DOCSLIB.ORG

U.S. Department of State Humanitarian Mine-Action Support in Colombia

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
U.S. Department of State Humanitarian Mine-Action Support in Colombia Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction Volume 13 Issue 1 The Journal of ERW and Mine Action Article 10 July 2009 U.S. Department of State Humanitarian Mine-action Support in Colombia Edmund Trimakas U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Military-Affairs, Office ofeapons W Removal and Abatement (PM/ WRA) Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal Part of the Defense and Security Studies Commons, Emergency and Disaster Management Commons, Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons, and the Peace and Conflict Studies Commons Recommended Citation Trimakas, Edmund (2009) "U.S. Department of State Humanitarian Mine-action Support in Colombia," The Journal of ERW and Mine Action : Vol. 13 : Iss. 1 , Article 10. Available at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol13/iss1/10 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery at JMU Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction by an authorized editor of JMU Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Trimakas: U.S. Department of State Humanitarian Mine-action Support in Colombia The questionnaire had four parts: national level, where the demining impact The study also provides important in- 1. Interview data resulted in the improvement of education, formation elements for national authorities 2. Institution/company identification the health system and transportation. to develop projects that would benefit the U.S. Department of State’s 3. Respondent data Affected communities noted a sense of population living near dangerous areas, and 4. Institution perception regarding benefits safety and confidence in their immediate to pursue full socioeconomic rehabilitation of from demining: includes demining as- environment as the most positive aspects of these areas. Humanitarian Mine-action sessment, type of issues related to mined the demining. After demining operations, See Endnotes, Page 112 areas and infrastructure, and benefits af- people living in the affected communities ter completion of demining operations felt themselves safe from the threat of mines Support in Colombia To carry out the survey, three manuals and as a consequence could move about were prepared, one each for interviewers, su- their community with confidence that they pervisors and reviewers. would not step on a mine. Given that the Years of conflict between the Colombian government and the militant group Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Field research comprised data collection main goal of humanitarian demining is to from the selected sample. INEC was responsible return cleared areas to productive use, the Colombia have left the country littered with landmines and millions of internally displaced persons. The Colombian for the manual blueprints, sampling design and goal was reached. data collection. In order to obtain reliable infor- There is a need to direct initiatives to- government is trying to address this situation. The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs’ Office of Weapons Removal Carlos José Orozco serves as mation, the survey was performed by direct in- ward land rehabilitation once land has been the Regional Coordinator of the and Abatement in the U.S. Department of State is working with Colombian organizations and nongovernmental terviews of persons 16 years old and older. released. Likewise, it is necessary to de- OAS demining assistance program From 4 October to 17 November 2006, data velop financing and technical cooperation in Central America. He has been processing and analysis took place in INEC, proposals to assist formerly affected com- actively involved in mine action since organizations to clean up contaminated areas and resettle Colombia’s IDPs. which had professional personnel for recording munities improve the use of released land. 1998, when he assumed the post of National Coordinator of the program in and survey processing. Once data were verified, National and local authorities must monitor Nicaragua. He has expanded the mine- by Edmund Trimakas [ PM/WRA ] a supervisor reviewed the divergences and list- cleared land in order to optimize its use. action program to include a holistic ings to correct information if required. The population highly values demin- victim-assistance vision that enables The result of the process was a database ing operations. Community leaders, util- survivors to rejoin their communities he Bureau of Political-Military Affairs’ Office of Weapons Re- in an economically sustainable way. of dwellings and communities by district ac- ity companies and government entities moval and Abatement in the U.S. Department of State initiated cording to the sampling. The final report was involved in infrastructure development also Carlos J. Orozco T a humanitarian mine-action program in Colombia in Septem- issued in April 2007. share this assessment. The population also Regional Coordintor ber 2005. Since that time, PM/WRA has successfully assisted Colombia’s found the main economic benefit resulting for Central America HMA program by providing the equipment, training and maintenance Conclusions and Findings Summary from demining operations in the agricul- AICMA for two emergency response teams—in partnership with the Organiza- Organization of American States The impact of anti-personnel mines in ture sector. De la Iglesia El Carmen 1 c y Media Abajo tion of American States’ Acción Integral contra las Minas Antipersonal Nicaragua not only affects the security of the Mine-risk education campaigns have Frente a la Embajada de France program—for operational humanitarian clearance. In January 2009, the population but also extends into areas that limit considerable coverage since the surveyed Managua / Nicaragua government of Colombia launched a third ERT. The United States ex- economic well being. Aspects such as uninhib- population knows about the dangers posed Tel: + 505 2266 1251 pects to provide the maintenance support for this newest team. E-mail: [email protected] PM/WRA has also partnered with Colombian nongovernmental ited movement of the population and security by landmines and ongoing demining oper- Web site: http://www.oas.org are presented as the most serious consequence ations to reduce those dangers. Campaign organizations, including the Centro Integral de la Rehabilación de of AP mines; access to communities, transpor- results were decidedly positive since they Colombia, to target assistance to rural civilian victims through medical tation, health, education, water and electricity reduced dangerous behaviors. brigades and support centers. PM/WRA’s association with CIREC are also affected. However, humanitarian-de- The study results clearly show that through its “Seeds of Hope” rural outreach program has helped hundreds mining efforts have positively affected those landmine-affected communities were seriously of victims receive prostheses, wheelchairs and other assistive devices. aspects that are relevant for the economic de- affected at several levels before being cleared Additionally, PM/WRA recently sponsored a mine-risk education 1 A landmine is marked for clearance. velopment of affected communities. and reclassified as impact free, but it also program in the Antioquia department with the Colombian Campaign ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR There is a direct correlation between so- shows the benefits from the humanitarian- to Ban Landmines. The first phase of the MRE program targeted chil- cial indicators affected by AP mines and the demining efforts perceived by the populations dren. The second phase of the grant funding will be released shortly; benefits of demining operations, reaching the and their leaders. it will target the same communities, but its audience for MRE will be segregated cells without an existing political agenda. FARC survives adults. Antioquia has the highest casualties from landmines among all by using an economic lifeline of drug and hostage enterprises with a Colombian departments. limited life span.7 More must be done, however, by international donors to prevent in- Since President Álvaro Uribe took office, his new government is making juries and help survivors in Colombia. The country stands at a signifi- strong and steady progress in the battle against terrorism. For instance: cant political and social turning point in its history; in recent years has 1. Armed FARC forces have been cut in half. been ranked No. 1 globally for new landmine casualties and No. 2 for 2. Attrition of FARC forces now surpasses losses attributed to mili- Research on Mine-detecting Bees in Croatia internally displaced persons, 2, 3, 4, 5 stemming from the terrorist actions tary action. of Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia. Various reports in- 3. International condemnation from former FARC allies is rising. Over the last two years, Zagreb University Agronomy Professor Nikola Kezic and his team have been training bees to detect dicate there are between three and four million displaced individuals 4. The recent removal (voluntary and involuntarily) of key FARC landmines. Under Kezic’s direction, the bees are being trained for landmine detection in Croatia, which is still plagued with within Colombia’s borders. Landmine relief is just one small piece of in- leaders indicates a dissolution of centralized control, evident by landmines from its civil war in the early 1990s. ternational support needed to combat terrorism in Colombia. the successful
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Shimmering Words 17.Indd
    Shimmering Words MAGAZINE ISSN 2463-0403 USTA TUNJA Fr. Bernardo de Lugo, O.P. de Lugo, Bernardo Fr. TUNJA USTA LANGUAGES INSTITUTE 2017 LOCAL MANAGERS Fr. JORGE FERDINANDO RODRÍGUEZ RUIZ, O. P. Principal Fr. JAVIER ANTONIO CASTELLANOS, O.P. FR. BERNARDO DE LUGO, O.P. Vice Provost for Academic Affrairs LANGUAGES INSTITUTE Father JOSÉ ANTONIO BALAGUERA CEPEDA, O.P. Vice Provost Administrative – Financial Affairs Shimmering PRODUCTION TEAM Words LANGUAGES INSTITUTE DIRECTOR MAGAZINE Professor Victor Felipe Prada Hernández Magazine Editor Professor Gladis Leonor Arias Rodríguez Coeditor CREDITS Professor Eliana Edith Roberto Flórez Style Corrections Duncan Andrew Higgons Graphic Designer Santiago Suárez Varela OJS Manager Jorge Antonio Alvarado Rojas ISSN: 2463-0403 N°: 7 - 2017 |||||| THE IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING ANOTHER LANGUAGE resent times require the development of specific skill sets in order to respond to Pthe needs arising from globalization and knowledge acquisition is related to the use new trends; some of the most important skill sets of languages; according to the Oxford Royale are those related to means of communication, Academy, English is spoken in more countries because they have become some of the most than any other language, followed by others such prominent aspects of a modern lifestyle, due to as Arabic, Dutch and French among others. the constant exchange of information. Speaking other languages is a mandatory skill for people to develop, as it is necessary to succeed in So why learn English? communicating with people
    [Show full text]
  • FARC-EP) Marxist-Leninist Insurgency Or Criminal Enterprise?
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Calhoun, Institutional Archive of the Naval Postgraduate School Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive Theses and Dissertations Thesis Collection 2005-12 The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People's Army (FARC-EP) Marxist-Leninist insurgency or criminal enterprise? Saskiewicz, Paul E. Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School http://hdl.handle.net/10945/1809 NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF COLOMBIA – PEOPLE’S ARMY (FARC-EP): MARXIST-LENINIST INSURGENCY OR CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE? by Paul E. Saskiewicz December 2005 Thesis Advisor: Jeanne Giraldo Co-Advisor: Douglas Porch Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188) Washington DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY 2. REPORT DATE 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED December 2005 Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE: The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC- 5. FUNDING NUMBERS EP): Marxist-Leninist Insurgency or Criminal Enterprise? 6.
    [Show full text]
  • The Worldwide Connection Between Drugs and Terrorism Hearing
    S. HRG. 107–885 NARCO–TERROR: THE WORLDWIDE CONNECTION BETWEEN DRUGS AND TERRORISM HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY, TERRORISM, AND GOVERNMENT INFORMATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED SEVENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION MARCH 13, 2002 Serial No. J–107–66 Printed for the use of the Committee on the Judiciary ( U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 85–660 PDF WASHINGTON : 2003 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402–0001 VerDate Mar 21 2002 15:46 Apr 01, 2003 Jkt 085660 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 C:\HEARINGS\85660.TXT SJUD4 PsN: CMORC COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY PATRICK J. LEAHY, Vermont, Chairman EDWARD M. KENNEDY, Massachusetts ORRIN G. HATCH, Utah JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR., Delaware STROM THURMOND, South Carolina HERBERT KOHL, Wisconsin CHARLES E. GRASSLEY, Iowa DIANNE FEINSTEIN, California ARLEN SPECTER, Pennsylvania RUSSELL D. FEINGOLD, Wisconsin JON KYL, Arizona CHARLES E. SCHUMER, New York MIKE DEWINE, Ohio RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois JEFF SESSIONS, Alabama MARIA CANTWELL, Washington SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas JOHN EDWARDS, North Carolina MITCH MCCONNELL, Kentucky BRUCE A. COHEN, Majority Chief Counsel and Staff Director SHARON PROST, Minority Chief Counsel MAKAN DELRAHIM, Minority Staff Director SUBCOMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY, TERRORISM, AND GOVERNMENT INFORMATION DIANNE FEINSTEIN, California, Chairwoman JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR., Delaware JON KYL, Arizona HERBERT KOHL, Wisconsin MIKE DEWINE, Ohio MARIA CANTWELL, Washington JEFF SESSIONS, Alabama JOHN EDWARDS, North Carolina MITCH MCCONNELL, Kentucky DAVID HANTMAN, Majority Chief Counsel STEPHEN HIGGINS, Minority Chief Counsel (II) VerDate Mar 21 2002 15:46 Apr 01, 2003 Jkt 085660 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 C:\HEARINGS\85660.TXT SJUD4 PsN: CMORC C O N T E N T S STATEMENTS OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS Page DeWine, Hon.
    [Show full text]
  • The Economics of Terrorism: an Overview of Theory and Applied Studies
    1 the economics of terrorism: an overview of theory and applied studies Aurelia Valiño, Mikel Buesa, and Thomas Baumert introduction After the attacks on September 11, 2001 (9/11), March 11, 2004 (11/3), and July 7, 2005 (7/7), there has been a sharp increase in the interest in terrorism, both in the United States and Europe. Many of these concerns are about the costs, the economic conse- quences of these attacks, and provision of insurance cover, in addition to the tradition- al focus on the general causes of attacks, trends, theoretical predictions and political recommendations, sources of funding, responses from negotiations in incidents with hostages, or how economic development affects terrorism or vice versa. Though terrorism is by no means new, particularly in European history, the mas- sacres perpetrated in New York and Madrid attracted interest in all quarters concern- ing how to increase our knowledge in any way about these serious questions: who are the attackers? Why do they do it? How do they do it? What are the consequences apart from death? Does it affect me, and how? Is there any pattern of behaviour in the attacks? Can we predict forthcoming attacks? Or, the most diffi cult problem, how can they be avoided? These questions can be approached from different perspectives: the psychological, political, judicial, or economic. In each of these fi elds there has been a great development in the literature in recent years. In this chapter a summary is presented of the economic literature on terrorism. After a review of the concepts of terrorism and the presentation and analysis of the main data sources used in the literature, the principal arguments as to the causes of terrorism are presented from an economic viewpoint, analyses made on the fi nanc- ing of terrorism and its economic effects, as well as assessments of counter-terrorism policies from the economist’s point of view.
    [Show full text]
  • The FARC: Worthy of the EU Label of Designated Terrorist Organisation
    The FARC: Worthy of the EU Label of Designated Terrorist Organisation After over half a century of fighting, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) announced a new peace agreement on 12 November, 2016.1 Both parties had already come to a peace agreement about two months earlier, but that agreement was rejected with a slight majority (50.2%) by the Colombian people in a referendum. The opposition felt that the agreement would be too lenient on the FARC rebels, because the rebels would get reduced sentences for the crimes they had committed over the past years.2 In response to the first peace agreement, the Council of the European Union, hereafter abbreviated as the Council, decided to lift the sanctions against the FARC, effectively suspending the organisation from the European Union (EU) list of designated terrorist organisations.3 Even though the EU no longer considers the FARC to be terrorists, many other nations and institutions still do, as well as a large portion of the Colombian people. So are the FARC terrorists or are they truly just rebels as the organisation itself claims to be? Based on decades of history and various scholarly and institutional definitions of terrorism, the FARC must be considered terrorists and remain on the EU list of designated terrorist organisations. --- As Bakker explains4, there is not really a universally accepted definition of terrorism. However, a common definition is very much needed in the international, legal and academic domain. This paper could therefore be relevant for the discussion on how terrorism should be defined and could be beneficial to the practices within these domains.
    [Show full text]
  • Mexico Is Not Colombia Alternative Historical Analogies for Responding to the Challenge of Violent Drug-Trafficking Organizations
    CHILDREN AND FAMILIES The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that EDUCATION AND THE ARTS helps improve policy and decisionmaking through ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT research and analysis. HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE This electronic document was made available from INFRASTRUCTURE AND www.rand.org as a public service of the RAND TRANSPORTATION Corporation. INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS LAW AND BUSINESS NATIONAL SECURITY Skip all front matter: Jump to Page 16 POPULATION AND AGING PUBLIC SAFETY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Support RAND Purchase this document TERRORISM AND HOMELAND SECURITY Browse Reports & Bookstore Make a charitable contribution For More Information Visit RAND at www.rand.org Explore the RAND National Security Research Division View document details Limited Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law as indicated in a notice appearing later in this work. This electronic representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for non-commercial use only. Unauthorized posting of RAND electronic documents to a non-RAND website is prohibited. RAND electronic documents are protected under copyright law. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of our research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please see RAND Permissions. This report is part of the RAND Corporation research report series. RAND reports present research findings and objective analysis that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND reports undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for re- search quality and objectivity. Supporting Case Studies Christopher Paul, Colin P. Clarke, Chad C. Serena C O R P O R A T I O N NATIONAL SECURITY RESEARCH DIVISION Mexico Is Not Colombia Alternative Historical Analogies for Responding to the Challenge of Violent Drug-Trafficking Organizations Supporting Case Studies Christopher Paul, Colin P.
    [Show full text]
  • Colombia: Background and U.S. Relations
    Colombia: Background and U.S. Relations Updated October 26, 2020 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R43813 SUMMARY R43813 Colombia: Background and U.S. Relations October 26, 2020 Colombia, a key U.S. ally in Latin America, endured from the mid-1960s more than a half of century of internal armed conflict. To address the country’s prominence in illegal June S. Beittel drug production, the United States and Colombia have forged a close relationship over Analyst in Latin American the past two decades. Plan Colombia, a program focused initially on counternarcotics Affairs and later on counterterrorism, laid the foundation for an enduring security partnership. President Juan Manuel Santos (2010-2018) made concluding a peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)—the country’s largest leftist guerrilla organization at the time—his government’s primary focus. Following four years of peace negotiations, Colombia’s Congress ratified the FARC-government peace accord in November 2016. During a U.N.-monitored demobilization in 2017, approximately 13,200 FARC disarmed, demobilized, and began to reintegrate. The U.S.-Colombia partnership, originally forged on security interests, now encompasses sustainable development, human rights, trade, and wider cooperation. Support from Congress and across U.S. Administrations has been largely bipartisan. Congress appropriated more than $10 billion for Plan Colombia and its follow-on programs between FY2000 and FY2016, about 20% of which was funded through the U.S. Department of Defense. U.S. government assistance to Colombia over the past 20 years has totaled nearly $12 billion, with funds appropriated by Congress mainly for the Departments of State and Defense and the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Fifteen Years of Plan Colombia
    | 315 analecta polit. | Vol. 7 | No. 13 | PP. 315-332 | julio-diciembre | 2017 | ISSN: 2027-7458 | Medellín- Colombia http://dx.doi.org/10.18566/apolit.v7n13.a05 Fifteen Years of Plan Colombia (2001-2016) The Recovery of a Weak State and the Submission of Narco-terrorist Groups? Quince años del Plan Colombia (2001-2016) ¿La recuperación de un Estado débil y la sumisión de los grupos narcoterroristas? Quinze anos do Plano Colômbia (2001-2006) A recuperação de um Estado fraco e a Cómo citar submissão dos grupos narco-terroristas? este artículo en APA: Ramírez, J. (2017). Fifteen Years of Plan Colombia (2001-2016) JULIO CÉSAR RAMÍREZ MONTAÑEZ The Recovery of a Weak State and the Professional in International Relations. Master in International Submission of Narco- Relations, Flinders University Adelaide Australia. Professor terrorist Groups?. of International Business Administration Faculty, Pontificia Analecta política, 7(13), 315-332. Bolivariana University, (Bucaramanga, Colombia) Head of Research Group of International Business Administration Faculty (GRICANI). [email protected]. orcid. Recibido: org/0000-0003-0116-3330. Dirección Postal: Circunvalar 10 de febrero de 2017 Aprobado: 25 # 152-197, Apartamento 802, Edificio Vista Azul, 15 de agosto de 2017 Floridablanca, Santander - Colombia. Atribución – Sin Derivar – No comercial: El material creado por usted puede ser distribuido, copiado y exhibido por terceros si se muestra en los créditos. No se puede obtener ningún beneficio comercial. No se pueden realizar obras derivadas 316 | Julio César Ramírez Montañez Fifteen Years of Plan Colombia (2001-2016) Resumen La idea básica de este escrito es presentar una visión amplia de las implicaciones del Plan Colombia sobre el conflicto colombiano en la ultima década y media.
    [Show full text]
  • Implications of Power Blackouts for the Nation's
    IMPLICATIONS OF POWER BLACKOUTS FOR THE NATION’S CYBERSECURITY AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION JOINT HEARING OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON CYBERSECURITY, SCIENCE, AND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND BORDER SECURITY OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION SEPTEMBER 4, 2003 and SEPTEMBER 23, 2003 Serial No. 108–23 Printed for the use of the Select Committee on Homeland Security ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/house U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 99–793 PDF WASHINGTON : 2005 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402–0001 SELECT COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY CHRISTOPHER COX, California, Chairman JENNIFER DUNN, Washington JIM TURNER, Texas, Ranking Member C.W. BILL YOUNG, Florida BENNIE G. THOMPSON, Mississippi DON YOUNG, Alaska LORETTA SANCHEZ, California F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER, JR., EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts Wisconsin NORMAN D. DICKS, Washington W.J. (BILLY) TAUZIN, Louisiana BARNEY FRANK, Massachusetts DAVID DREIER, California JANE HARMAN, California DUNCAN HUNTER, California BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland HAROLD ROGERS, Kentucky LOUISE MCINTOSH SLAUGHTER, SHERWOOD BOEHLERT, New York New York LAMAR S. SMITH, Texas PETER A. DEFAZIO, Oregon CURT WELDON, Pennsylvania NITA M. LOWEY, New York CHRISTOPHER SHAYS, Connecticut ROBERT E. ANDREWS, New Jersey PORTER J. GOSS, Florida ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, DAVE CAMP, Michigan District of Columbia LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART, Florida ZOE LOFGREN, California BOB GOODLATTE, Virginia KAREN MCCARTHY, Missouri ERNEST J.
    [Show full text]
  • August 2020 PERSPECTIVES on TERRORISM Volume 14, Issue 4
    ISSN 2334-3745 Volume XIV, Issue 4 August 2020 PERSPECTIVES ON TERRORISM Volume 14, Issue 4 Table of Contents Welcome from the Editors...............................................................................................................................1 Introduction to the Special Issue ...................................................................................................................2 by Jorge M. Lasmar and Rashmi Singh Articles Illicit Trade and Terrorism .............................................................................................................................7 by Louise I. Shelley Breaking Hezbollah’s ‘Golden Rule’: An Inside Look at the Modus Operandi of Hezbollah’s Islamic Jihad Organization ................................................................................................................................................21 By Matthew Levitt ISIS Resurgence in Al Hawl Camp and Human Smuggling Enterprises in Syria: Crime and Terror Convergence? ................................................................................................................................................43 by Christian Vianna de Azevedo The Use of Terrorist Tools by Criminal Organizations: The Case of the Brazilian Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) ...............................................................................................................................................64 by Guilherme Damasceno Fonseca Cartel-Related Violence in Mexico as Narco-Terrorism or Criminal Insurgency:
    [Show full text]
  • Testimony of General James T. Hill United States Army Commander United States Southern Command
    file:///C|/andeansecbook/04-03-24hill.htm TESTIMONY OF GENERAL JAMES T. HILL UNITED STATES ARMY COMMANDER UNITED STATES SOUTHERN COMMAND BEFORE THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 24, 2004 Introduction Mr. Chairman, Representative Skelton, Members of the Committee, it is my privilege to present the posture statement of the United States Southern Command. The men and women of our command are making enormous contributions to the War on Terrorism and the defense of this country on a daily basis. Your Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and Department of Defense civilians are working throughout the region to promote U.S. national security interests. Their work has done much to preserve stability and strengthen relationships with our allies. Simultaneously we are building a cooperative security community that will advance security and stability in the generation to come. The security picture in Latin America and the Caribbean has grown more complex over the past year. Colombia’s considerable progress in the battle against narcoterrorism is offset by negative developments elsewhere in the region, particularly in Haiti, Bolivia, and Venezuela. These developments represent an increasing threat to U.S. interests. We face two primary types of threats in the region: an established set of threats detailed in previous years and a nascent set likely to raise serious issues during this year. On the traditional front, we still face threats from narcoterrorists and their ilk, a growing threat to law and order in partner nations from urban gangs and other illegal armed groups, which are also generally tied to the narcotics trade, and a lesser but sophisticated threat from Islamic radical groups in the region.
    [Show full text]
  • “Success” Story* Midiendo La Historia “De Éxito” Colombiana
    REVISTA DE CIENCIA POLÍTICA / VOLUMEN 32 / Nº 3 / 2012 / 739 – 752 MEASURING THE COLOMBIAN “SUCCESS” STORY* Midiendo la historia “de éxito” colombiana ANDREAS E. FELDMANN Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile ABSTRACT This article discusses the evolution of state capacity in Colombia. Drawing on the general debate regarding the conceptualization and measurement of the state, the piece tracks the record of the Colombian state in the last decade. The article posits that, contrary to the conventional wisdom, the strength of the Colombian state has increased only marginally in the last 10 years. This improvement derives from important gains in two of Michael Mann’s (1986) infrastructural power dimensions –territorial reach and bureaucratic capacity. Lack of substantial improvements in Mann’s third infrastructural dimension– autonomy vis-à-vis non-states actors– and setbacks in the state legitimacy dimension make the gains in state capacity modest rather than robust. Key words: Stateness, Infrastructural Capacity, Legitimacy, Colombia. RESUMEN Este artículo analiza la evolución de la capacidad del Estado colombiano. Siguiendo el debate general relativo a la conceptualización y medición del Estado, el artículo mide el récord del Estado colombiano en la última década. El argumento principal es que, contrariamente al pensamiento convencional, la fortaleza del Estado colombiano ha incrementado sólo marginalmente en los últimos diez años. Los progresos derivan de mejoras apreciables en dos dimensiones de la noción de poder infraestructural de Michael Mann (1986) –capacidad burocrática y penetración territorial. Ausencia de progresos substantivos en la autonomía del Estado en relación a actores no estatales, la tercera dimensión de penetración del concepto de poder infraestructural de Mann, y retrocesos en la legitimidad estatal hacen que el fortalecimiento general del estado sea más bien modesto.
    [Show full text]