The guerrillas’ latest act of terrorism shocked even Colombians numbed by four decades of relentless violence and kidnappings. The rebels’ motive? A little respect. Analysts say the ELN, a 5,000-member group with Christian roots that likes to portray itself as a bunch of “freedom fighters,” wants to be taken just as seriously as its Marxist counterpart, the bigger and more powerful Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The ELN’s pride was wounded when the government refused to demilitarize part of southern Bolivar earlier this year for peace negotiations, as it had done for the 13,000-member FARC in southern Colombia. “The ELN feels mistreated by a government that has given priority to talks with the FARC,” says political scientist Eduardo Pizarro.
The hijacking creates new headaches for President Andres Pastrana, who has staked his credibility on the teetering peace process with the two rebel groups. This week Pastrana must decide whether to extend the demilitarization of an area the size of Switzerland in southern Colombia for an additional three months of peace talks with the FARC. His talks with both rebel groups have gone nowhere so far, however, and the ELN’s latest act of terror hardly puts him in the mood to dole out more concessions. Pastrana insisted last week that he would not give in to guerrilla pressure exercised through “atrocious crimes.”
The guerrillas certainly didn’t do themselves any favors with the hijacking. The ELN already had broad contacts with civilian leaders. It enjoyed some support abroad, especially among European organizations with a soft spot for “freedom fighters.” And the Colombian government had recently come under fire for its human-rights record. During a recent visit U.S. Under Secretary of State for Human Rights Harold Koh scolded the military for its alleged ties with paramilitary death squads. But now the ELN, which has long railed against the abuses of the paramilitary groups, is tarred with a similar brush. “This is an incredibly serious mistake by the ELN,” said Armando Borrero, a former national-security adviser. It is “a violation of international law that will hurt its romantic image in Europe and much of its support in the general population.”
The ELN’s campaign of terror had already lost it some fans. Farmers in its traditional stronghold in Bolivar state complain about war taxes, forced recruitment and harsh punishments for those who disobey the rebels’ orders. In October rebels dynamited an oil pipeline in Antioquia state, reducing the surrounding forest to cinders and killing 73 people. That was followed by an assassination attempt earlier this month on a newspaper columnist critical of the ELN. And now the hijacking of Flight 9463. The guerrillas may have wanted respect. But all they have reaped is grief–and another list of names to add to the 600 hostages being held throughout Colombia.
