US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA8174

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Identifier:	05BOGOTA8174
Wikileaks:	View 05BOGOTA8174 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Bogota
Created:	2005-08-30 16:17:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	KMDR KPAO OPRC PREL SNAR PGOV CO
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS BOGOTA 008174 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR, KPAO, OPRC, PREL, SNAR, PGOV, CO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: AERIAL ERADICATION 
 
Op-ed by Professor of the Institute of Political Studies and 
Foreign Relations of National University Eduardo Pizarro- 
Leongomez in leading national daily El Tiempo (8/29) 
entitled: "The Silence Of The Innocents," states: 
 
"In the last few months, columnist Daniel Samper-Pizano has 
been very critical of the Interior Minister's proposal to 
use glyphosate to fight the increase of coca and poppy crops 
in National Parks... Samper-Pizano's proposal to use manual 
eradication... seems to neglect... a terrible reality: In 
Colombia unlike Bolivia, the illicit crops are protected by 
armed groups. That is why all anti-drugs operations result 
in a battle... So the cost could become very high in human 
lives and the results would be insignificant... Daniel 
Samper's innocent position... may contribute to the 
destruction of what he wants to protect: the Natural Parks. 
And this could end up supporting the interests of those who 
do not feel any respect for nature: paramilitaries, 
guerillas and narcotraffickers... At the moment, the fight 
against the growing destruction of the Natural Parks is 
paralyzed, and their destruction continues to increase (and 
not because of glyphosate, since it is not being used). 
Wouldn't glyphosate be the lesser of the two evils? This is 
a key question for the future of the nation." 
 
WOOD