of
Human Rights, and work
towards the respect
rather than the
violation of those
rights.
Human Rights Concerns
Address the most
pressing Human Rights
issues presently
affecting Colombia. End
the use of kidnapping as
a tactic, and free the
thousands of Colombians
that remain deprived
from the right to
freedom. Allow those
families that have been
separated to reunite,
strengthening the social
fabric upon which the
nation is built.
Similarly, properly
address the issues of
displacement and
containment.
With an approximate 1 in
every 10 Colombians
suffering from the
effects of displacement,
the new year should come
with hope for those
millions of individuals
that they’ll be able
reconstruct their life
projects. Doing so,
requires the
materialization of a
long-awaited land reform
that will address the
topic of land ownership
and land use in
Colombia. This objective
also requires providing
appropriate
psycho-social treatment
to all the millions of
Colombians that are
victims of the armed
conflict.
Social Programs
As Colombia looks
into the possibility of
a long-term future in
which conflict has
ceased and peace becomes
attainable, it is
important to begin the
work on social programs
that will allow
Colombians of all
backgrounds to pursue
their life dreams.
Social programs, such as
a true reform to the
public education system,
programs to support
efforts on the areas of
nutrition, health, and
access to basic services
such as clean water and
energy, will be crucial
in permitting Colombia
to dream not only about
peace, but also
prosperity. Addressing
these issues that, in
the current form support
models of social
inequity, will prevent
future surges in
conflict and crime.
Aggressive Public
Diplomacy Efforts
In a globalized
world in which
communications and media
messages transcend the
confines of national
borders, Colombia must
use every day of the new
year working on public
diplomacy efforts that
will allow it to
positively influence the
country’s image around
the world. Doing so
requires a focus on
national branding
efforts, a strengthening
of cultural,
professional and
educational exchanges,
and the support of
artists, sports
personalities, and
professionals in
different fields so that
they can proudly
represent Colombia and
its diversity, around
the world. Such efforts
will go alongside
efforts to boost tourism
and the infrastructure
required to successfully
attract growing numbers
of tourists.
Traditional
Diplomatic Ties
In the realm of
traditional diplomacy,
it is important to
strengthen regional
links to guarantee that
Colombia won’t be
alienated within Latin
America. The
normalization of
diplomatic relations
with Ecuador must be a
top priority in this
respect, as well as
strengthening the
existing positive
relations with Mexico,
Peru, Brazil, and Chile.
In a global context,
maintaining the support
of the United States,
even after the political
shake up that will
happen in Washington,
and also strengthening
the links not only with
Europe, but also with
the nations in Asia,
such as China, Japan,
Vietnam, and South
Korea, that are seeking
strategic alliances with
Latin American nations.
Energy
Colombia has
unbelievable natural
resources. In an era in
which the search for
alternative sources of
energy has become a top
priority, Colombia must
seriously look into
becoming an important
player in the
development of ways to
garner, transport, and
use such energy sources
as solar and wind power.
Politics
Colombia will
finally know whether
President Uribe wants
to, and is legally
allowed to, run for
another term in 2010,
allowing for the
presidential campaign to
officially start. Either
way, hopefully, in 2009
Colombia will get a
share of new leaders
with innovative agendas
that can fairly submit
their platforms for the
consideration of the
Colombian population.
With all those wishes,
and as the year is about
to start, we need all
the help we can get from
every possible “aguero.”
So everybody, put on
your yellow underwear
inside out, eat twelve
grapes as the church
bells strike the new
year, and run around the
block with your empty
suitcases. Happy New
Year! |
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